TURBTs, PET Scans, and the Day of TruthAfter I found out I had bladder cancer, I was lucky enough to have private health insurance, so we arranged for me to go in and have a TURBT (have...reactionscomments
What Is It You Plan To Do?At risk of sounding at best cliché, and at worst, utterly insensitive: find the good in your or your family member’s cancer diagnosis. When my first husband Ahmad was diagnosed...reactionscomments
The Emotional Toll of Chronic IllnessTrigger WarningThe content includes information related to mental and emotional distress and it might be upsetting to some people. If you or someone you know have thoughts of suicide, have...reactions2comments
6 Facts To Know About Bladder CancerSeveral members of the BladderCancer.net community shared that they knew nothing about bladder cancer until after they were diagnosed. We found that this is a common experience among people living...reactions20comments
The JourneyBladder cancer doesn’t care about boundaries. Doesn’t matter what street, town, city, state or country you live in. It doesn’t care about trade agreements or political persuasion. It will attack...reactions4comments
Cupcakes, Prosecco, and Bladder CancerI laid on the hospital couch, looking at the screen during my cystoscopy thinking, “What on earth is that?” My mind was all muddled; I had to close and reopen...reactionscomments
Kegels for HerMost people relate Kegel exercises (Kegels) to women and childbirth. But did you know having strong Pubococcygeus (PC) muscles, the muscles that support the organs of pelvis, can help keep...reactionscomments
RC Check-Up Anxiety: How I CopedSo, it’s time for that first annual check-up after my radical cystectomy. I knew what to expect: blood tests, a renogram and a CT scan of the chest and abdomen...reactionscomments
How to Be an Empowered (and Empowering) Caregiver to A Stage IV PatientI was the caregiver to my first husband, Ahmad Khoshroo, during his 11 months facing Stage IV bladder cancer. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. Yes, it...reactionscomments
When You Need to Travel for Bladder Cancer TreatmentFinding the right doctor to treat your bladder cancer can be challenging, and many of our community members have commented that they have to travel to a major cancer center...reactions2comments
What is a Robotic Cystectomy?A cystectomy is the partial or total (radical) removal of the bladder. This can be done in multiple ways. Traditionally, a patient is given general anesthesia, an incision is made...reactionscomments
The Hero in the MirrorThis is a short post. But one everyone who has been diagnosed with cancer should read. When you get the news you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you never forget that...reactionscomments
The Three Month Follow-Up: Part 2Part 1 of this article described Noel's anxious experience going in for a follow-up cystoscopy and realizing that a miscommunication in the office led to the urologist leaving for the...reactionscomments
Diary of a Caregiver: Sun-DowningThis is the 4th entry in a series that chronicles my grandfather’s journey with bladder cancer. The following are actual emails or messages in our family’s closed Facebook group where...reactionscomments
The Wisdom We Gain From Confronting Our MortalityWe all know that someday we will die. And while we know this in an intellectual way from a young age, I believe we only know it in a visceral...reactionscomments
Cancer Slapped Me in the Face!Not the day I was told I had Lung Cancer. Not the day I was told I had Bladder Cancer. Not before or after my surgery to remove both left...reactionscomments
Stage IV Caregivers, Acknowledge How Hard This Is So The World Will Be On Your SideWhen my first husband had Stage IV bladder cancer and our days were incredibly difficult, I remember wondering often: why doesn't the world seem to acknowledge how hard this is?...reactionscomments
Telling Loved Ones About Your Bladder Cancer DiagnosisDealing with a diagnosis of bladder cancer on your own can be quite difficult. There are many important decisions to consider, and much to contemplate in order to take the...reactions2comments
The Three Month Follow-Up: Part 1I've always championed this disease; right from the outset I knew I was never going to be defined by my cancer. I wasn't at all devastated when first diagnosed, but...reactions2comments
Diary of a Caregiver: Back to the ICUThis is the 3rd entry in a series that chronicles my grandfather’s journey with bladder cancer. The following are actual emails or messages in our family’s closed Facebook group where...reactionscomments
