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Follow Up Exam After First Round of BCG Treatments

The week before the day to go in for my first cystoscopy after BCG, the anxiety starts to get worse than normal.... But you gotta get on with your life, work, family, activities, etc. So I just trudge on. Like so many others.

My exam and cystoscopy routine

Robert and I, nervous as can be, try to just be positive. Well, he does. Saying things like, "its gone, the doc isn't going to see any tumors at all!" But I could tell he was scared too. Even through the jokes. We knew the routine by now, so that part went quick. Pee in a cup, remove pants and pantaloons, lol! Get ready, set, go! My urologist and my team of nurses have been so great at making us comfortable and they are actually cool with our way of trying to use humour to calm my nerves! (This may not be for everybody, and I know it's not appropriate every time).

Hearing the news

I got through the exam and cystoscopy with great news. He didn't see any new tumors! He seemed very confident and hopeful! What a relief! I looked over at Robert and said, "what the heck was you so worried about? See just like I said he would see nothing!" Lol!!! He had to tell the nurse the truth of course that he was truly the right one!! Gotta love him for being right!

Feeling better than I have in a long time

So now the next steps for my journey are, another cystoscopy mid July. And then maybe another 3 weeks of BCG for prevention I think. I am definitely feeling pretty good most the time. I get tired more than I'd like, appetite not really great. I have to kinda make myself eat sometimes. I still have some incontinence, but nothing at all like what it was with my bladder full of growing tumors! I mean I do feel better than I have in a long time!! I know these things are part of it and I'm handling it as positively as possible (most the time).

Positive, positive thoughts

My urologist after my diagnosis with him, he told me for sure we were going to be life long friends. I guess this is what he meant. Scopes and maintenance every 3 months. Im trying to see it as a blessing, that its going well and thats what anybody wants. It's what I want and hope for every day. So.....Great news for now, we're enjoying the time between appointments, grateful for this uplifting exam, just loving and supporting other! I hope that the July appointment goes just as well, if not better. So for now until then, positive, positive, positive thoughts! Love and positivity for anyone going through this journey with bladder cancer too. And all the loving, caring, caregivers and supportive people dealing with it too, thank you!

2nd update after BCG coming soon.....

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