Radical Indeed

After most of 2020 dealing with nuisance symptoms like urgency and producing small foreign objects when I, then a major symptom; About 12 times a day I was having what I describe as extremely intense orgasms which produced only pee and necessitated a few trips to the ER. I was diagnosed in February 2021 with an aggressive bladder tumor.

"I'm glad to be alive"

On Cinco de Mayo my bladder and prostate were removed along with one cavernous nerve and 13 lymph nodes. I'm glad to be alive, but the absence of the nerve has severely limited playtime. The tumor had just begun to invade the muscle layer around the bladder.

In a short time, it would have metastasized. Not long afterward I was given precautionary chemo which caused a terrible rash. So chemo was replaced with immunotherapy. That caused my joints to inflame and lock up. This was polymyalgia rheumatica. I'm still being treated for it, although the inflammation is all but completely gone.

Managing the next steps

So, I've just been getting scans and blood work, which indicated that there is no more cancer. I'm scheduled for a scan in March, which is 4 months after my last one. I'm optimistic that it will be negative.

In the meantime, and likely thereafter, I'll continue to wear during the day and “adult undergarments” at night. I'm tolerating the annoying flow of urine and mucous, but I have no choice since I've, so far, been unsuccessful in gaining control over it despite pelvic floor muscle therapy. So, I'll just continue the keagles and see what develops. I suppose you all have had similar experiences, and I'm curious to find out how others have tolerated them. Nice venting. Have a good evening.

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