Last Treatment of the Year is Done.

Treatment day today was very intense.  It started out very nicely with me no blood in the urine test and a very easy installation.  The weather was very nice this morning and I walk/jogged my typical 2 miles at the start of the two hour holding period.  Then the six hours of practically constant motion of drinking fluids and voiding the bladder.  I lost more blood today than probably all of the other treatment days combined.  The cumulative effect of three treatments back to back really wreck havoc with my bladder and I'm now more understanding of why it is hard to get to the end of the 27 treatments.  I have 6 treatments to go and we will start again in April after a clear cystoscope on April 9th.

My son, Andy, was home to help me today, but because of the frequency of my trips to the bathroom, he was needed as much as I had hoped on the flush patrol.  But, he did make some great chocolate chip cookies and homemade chicken noodle soup, which were probably the best help I needed today.

The tally for the day...it was a hugely draining day today (no pun intended).   The normal treatment day chills quit around the end of the 8 hours.  Already started to take some Tylenol for my body aches.  Extremely happy that it is over and that I have 6 months to get my strength back.

No Treatment Yesterday

My last BCG treatment of the year was postponed a week, due to my failing an urine test.  You always have to provide a urine sample before any test or procedure at an Urologist office.  Yesterday, my sample had too many white and red blood cells in the urine to proceed with the BCG, without getting very ill from the drugs. So, we wait until next Wednesday and try again.  The presence of the blood could indicate that I'm having a small infection in the bladder.  I'm not feeling any different than usual, so it is a little perplexing.  I'm taking this time a nice little break and hope that we can get the treatment done on Wednesday the 6th.

#20 Was No Fun

Treatment #20 Day was a tough day.  It started good with an easy installation (broke in another new nurse) and a nice two mile walk during the holding period.  But, it went downhill from there.  The frequency of voiding the bladder was a record high and for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours it was every 15 minutes, which is way too many.  Bleeding was back as I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting it to last until bedtime.  It does tell you that the Treatments are working, even if it is not any fun to see.  Chills were not as bad this week, but the pain levels certainly went up.  By the end of the day, I had a very sore bladder and needed some Advil to get to sleep.  It was a day that reminded me why we make the statement, "he is fighting cancer."  I've been very fortunate that many of my treatment days were relatively smooth and easy.  Yesterday was not one of them.  Last treatment of the year is next Wednesday and then only two series left next year in May and December.

Treatment #19

The time between my last BCG treatment and this one was a long time, but you don't forget what it was like.  I had to break in a new nurse at the doctor's office by making her switch out the correct catheter, but other than that the installation went by smooth.  It was raining today, so my two mile walk was substituted with two hours in the rocking chair to slosh the BCG around the bladder.  The six hours of flushing the bladder was hectic.  Side effects were limited to the chills starting pretty quickly, but it was nice to have no bleeding this time.

Next treatment starts again next Wednesday.

Semi-Annual Test Clear Today

My semi-annual cystoscope test today showed no signs of cancer in the bladder.  As always, it was a big relief.  I went back home after the test and slept another 2 1/2 hours, until noon.  Then on the couch watching the Presidents Cup and taking my pain pills for the rest of the day.

Next up are my BCG treatments starting on Wednesday the 17th of October, continuing for a total of three treatments.  Then I will get to wait another 6 months before getting scoped again.  By the end of 2014, with no recurrence, I will be completely done with the BCG treatments and only facing the scope once a year after that.

I'm heading to bed tonight a thankful man.

Going to miss Winn Ann Simser

Part of the personal interaction experience of having cancer is meeting and talking to other people fighting this dreaded disease.  Last year, I found out that my former New Richland neighbor, Winn Ann Simser, had the same kind of bladder cancer as I have.  It was news that made me mad, because Winn Ann is one of the best people you will ever find.  I didn't want her to have to endure the pain of fighting this disease, but she did it well.

I went to visit Winn Ann and Jim in Fairmont last year to see how she was doing after having surgery that took out her cancerous bladder and created a new one for her. I cried when I walked into her house, because it really hits you hard to see someone you love going through the same thing.  We had a great visit, she never complained and was so supportive of me.  I shed some tears when I left her that day as well. When I talked to her a few months later and she was having trouble with the new bladder, she never complained.  She took it with her normal grace and kindness.  At the end of the call she was again very supportive to me.  

Winn Ann and I shared a great faith in God and the power of prayer.  She talked to me about how she could feel the prayers that were offered up to God on her behalf and how much comfort she felt from those prayers.  I replied that I experience those same feelings from prayers and that when people ask how they can help me, my reply is to pray for me.  All the years we lived next door to each other we never talked about our faith. But, when you get diagnosed with cancer, it is that faith that gets you through the day and it is that faith that binds you closer together and gives you the hope and assurance that in the end it is going to be okay.  Phil 1:21, For to me to live is Christ, and to die gain.

My family loved having Winn Ann, Jim, and their four sons, Bill, Mike, Mark and Dave living next door.  Winn Ann and Jim did a great job of parenting four rambunctious boys. Jim had a MN High School Hall of Fame coaching career, but was a better husband than he was a coach.  Visiting with Jim last summer really taught that cancer hits both the husband and wife.  His phrase of "when we were diagnosed" was something I had heard from other husbands who had wife's with cancer.  He taught me to be just as concerned for Nancy as she is for me.  When the Bible says, "that two shall become one", that it is in everything you experience in married life.  Seeing pictures of Winn Ann with Jim in a hospital gown during their 50th wedding anniversary showed me again of what a great couple that they were.  I'm certain if was a great comfort to Winn Ann to have Jim by her side through her battle and holding her hand as she passed on to her next life.

I cried again today as I found out that Winn Ann has passed.  I'm going to miss Winn Ann.  I'll miss having her to talk to about what it is like fighting cancer.  I will miss talking to her about prayer.  But, I look forward to seeing her again one day.

No News Is Good News

I have been getting inquiries lately from people who were wondering how I was doing and asking why I haven't posted anything in three months.  The answer is that no new is good news. 

My treatment and cystoscope schedule has been changed, now that I've gone two years without any recurrence.  Instead of being on a three month cycle, I will be on a 6 month cycle for the next two years.  So, my next visit to the doctor will be on October 3rd for a cystoscope examination.  If all is clear, then I should start my next three weeks of treatments on October 16th.

My fatigue is gradually getting better each week, but still not back to normal.  I have started to take vitamin B12 and I think it is helping.  I have also been pushing myself out of bed each weekday morning at 5:20am to go run a couple of miles before work.  It is amazing how fast you lose your physical stamina after a few short months.  But, I'm running a little faster every day and hope to compete in the Best Buddies TN 5K in August.

Two Years Cancer Free

It was two years ago yesterday that my cancerous tumor was removed from my bladder and after my Cystoscope today, I know that I'm still cancer free.  The scope procedure went very well today and my pain medication has kept me pain free all day.  I will now have 6 months off before I go back for my next cystoscope.  Then I will have my treatments a couple of weeks later.

My doctor stated that we will still have treatments until the end of 2014.  But, then we will be finished with the BCG treatments.  He also stated that the odds of recurrence go down after getting through the first two years.  While I will be getting scoped for the rest of my life, the stress will definitely be much less after getting past this big milepost.

Thank you to everyone that have sent up prayers on my behalf.  I couldn't imagine what it would have been like to have gone through these two years without my belief in God and the power of prayer.  Being a Christian does not mean we will not have trials in our life.  It means that we have the  confidence that we will be okay no matter whether we live or die.

Another Series of Three Treatments are Done!

Yesterday, I finished my last treatment in this series of three.  Each treatment day gets progressively harder as you go through the three treatments.  The last treatment had the usual installation procedure and I was able, due to the nice weather, to take a two mile walk during the two hour holding period.  Besides being good exercise, the walk also helps to break up the two hours and unlike the first two treatments, I was not worried about making it to the end of the two hours. 

My six hours of flushing the system dragged on as usual and because of the progressive nature of the three treatments, I had blood showing up for about four hours, versus only two hours for treatment #2 and none for treatment #1.  It is not unusual to have the bleeding and it makes you feel like you know the BCG fluid and virus is working.  I also had chills for most of the six hours, but they went away before bedtime.  I was left with a bladder that aches and is still quite sore 24 hours later. 

I spent the afternoon watching the second season of Downton Abbey and I'm looking forward to getting into the current season three.  My daughter wants to go on a family trip to see the actual abbey and it will put on my bucket list as I love England. 

The next major milestone will be April 10th, when I have my two year cancer checkup with the dreaded cystoscope.  The two year anniversay is very important as any recurrence after the two year mark will put you probably back to square one of starting the BCG treatments all over again, versus the removal of the bladder.  It's important to keep the orginal part as long as possible.

Thanks for everyone's prayers and concerns...

Two Down and One to Go.

Today was the second of my three weeks in a row of having my BCG treatments.  This series of three will all be started at 8 in the morning, which is a blessing because the 8 hours are over between 4-5 pm.  Just like last week the installation went extremely quick and well.  They changed the protocol on how they administer the treatment and I'm not going to gross you out, so just take my word that the change is effective.

Today went well and I was able to get through it with just one pain pill.  It was about in the middle of the pack for pain and didn't really call for taking any additional pain pills.  It was the first time in a couple of treatments that I experienced blood while I voided my bladder.  It is normal with this kind of treatment and certainly not excessive.

It was a long day that started with being waken by tornado sirens at 3 am (no tornado, just high winds) and then my normal alarm at 6am.  I have my normal, sore and worn out bladder, but it is worth it with the continued great results.

With nothing good on TV during the day, I went through the entire first year (7 hours) of Downton Abbey.  A very well done series by PBS.  I'm looking forward to seeing the second year next week and getting up to date on the current season three very soon.

Sweet #16.

My eight treatment hours are done and it was again one of the best of the sixteen treatments.

The one thing that I've come to understand over the course of my 16 treatments is that you never know what to expect.  You know that it is not going to be an easy day and like a good roller coaster, you just hold on to your seat and go where it takes you.  I'm very thankful that today went well.

The doctor's appointment was early at 8 in the morning and I still don't have the early morning routine down for how much I can drink before going into the doctor's office.  It is important to hold the BCG in the bladder for the entire 2 hours, while I sit in the La-Z-Boy and rock to keep it sloshing around.   Needless to say, I was counting down the minutes and knew exactly when the 120 minutes were finished.  I pumped myself with fluids all day and almost set a record for the number of trips to the bathroom.  It seems that the more fluid intake the less pain I experience, so today was a good day.

I reread John Piper's, Don't Waste Your Cancer, this morning and it put me in a great frame of mind.  I highly recommend the book to anyone going through cancer treatments.

Now I have six days of recovery and it all starts again next Wednesday at 8 am.