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.