Treatment #21

I thought that with about 7 months between treatments that today would be an easy day, but I was wrong. Installation and the two hours holding period were pretty routine.  The next six hours were just as intense as the last treatment with the only difference was the bleeding levels were below normal. Although 12 hours after the installation I was still passing blood.

The best news was that I had no chills today and wanted to eat at the end of the day.  I'm very thankful that I only have two treatments to go this month and three more in November.  Also, thankful for the answer to prayer today that the bleeding would ease up.

We go again next Wednesday morning...

Three Years Cancer Free

The cystoscope showed no signs of cancer today.  Three years have passed since the tumor was removed and I've gone through 21 treatments. My next treatment starts in two weeks and I will have three BCG treatments in May.  Dr. T said if the treatments continue to be as bad as the last one that we can stop or reduce the BCG to only 50% strength.  I told him that I would rather go to the reduced strength over quitting before we finish the 27 treatments. He told me again that the majority of patients do not make it to the end and that I'm doing very well. Looking forward to the challenge.

Two Days Until Next Test

It's been a while since I last posted on my blog and I thought it was time to let everyone know that I'm two days away from my next cancer testing.  I go into the clinic at 8:20am on Wednesday to have the next cystoscope procedure done.  If all clear, we should start the next three rounds of BCG treatments two week later and go through the end of May.  These treatments are preventative in nature and are the reason (besides prayer) that my cancer has not returned.  If all goes well, I will finish up with the last three treatments in Nov/Dec of this year.

Pray for a smooth and pain free procedure with clear results.  It is always a very difficult procedure to go through, but it is a much more effective way of finding any early stage cancer cells versus the CT Scan.

I'm feeling very good right now and continue to believe that we have the cancer at bay.  I will post on Wednesday the results.

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.