Living alone with Cancer and Depression

[Jennifer66]

Hi @Richard56 

Thank you for thinking of me, I had a good Christmas, was in early recovery but my family had everything under control.

My husband is wonderful and has been doing absolutely everything,, only two weeks till I see Professor and will get back to light things and start cooking again and get clearance to drive, and take a lot away from Peter, he has been my absolute rock but I know he will still be carefully watching me.

hopefully your Cystoscopy will come back good, 

I never had any bladder pain at all , I went through six weekly rounds of BCG then after few weeks  a cystoscopy and a few more weeks I started another six weeks of BCG, although it didn’t completely work for me, I guess it gave me time

Dont Put too much pressure on yourself and be careful your not over doing your fitness regime, but it’s good that it is so good for your well being 

I simply take everything day to day but must admit I’m looking forward to final report from Professor 

take care and good luck going forward 

Jennifer 😘

[Cindi54]

Hi @Richard56 ,

How are You going? Hows the skin cancer? what's happening?

I'm ok, just trying to get my energy back, I've been to my gym a bit, trying to get back into a routine, but struggling with having enough strength.

The chemo must've knocked me around more than I realised.

Oh well, I'll keep pushing along.

On Friday I went in for my cystoscopy and found out he took a biopsy of something in there, a bit concerned about that, but trying not to worry.

I wont find out for 2 weeks, I think the waiting is the hardest.

Off to do some hard walking, I try to do a lot of hills 🙂

All the best,

Cindi xx

[Richard56]

Hi Cindi,

I am going ok, trying to keep it all together and press on forward,  the skin cancer surgeon operates on me on the 6th feb, a 1 inch section of my nose needs to be removed because of the BCC  that is quite deep, these things have roots that extend down, anyway some plastic surgery and I should have some sort of a nose, which will take about 6 weeks to heal and about a year and it won't be noticeable, a number of scc's which I will need to have frozen off by another skin specialist  a week later.

My bladder is really sore, I've rang my urologist and oncologist to talk about it, however I just have to wait till the cystoscopy on the 3rd of Feb,  I'm not confident now as both have said I shouldn't have pain by now, and no meds reduce the pain either !.

Just wondering what's going to be next.

I push on with my walking and gym work irrespective of the pain.

It all takes so long to get answers,  you're right about the waiting , anyway I just have to be patient. 

I really hope the biopsy they took from you is nothing sinister, but keep me informed. 

Take care, I'll be thinking about you.

Richard xx

[Jennifer66]

Hi @Richard56 

Good that your skin cancer treatment is happening quickly, such a relief for you, your cystoscopy is very close, so sorry you are going through so much pain, from what I do know it affects men differently, hopefully your cystoscopy will clean your bladder out, biopsy are always done in this procedure do don’t concern yourself worrying about, them, the last two years I’ve had nine cystoscopy and ureteroscopy and stent insertions and changes with up to four biopsies each time always part of the procedure, I always have been in hospital overnight and occasionally two nights and each time pain free never needing pain medication, try not to think too much into anything .

you and Cindi certainly are fitness machines, not my thing at all, never has been, but I admire you both how you are so focused, I’m a simple walker and like to go to the pool something I haven’t been back to yet, but hopefully when I see my Professor I will be able to get back there soon and hopefully driving again and I will be able to start light things as well, I’m hoping my diet will change as so many restrictions not a lot I can eat as I’ve been on a Low Residue diet

good thoughts with your upcoming procedures and good luck  moving forward, it’s going to be a good year for you and Cindi 

all my good wishes and love 

💖💖💖

jennifer 

[Cindi54]

Hi Richard,

Sorry about your nose, I can understand how you're feeling as I've had cancer's removed from my nose, I was asleep when that particular group of skin cancers were removed as they needed to use grafts.

Tiny stitches right up my nose to between my eyebrows, but the plastic surgeon did a good job and is hardly noticeable now.

Also both bottom eyelids have had BCC's removed and other parts of my scalp. Who would've thought you could get them on your scalp!

Makes me wish I'd been more aware of skin cancers when I was younger.

I did use to swim in the surf a lot, and I'm very fair like my dad's family were ( Danish)

Anyway , good to get yours over and done with, Hope it's not as big a surgery as you had on your ear? Good luck.

I'm so sorry your bladder is so painful, wish they could give you answers, yes it takes ages to get them.

Not long before the 3rd comes along,a week?  just keep busy, you'll get answers after that. Hoping so much you'll get rid of the pain and find out the cause.

Big hugs,

Cindi xx

[Cindi54]

Hi @Jennifer66 ,

You amaze me with your bravery, you've been through so much but are very laid back about it all, how are you handling the changes?

Is it hard to learn how to deal with the stoma?

Are you ever in pain?or uncomfortable?

You sure are lucky to have such a wonderful husband!  mine tries in his own way, but isn't very good at it.

He would prefer to get away from it all & not have to deal with it.He is kind hearted and funny though 🙂

But I'm going ok.

I'm just nervous now about the biopsy results, as he did say one part didn't look good but may be nothing to worry about?! ....hard not to worry when told that !!

I'm going to go out walking now, ( with a hat on) &  try to wear myself out a bit, guess that's what Richard does too, it does help.

Sending you hugs,

Cindi xx

[Jennifer66]

Hi @Cindi54 

Thanks for  your kind words 

I don’t know  so much about bravery, but I simply never  worried about something I had no control over fixing. I took control over my own cancer diagnosis, I made it clear from day one I would never ever be having radiotherapy, I did go through 12 BCG treatments, three chemo and nine cystoscopy and ureteroscopy and stents, I was told twice I would not see Christmas 2023 without major surgery something I never would do when I was in no pain or sick, I was only ever lethargic 

Christmas came and went we even went on holiday, 2024 came and I changed doctors 

my cancer has been complicated and pain free without medication other than Panadol. 

Coming  up to two years and my cancer remarkably hadn’t spread into muscle, the reason I did decide I would go  with the surgery was when in October I was told I possibly had six months and was told I would cope well with the surgery, or the only option was I would get sick and be in pain 

I had my robotic surgery early December close on two years since my diagnosis. The first four days in ICU were agony I simply wanted my eyes to close and never open again. I have had a good recovery and did have pain killers while in hospital, since the first day home I have only ever taken Panadol, I’ve amazed myself how well I have recovered  and I was told I would have at least two infections, I have had no infections my eight wounds have all healed so well and stitches have all fallen out. I don’t have any pain not even really any discomfort. We manage so well with the ostomy  bags and have never had any mishaps at all. A night bag gets attached at night and I can sleep on my sides now and it doesn’t really cause any problems it sits on the floor with a long tube attached. I see the Professor next week and will get all results but I don’t concern myself with them.

Peter has been wonderful has done everything and will continue to do so. Hopefully I get all clear to drive again next week and will be able to go onto light duties, hopefully my diet will change and I can eat normally again as a Low Residue diet is so restrictive

hopefully I get all clear to go back to pool and although I want to go back it’s a bit daunting.
I don’t worry myself  with  what I can’t fix or have control over, many times I didn’t answer the phone and Peter would be rang by doctors as I simply didn’t want to know. 

I never went on these sites for a while as I felt with no pain or sick I felt a bit like a fraud, as so many in pain snd so sick from chemo, but as I found out bladder and ureter cancer so different and mine was simply not performing as cancer does and eventually became very complicated, but it has been good to make some contact as  always was good to I talk with others, as the cancer demons were always in your head at night 

thanks for listening to all my ramblings 

and I wish you good thoughts and much success in 2025 on your cancer journey 

jennifer

💖💖💖💖

[Richard56]

Hi Cindi,

Well its Fantastic news for me, the results from the cystoscopy on Monday were cancer free, no visual cancer in the bladder at all, together with the 3 separate urine tests done 2 weeks ago, no cancer cells in the urine tests. Its crazy though I'm still getting bladder pain, the Urologist thinks it could be from the immunotherapy that I've had, but I'm so so happy, my next immunotherapy starts in 2 weeks for 3 treatments over 6 weeks, then 6 weeks after that another cystoscopy.

Tomorrow its my nose surgery and next week it's the SCC's to be frozen off, then hopefully I'll be cancer free for the moment.

How are you ? and how are you both feeling ?.

I've been thinking about you and Jennifer wishing you both to be well.

Sending you both hugs.

Richard xx

[Jennifer66]

Hi @Richard56 

What wonderful news such great result and also good news with you skin cancers. 
I also had wonderful news yesterday , all my cancers have gone I had no cancer in any lymph nodes and none were removed , the bladder cancer had grown into muscle but not out. Bladder removed and two cancer ureters removed and ovaries removed. The Professor thought I looked wonderful and I have been cleared to drive, swim and eat anything although I bit of trial and error will come into play,  I can do anything just be careful 

my cancer in total remission 

so wonderful news and so pleased with great news too 

Jennifer 😘😘

[Richard56]

Hi Jennifer, 

Wow, I am so so pleased to hear that news, time to celebrate 🎉🎉🎉, its like such a huge weight lifted from your shoulders, time to relax now without the worry, go for that swim 🙂, its been a great week for both of us, and so much to look forward to now.

We'll keep in contact. 

Take care and you will still be in my thoughts. 

Richard 😘😘