Hi @greg57 , I'm so sorry to hear about your liver cancer, I don't have that I have bladder cancer. But I hear the SIRT is very successful which is so good. Amazing what they can do for cancer these days, "it's not a death sentence" anymore, try to say that to yourself, have trust in your doctors. Try to think that it "could" be worse. That's what I do anyway. I hope you get a wonderful result. Thinking of you and sending you a big hug Cindi x ... View more

Hi @Richard56 , How are you now? I can't stop thinking about you, I really hope you're healing well and not in too much pain. I found with the pain meds, they cause bad constipation, so maybe you need to take Movical, that helped me. Also with the pain meds, I slowly cut them down after about 5 days, slowly came off them. I'd love to hear what's happening with you, I guess you're waiting for results, which can be so hard. Please keep in touch. Sending you big hugs, Cindi xx ... View more

Hi Jennifer66, It sounds complicated, you poor thing, it's so not fair is it. How did you find out? did you have blood in your urine or what? You have big decisions to make, if it was me I think I'd try to follow what the Onc thinks is best, it's hard putting your life in another's hands, but they should know what would work best for you. If you have the bladder removed, would you need to have a bag where the urine goes? I understand what you mean about the worry of microscopic bits of the cancer escaping, I worried also about that, and maybe that's why I'm having chemo now, to "mop up" any stray cancer cells. I hope you keep in touch, I'd love to know how you're going , and I really wish you best of luck with it all. Hugs from Cindi xx❣️   ... View more

Oh @Jennifer66, You certainly have been through a lot, wow. I had my right kidney & ureter removed, can I ask why they didn't do that for you? My kidney was a bit damaged from the large size of the cancer in ureter blocking the kidney, so they thought it my best choice really. One can cope fine with one kidney. I'm so sorry for you, very difficult decision and NO you don't want just a "band aid" solution.. find out AS MUCH as you can, I like to do that too. So sorry you still have a stent in, I had one but only for a week or so. Not nice. Please keep in touch, you are the only person I've found with a Ureter cancer ( even though they call it Bladder cancer) Sending you a big hug, Cindi xx ... View more

Hi @Tiff123 , I'm so sorry, and I understand completely. Last year I had breast cancer and this year I have another cancer, bladder cancer, I have a sister but I noticed she has distanced herself from me, she will answer texts but just briefly saying something like " you can do this, just listen to your body" .... that's it. I know how you feel, would be nice to have a little more wouldn't it. I think they are scared, can't face it, I really do think it's just that. I'm lucky I have a husband who "tries" to be my brick, he's not that great at it but I realise he does his best to support me and a cousin who is a sweet heart. I don't know if anyone really knows how to approach our cancers to give support except for others going through the same thing, that's why these forums are so great I find. Your relatives still love you they just don't know how to approach the big C subject. A gentle cuddle is sometimes worth SO MUCH isn't it. Sending you a big virtual cuddle Cindi xx💖 ... View more

Hi Jennifer66, I'm also like you, diagnosed with Invasive High-Grade Urothelial carcinoma, multiple foci of lymphovascular invasion, but my Onc said they call it Bladder cancer, so I had to have the kidney and ureter removed (involving part of bladder) and I'm on the chemo to mop up any escaped microscopic cancers, as it had spread into muscle & fat. Today I'm not feeling as bad, I had a coffee this morning without the smell putting me off! so that's a plus😊 If I was you, I'd contact your chemo nurse and ask her a lot of questions, or wait to fire them at your Onc, maybe write it all down , the questions & answers so you remember. Perhaps it would be a good alternative for normal chemo treatment? I know what you mean though, I also like to get as much info as possible, it's your body so you need to know as much about the treatment as you can. I hope everything goes well for you. I go back for more chemo on Thursday but just the Gemcitabine this week, so without the Carboplatin I hope it's a little easier. I haven't lost my hair yet and hope not to, but I still don't know if I will or not. I just want to get it all over and done with and work my way back to my original fitness and life. At the moment, just walking up the road for 5 minutes makes me breathless, I used to be able to go to my gym for 2 hours most days. Can't wait to be finished and do that again ( slowly!) Please don't let me scare you, your chemo sounds very different, you may find it very tolerable.😊 Cindi x ... View more

Hi Jennifer, Thanks for explaining that, it actually sounds not too bad that type of chemo, why don't you want to go ahead with that? it sounds much better than the one through the port. No sides would be lovely. Anyway, I hope you work out a treatment suitable for you , thanks so much for talking to me, it does help . Wishing you the best, Cindi ... View more

Hi Jennifer66, It's kind of you to reply to my post, thank you. Is intravestical the same as the chemo going through a Port? My chemo is a little different for me as I have the Gemcitabine and Carboplatin ( which is the nasty one) I had a port put in under the skin below my right shoulder blade, and they inject the chemo through there. I'm now onto my second cycle and I am suffering quite a few sides but I try to get on top of them quickly and it helps along with sleeping pills if I'm too speedy ( from the horrible steroids in the chemo) and which I also have following the chemo to help stop vomiting. It was causing me to have halucinations, scary stuff, but the sleeping pill helps You're lucky to have avoided the side affects, really happy for you. Can I ask, did your hair fall out? although I think it's the Carboplatin one that does that? Thanks , Cindi x ... View more

Hi Richard, Thank you for thinking of me, I'm not too bad today, managing the sides now, but I don't know what I'd do without the sleeping pills the Oncologist prescribed me, when I first started chemo I didn't realise the steroids they gave me with the chemo would make it so hard to sleep and speedy, but the sleeping pill at night for the first about 4 nights after the chemo help SO MUCH!  I'm managing now to get out and walk a little. When I told you about the dog park, I didn't mean I have no pets, I've always loved animals, I have 3 cats, they are Burmese, 1 rescue and 2 brothers. they are quite a lot of work as they are always wanting to play and fussy eaters but that's partly my fault as I spoil them rotten!and they are inside cats, but have lots to play with and climbing posts galore. So sorry about your fur baby's passing, always so sad. Sometimes a cat can be happy in a small apartment if you can give it enough love and play, it'd be nice for you to have a companion. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time, but glad the pain's eased. When you see your specialist you should maybe write down questions to ask so you don't forget, like about the incontinence and why? will it last ? etc. After my operation I had a stent in for a while ,bypassing the bladder, but after a while that was removed and I'm ok in that way now, as only part of my bladder was removed,so hopefully you will be too at some stage. Do you have a bladder cancer nurse you can ring or text any questions to? usually there is one working with the Oncologists , my one answers pretty quickly if I text her. It can really ease your worries. Yes it's good when the sun comes out, everything seems happier 🙂 I'm off now to feed a neighbor's 2 chooks, we give them left over.... roast chicken!! 😆sounds weird but they love it, they also love being patted, very friendly girls, makes me happy being around nature. I wish you all the best for your op and hope you recover quickly, often the waiting and scary thoughts are worse than the reality, so hope it all goes well. Sending hugs, Cindi x   ... View more

Hi Richard, Well tomorrow I go in to have my big chemo session, and no, so far not really much hair loss, a bit of thinning, but nothing much. Gums & teeth fine, I make sure I brush twice a day and I was recommended to gargle with one teaspoon of bi -carb soda, which helps. Today I go and have bloods done so they can check how my body is coping. I'm glad you've got some meds for the anxiety, I know it's really no good telling you not to worry too much, because you just do don't you, but you will probably feel a bit better after your operation on the 30th ( not long to go) it's just so hard facing the unknown. You're a bit like me , I also love the gym and I've managed this last week to go back and do a bit of exercise ! so I'm not feeling too bad at all. I also like the treadmill, but I read my Kindle reader while on there so I don't get bored. After tomorrow I will probably lay low as I know Ill feel tired but it's manageable. Oh PLEASE don't look up Dr Google, it just freaks one out! a lot of what you read is out dated and also just untrue, don't torture yourself. I'm so sorry you've also had a hip replacement, not such a good year!! Aim towards fighting off this cancer and looking ahead with positive thoughts of a healthy 2025. That's what I'm doing.🙂 I don't know how you feel about dogs, but I find them therapeutic, and because I don't have one myself, I enjoy walking up to a dog off leash park near me and chilling out there, they are such happy souls and can lift the spirit. Last year I had breast cancer ( didn't have chemo though) and used to go and have acupuncture, it really helped my anxiety and helped me so much. ( I got through all that fine) You may find it helpful at some stage? Anyway, please let us know how you're going. I know you feel the 30th is hard to wait for, but it'll come along and then you will find out what the next step will be, honestly, they have come such a long way with treatments and when on chemo they monitor you so well and adjust it all to make it as comfortable as possible for you, try your best to think positively, trust in your team . Talk soon, hugs from Cindi xx     ... View more