[Viva] Bladder Cancer - what to look for

Thu Oct 1 20:22:02 PDT 2020

I had melanoma a couple of years ago and even though I've been through some
rough shit that was not fun at all. You sound a lot more even about it than
I was! I hope your procedure goes smoothly and you heal up quickly. Thanks
for sharing. Health issues are one thing but I find they are always
exacerbated by our poz status. I hope you get good care in the system!

hugs

~anne

On Tue, Sep 29, 2020 at 12:17 PM Denise Wozniak <deniseswozniak at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I love the virtual hugs and can really feel them, thank you! I believe we
> have a special kind of resilience and am sure that if it was one of us or
> our family members we would worry about them more. That's what HIV does...
> it makes you more aware and, as Peg said, more vigilant.
>
> We are a kick ass group!
>
> Denise
>
> On Tue, Sep 29, 2020 at 11:06 AM Charlene Anderson <pickles4 at shaw.ca>
> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for sharing this Denise and I’ll be thinking of you on the 13th.
>> Hugs Char
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:31 AM, B V <bertavezina333 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> 
>> Elegantly said Peggy,
>> It is a great thing to have this conversation about vulnerability within
>> this group of beautiful people.
>> 😘 Roberta.
>>
>> On Tue., Sep. 29, 2020, 10:19 a.m. pegfrank, <pegfrank at telus.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Isn’t is amazing to have this site where we can share some of the most
>>> difficult and amazing times in our lives with others who understand.  THank
>>> you both for reminding us to speak up - share and know that caring is not
>>> sympathy but genuine heart meeting heart in the throughs (Or throws)  of
>>> really difficult times. We are aging humans, and bound to have ‘regular’
>>> health issues. Those of us who have lived for more than 30 years with this
>>> THING, may find it strange to just have bladder cancer, or just have a
>>> stroke, or just have a pelvic fracture, but we need — as Denise said — to
>>> stay vigilant with our care.
>>>
>>> I hold this circle of wonderful women in my heart. You all have gifts
>>> that I and others have received. One of them is this brilliant website.
>>>
>>> Hugs (self-hug with arms stretching far to catch the energy from others
>>> and then wrapping tight) to all in a hug free time.-peg
>>>
>>> On Sep 29, 2020, at 9:53 AM, Denise Wozniak <deniseswozniak at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Dear Friends:
>>>
>>> About two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a low grade bladder cancer. I
>>> have an operation on October 13 to remove it and the urologist says he
>>> would be shocked if it had spread.  I'm letting you know this so that you
>>> will know what to look for and what follow-up to take to catch it early:
>>>
>>> Around 3 months ago I had a urine test as part of my regular blood work.
>>> I had not had bloodwork for at least 8 months due to worries about being
>>> around any Covid.
>>>
>>> There were a few differences from the usual results:  Here is what was
>>> different:
>>>
>>> Protein ATrace
>>> Leukocytes APositive
>>>
>>> My cd4 was 1080 and my ratio was 45%, both really good considering I
>>> have had HIV since 1989.
>>>
>>> A month later I started to notice a lot of blood in my urine and no
>>> pain, my skin was incredibly itchy (related?). I also had blood in urine in
>>> 2017 and it was due to a UTI or a kidney stone. At that time I had pain
>>> too. This time the bleeding lasted over a week.  During that time my GP
>>> sent me for another urine test:
>>>
>>> Protein A1
>>> Hemoglobin A>=10
>>> Leukocytes A75
>>>
>>> The Leukocytes had really changed.
>>>
>>> A cytology was ordered from another urine test and sent to the BC Cancer
>>> Agency - Negative for Cancer.
>>>
>>> At that point I almost cancelled a Urologist appointment but I thought I
>>> would tell him what had happened so far. He said he wanted to do a
>>> cystoscopy (camera up into my bladder) because sometimes a cytology doesn't
>>> catch it. He also changed by GP's ultrasound appointment to a CT scan. The
>>> cystoscopy found the cancer. Lesson learned:  do not cancel a urologist
>>> appointment.  I told him I'd had worse news in the past (haven't we all!)
>>> and so this was something I would just wait to see what happens.
>>>
>>> The urologist set up an appointment for me to have an operation to get
>>> the tumour removed on October 13. Tumours are just a collection of cancer
>>> cells and often we think of tumours as something much more sinister but
>>> they can be small. I will have the results about 10 days after the
>>> operation and will know if the cancer cells are just on the surface or have
>>> gone deeper into the wall of the bladder.
>>>
>>> I'm letting you know all of this because I learned that I shouldn't
>>> take blood in the urine too lightly and don't settle for Cytology results.
>>>
>>> I don't need sympathy, I just want to bring about awareness and I will
>>> keep you informed as to next steps because it's always good to have
>>> knowledge.
>>>
>>> Virtual hugs to all of you,
>>>
>>> Denise Wozniak
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> VIVA mailing list
>>> VIVA at lists.resist.ca
>>> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/viva
>>>
>>>
>>> - Peggy Frank
>>>
>>> Now seeing the morning sun rise from 1103-139 Clarence St., Victoria, BC
>>> V8V2J1
>>>
>>> “
>>>
>>> *I have been and still am a seeker,but I have ceased to question stars
>>> and books;I have begun to listen to the teachings*
>>> *My blood whispers to me.*”
>>> - Herman Hesse
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> VIVA mailing list
>>> VIVA at lists.resist.ca
>>> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/viva
>>>
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