Test results

fauxma
fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
I didn't post before because this isn't about my breast cancer. I went in for my yearly (well I stretched it to 18 months) cystoscopy for my bladder cancer check up. It is done under light sedation in case they find anything they can remove it then. My bladder cancer was in 2002 and my tests have always been clear. Before I went under the doctor and I discussed going to every 2 years for this test. When I came out of the sedation, hubby told me that the doctor had removed a small tumor but he felt it was benign. They sent it for pathology and he told Den he would call me today and let me know for sure. The good news is that it was benign, the yucky news is that it is the type of tumor that can become malignant and it was in the same spot as my original cancer. Because these often grow back and sometimes very quickly I don't get to go to the every two year place but back to the every four month place. So it is two steps forward and one step back but I am so grateful it wasn't cancer that I don't care. So happy, good news and yucky I have to go more often news (but not bad news). Thanks for letting me share my mostly good news with you all.
Stef

Comments

  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    We'll take mostly good
    Glad it was benign! Sorry that you've gotta be checked in four months. They're watching you closely and that is good. These days, we'll take any good news we can get.

    We are thankful!

    Bless you!
    dh
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    YEAH!
    Oh Stef I am so pleased it is benign, how scary but it most certainly VERY GOOD NEWS! Going every 4 months is not too bad and your doc can keep a close eye on you! Glad you are doing well, you need to celebrate!

    Hugs,

    RE
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    Hi Stef,
    I am so happy that it was benign. Sorry you have to go through this every 4 months, but hey it is just a preventive measure.

    xoxo,
    Jean
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    But Stef....
    They caught it early and before it became cancer. So, that is the happy and lucky news!

    Hugs,
    CR
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    CR1954 said:

    But Stef....
    They caught it early and before it became cancer. So, that is the happy and lucky news!

    Hugs,
    CR

    good news Steff
    I know it sucks to have to worry every 4 months,but like Re said at least they are keeping a close eye on you. I have been thinking a year is too long and thinking of making an apt. with my onc. just to make sure I am such a worrier, but then i guess we all are when we are used to fighting that damnable beast.
    God Bless,
    Jackie
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    Thanks for sharing with us.
    Thanks for sharing with us. Benign is good, and watching closely is good too!

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988

    Thanks for sharing with us.
    Thanks for sharing with us. Benign is good, and watching closely is good too!

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Stef
    Thanks for sharing the good news with us....no cancer. It will be hard to go back every four months, but if that is what it takes to remain cancer free, then let's go for it. Thanks for letting us know (even if it was after the fact). Hugs, Judy
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950

    Stef
    Thanks for sharing the good news with us....no cancer. It will be hard to go back every four months, but if that is what it takes to remain cancer free, then let's go for it. Thanks for letting us know (even if it was after the fact). Hugs, Judy

    OMG! Thank God they found
    OMG! Thank God they found it! I'd go every month if they would test me that often just so they could find the spots before they go cancerous....
    Dee
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    Thank goodness for mostly
    Thank goodness for mostly good. The news that there was a tumor, even benign, is raw and so I bet it is still very powerful. Here's to another nine years (and more) of bladder cancer free! It is good that you are being watched so carefully and are getting such good care. xoxoxox Lynn
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    lynn1950 said:

    Thank goodness for mostly
    Thank goodness for mostly good. The news that there was a tumor, even benign, is raw and so I bet it is still very powerful. Here's to another nine years (and more) of bladder cancer free! It is good that you are being watched so carefully and are getting such good care. xoxoxox Lynn

    YEAH
    Good news how wonderful. I wish we had more of it on this board. I'm greatful you are well and that the tumor was benign. YEAH!

    Terry
  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
    So happy for you.
    So happy for you.

    Hugs

    Donna
  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    Stef... I know going in
    Stef... I know going in every four months is a downer however I am dancing around happily sharing your "downer"... because that is absolutely wonderful... we do have to be vigilant don't we and you sisters who have had more than your share of exeperience with the beast even more so... so do your thing...every four months... and we will continue to celebrate each and every "good" news report with you!!!

    Hugs & love,

    ~T
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    Stef so happy it was
    Stef so happy it was benign!! That is really good news.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    Stef, soooo happy that you
    Stef, soooo happy that you got good news. That is wonderful. Back to the more frequent testing, but your last visit discovered the benign tumor thank God so it can be a good thing.

    By the way, thank you for your response to my post. You hit all of my feelings right on the head. It just helps knowing that I am not alone in my feelings. Eil
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    Whew! So glad they got it
    Whew! So glad they got it and it wasn't malignant. Just enough to keep you on edge, right? I know someone who had bladder cancer and they used a vaccine on him which in some way eliminated the cancer. Wonder if you had that. Thank you for sharing your good news, we can never get too much of that :)
    hugs
    jan
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    Stef
    glad the spot was benign. We'll take all the good news we can.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    When I read "two steps
    When I read "two steps forward, one step back", in my mind ( which isn't saying much, I readily admit!) I was seeing NED, and he was simply teaching you a new dance step he had choreographed. He held you a little closer to him than he normally does, as he felt you start to trip, but you did the steps just fine!!!! To make sure you don't forget the new routine, he is going to schedule you a few extra practice sessions....

    I like that vision of you!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member

    We'll take mostly good
    Glad it was benign! Sorry that you've gotta be checked in four months. They're watching you closely and that is good. These days, we'll take any good news we can get.

    We are thankful!

    Bless you!
    dh

    Stef ... I am also glad that your news is good .. benign,
    sorry that you have to go in more frequently .. every 4 months now. Hoping that in time, your visits will be yearly.

    Thank you for sharing with us.


    Strength and Courage.

    Vicki Sam
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    Oh, my!
    More frequent testing maybe feels like "back in saddle again"? Kind of a bummer?

    Yet...

    Benign is great! As is vigilance over one's own health.

    So, yeah - totally worth celebrating. :-)

    Kind regards, Susan
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member

    Oh, my!
    More frequent testing maybe feels like "back in saddle again"? Kind of a bummer?

    Yet...

    Benign is great! As is vigilance over one's own health.

    So, yeah - totally worth celebrating. :-)

    Kind regards, Susan

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your replies. I am indeed delighted that I am still with NED and I am glad that my doctors are so vigilant. I don't worry about test results until I have something to worry about so going back to every four months is okay that way. I don't even mind the test because I am sedated and in lala land. I guess what bothered me was the going backwards on follow ups (although I also would go monthly as long as they are caught like this). But Chen, as always, put this in such a great way. I am just doing the chacha with NED. Forward and back, forward and back, but mostly forward to hooray to that.
    Oh, and more good news, all good by the way. I had my breast cancer oncology appointment today and all is great, all is good. I go for my bone density in March and then I am done (said with fingers crossed) until May when I do the repeat cystoscopy.
    I want to say outloud and for the record and I don't use this word very often with cancer. I am "lucky" truly lucky that my cancers have all been caught early and have been relatively easy to treat. I hope that I continue to be "lucky" with all my check ups. Cancer is a hard disease to cope with as we all know but there are degrees in this as there are in all of life's events and my degrees have always been the simpliest. I have had moments of worry, but not often and I deal well with my cancers. I am still grateful I have a glass and I don't borrow trouble, I don't let worry about tomorrow rob me of today. Now, when other's here have problems, new diagnoses, recurrences, mets, and well, anything cancer related, then I worry. I find it so much harder to see other's cope with this than I do myself. I am not sure why that is, compassion is part of it, but I think an even bigger part is that because my father died at 48 from a major heart attack, I somehow never thought I would live longer than that. I actually counted the days to figure out when I would be the exact age he was when he died. A month before that I was diagnosed with diabetes and I was sure I was going to die. Well, I didn't and I realized that I have no control over when I will die or what I will die from and I decided then and there that I was going to enjoy my life and not overworry about the things I cannot control. So even though I have had twinges of fear, what my first questions are what do we do to treat this and let's get the show on the road. I remember that the importance of these visits is to monitor and watch and do what needs to be done so that I can be here as long as I can. I don't look on the check ups with fear but with the thought that I am doing everything I can to fight this disease. I am the knight defending my castle and I will do that with my last breath. I will do all I can to keep the enemy from breaching the walls. I am Sir Vivor. So ladies, I say to all, GO, FIGHT, WIN.
    Love you all so very much,
    Stef