Carol’s Bladder Cancer Story

Diagnosed in 2009 with non-invasive bladder cancer

The first thing I noticed was blood in my urine. I went to my general practitioner who gave me antibiotics and told me to bring a urine sample back in 10 days. When I took my sample back it looked okay to me but there was blood in it when the doctor checked it. I then had an ultrasound, x-ray and cystoscopy. I was not concerned by this as I felt fine.

It was a huge shock and surprise to be told after my cystoscopy that I had bladder cancer in February of 2009. When the doctor gave me the news I literally shook from head to toe with nerves. I didn’t think women got bladder cancer. Then my doctor explained to me what would happen next. I went for my transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TURBT) in March and was told that I had small superficial growths which had all been removed. I then started a course of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatments which have continued. I have regular cystoscopies and continue to be all clear. I am very thankful that my bladder cancer was diagnosed early and hopefully it will not rear its ugly head again. I am 65 years of age and married with 2 sons and 3 grandchildren. The one piece of advice I have is always to remain positive, and remember things are not always as bad as they seem.