Eric’s Story: “Bladder cancer gave me a story to tell.”

A routine day took an unexpected turn when Eric Feldt Jr. noticed something unusual—small signs that hinted at a deeper problem lurking beneath the surface. As months passed and the symptoms persisted, what began as a quiet suspicion led to a life-changing diagnosis. From that moment on, his journey became a testament to resilience, faith, and the power of proactive care. Through surgeries, setbacks, and surprising challenges, he discovered not only the strength to persevere but also a renewed purpose in helping others navigate their own paths. This is Eric’s story:

The first clue that I had bladder cancer was blood in my urine.

It happened the first time when I was at a customer’s house. Then it went away, probably a month went by, and it happened again. Then another month later, it happened again. I was procrastinating getting it looked at. After the third time, I went to my doctor’s office, and he thought I’d probably have kidney stones, but it was fine. I went and had medical imaging done and then he saw something on my bladder. I was referred to a urologist.

I went back and had a CT scan with contrast, showing something was in my bladder. I looked at the bladder cam and the urologist confirmed it.

There was a tumor in there about 10 centimeters. I remember my doctor, Richard Bevan-Thomas, saying, “There’s that big one.” There were also a bunch of little ones. It was kind of disgusting. It looked like a bunch of milk worms all together. I mean, they were everywhere. I walked into the urologist thinking I had kidney stones, wondering how they could hurt that much, and instead, walked out with a bladder cancer diagnosis.

That was in 2019.

Once I had the diagnosis, I had a TURBT done quickly, within a month. My tumors were low grade, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. When I got diagnosed, I told my doctor, “Just tell me what I need to know and what I must do, and I will stay off the internet. At first, I didn’t ask a whole lot of questions just because I didn’t want to know. I then had another TURBT. This all happened within a period of about six months. The doctor told me that he got all the tumors.

We found out that the possible cause of my getting bladder cancer was caulking, which is what I do for a living. It could have been the caulk and me licking my finger to fix caulk beads over 30 years. This stuff was so built up in my system that it was going to take a while to get it out, is what the doctor said. During the first procedure, he went in there and got it all out. But he knew based on how much there was, it was probably going to take a few tries. When he looked again, the tumor was back. When a biopsy was done, it came back as non-invasive, high grade.

And then with that TURBT, they injected mitomycin in my bladder.

I underwent five TURBT surgeries over several months, with timelines stretching between four to six months. Initially, my treatments didn’t include mitomycin or BCG, but both eventually became crucial to my care. During a global BCG shortage, I turned to the internet for answers and found BCAN, which became an incredible resource for me. Along the way, I faced the frustration of navigating limited guidance and misinformation, but I stayed determined to explore every possible option.

Through nearly 30 rounds of BCG, I faced challenges. Despite this, I stayed committed to my care plan, blending traditional treatments with some alternative approaches. My journey taught me the importance of staying proactive, seeking out resources, and maintaining open communication with doctors to explore every avenue for healing.

During my last round of BCG treatment, I developed Reiter’s syndrome, a rare side effect. It started with pink eye, which I initially didn’t connect to the treatment. When I experienced severe pain and inflammation the following day, I reached out to my doctor. He was unsure of the cause and prescribed a short course of steroids, but it didn’t help. Frustrated, I researched my symptoms and discovered Reiter’s syndrome, which matched my symptoms exactly. When I brought it up to my doctor, he admitted he’d never encountered a case in his 30 years of practice.

The initial treatment I received wasn’t effective, so I sought a second opinion from a specialist at UT Southwestern, Dr. Yan, who was knowledgeable and straightforward, which I appreciated. He reassured me that everything my doctor had done was correct and explained alternative treatment options, including a chemo wash. He also highlighted that my reaction was a one-in-a-million occurrence and encouraged me to move forward.

After recovering, I continued my bladder cancer treatment plan. A follow-up scan revealed one red spot in my bladder, so my doctor performed a quick procedure to remove it. Two months later, my bladder was clear, and I was told I wouldn’t need another check-up for a year. While it was a challenging journey, I learned the importance of being proactive, doing my own research, and seeking second opinions when necessary.

Returning to my doctor, I felt more confident in my care plan. While the experience was challenging, it taught me the value of advocating for myself and seeking additional insights when needed.

When I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, I approached it with a straightforward mindset: figure out the plan and push through. While my wife and kids were supportive, I mostly leaned on myself. One person who helped was my aunt, who had fought stage-four breast cancer multiple times. She emphasized the importance of asking questions and staying informed, something I wasn’t naturally inclined to do but came to appreciate through her guidance.

Over the years, I’ve gone through surgeries, treatments, and follow-ups. I now only need annual checkups, and recent tests have been clear, which is encouraging. Through it all, I’ve learned the importance of trusting my doctor and the process. My pastor’s words also stuck with me: “Let the experts do their job, and trust that God has things under control.” This helped me stay calm and focused.

If I were to advise someone newly diagnosed, I’d say make sure you have a trustworthy doctor. While it’s important to participate and stay informed, you also need to have faith in their expertise. Cancer treatments can feel overwhelming, but trusting the process and taking it one step at a time has been key for me.

The BCAN website has also been a significant resource. Reading stories of others facing worse situations but managing to persevere gave me hope. I even introduced BCAN to my doctor and their team, and they’ve started sharing their information with other patients. The BCAN site’s clinical trial information has been reassuring, showing that advancements are continuously being made.

Bladder cancer gave me a story to tell. Before my diagnosis, I struggled with heavy drinking. Quitting was tough, but I sought help through a church group. Just a few months later, I was diagnosed. I’ve often reflected that perhaps quitting drinking beforehand set me on a path to manage my treatment and recovery better. Had I continued drinking, I might not have come through this as well.

Now, I mentor others through programs like BCAN’s Survivor to Survivor program and another initiative in Chicago. I believe my journey proves that things can get better. It’s not just trusting your doctors but also actively participating in your recovery and having faith that life can improve.