Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Having the Experience and Surviving Bladder Cancer Surgey

By Kim Alfreds


Here we in the sunshine on the water with the Cheekee Monkee racing at Ft Walton Beach, Florida, just two days before heading home, towing the Cheekee Monkee, back to Bellingham. Shane had a gall bladder attack the next day and he missed the final day of racing. We had a great time on this family vacation and I was able to relax before the my Bladder Cancer surgery scheduled on April 30th.

The Cheekee Monkee is a 31' boat that folds. We loaded it onto the trailer in preparation for a trip that would take the next five days. After we saw the family off at the airport on Sunday, Lynda and I drove back from Ft Walton Beach, FL to Bellingham, WA.

We needed to be at UWMC for final tests, blood work and lung x-rays Thursday afternoon. We left Sunday morning and we arrived in Seattle at noon on Thursday and picked up Lynda's Navigator at the airport and then drove up to UWMC.

During that last weekend of in April, I was Fasting for three days, I started the fasting that Thursday night and did not get to eat again until the following Saturday at dinner time, some 210 hours later. By Sunday night I was starting to feel a little lightheaded. Over that last weekend, on the Cheekee Monkee again, we entered and won the Whiterock Regatta.

We (Lynda [wife], Bonnie [Mom-in-law] and Tracy [Daughter] and I) drove down to Seattle Sunday evening and checked into the Marriott Residence Inn. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 9:30 in the morning. I check in at the hospital and then we wait.

Surgery commences about 1:00 PM, it was a long but successful operation. During the surgery, Lynda and the gang were kept updated every hour or so by phone. I am out of surgery and in recovery by 9:00 PM and they saw me in ICU at about 10 PM. I can't tell you how so very good it was to see all three of them there to support me.

The next day the goal for the day was get out of bed and start coughing. That day was spent in ICU and getting out of bed I could manage but forget about the coughing, that was too painful. I was moved to a private room that night.

My recovery progressed quickly, after a couple of days, Dr. Ellis gave us the pathology results; all the cancer was contained to the bladder lining and muscle. No cancer in the lymph nodes or prostate. Very good news indeed. To hasten my recovery, I was getting out of bed several times every day and then walking up and down the halls like a zombie.

On day 7 of recovery following the surgery, they said, "go on home". We left on Tuesday morning before noon. Good to get out of there. I still have several more weeks of recovery ahead of me.

May 13th, they removed the stints that drain from my kidneys. May 31st the catheter was removed and in 3 weeks they will remove the overflow tube from my (new) bladder (final tube). By then my bodily functions should be almost normal.

More than 10 years ago, surviving and recovering from Bladder Cancer Surgery changed my life, thank you!




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Cancer Tricks For Less Stress

By Allison Blakley


As illnesses go, cancer probably tops the list of the most deadly. And that's not because it's not survivable and treatable. It's just that there are so many types and stages and complications that can arise from this disease. It's an all-around topic. Find help facing the fear by reading these cancer tips.

When someone you love is battling cancer, it is important for you to learn as much as you can about his or her diagnosis. The better informed you are the better you will be able to help them in a way that is really supportive and encouraging. It will help you to not have to ask what they need but rather do the things they need without being asked.

Spending time outdoors can help to keep you healthy, and is beneficial in the fight against cancer. Scientists know that Vitamin D is beneficial in decreasing incidents of cancer. The sun naturally creates Vitamin D so outdoor time is valuable in achieving your body's optimum levels. Try to get about fifteen minutes of outdoor time every day.

Many women will put off getting a mammogram because they are afraid of the results. It is scary thinking that you may be diagnosed with cancer but it is far more scary to not have the screening done. The earlier you catch it the better your chances of beating it!

If you are having a hard time getting the nutrients you need through your diet it may be helpful to take nutrition supplements. It is important to talk to your doctor before starting any supplements. Some supplements can interfere with chemotherapy treatments and be harmful at high levels.

If you live alone, try to stock up on meals when you feel well. Cook up a large batch of chicken or soup and freeze it. Since there will probably be days when your cancer treatment leaves you feeling a little weak, it will be very helpful to be able to quickly heat up a meal and relax.

Before you begin chemotherapy treatment, it may be wise to shave your head. As many people know, chemotherapy makes your hair fall out. What people do not know is that it does not all come out at once; it comes out in bunches. Shaving your head will prevent you from having hair in some spots but not others.

The odds are great that your hair is going to fall out when you undergo chemotherapy, so you can initiate this process instead of being a victim to it. Shave your head in advance and you will reclaim the power here. You can make the choice instead of allowing chemo to make it for you.

If you are undergoing chemotherapy, consider getting your hair cut short. There is a good chance that your hair is going to fall out from the treatment and there will be much less to lose if you cut it short. This will make it an easier transition for you in the case that it does fall out.

Don't feel obliged to tell everyone you know about your diagnosis. Many people feel that a struggle with cancer is very personal, and it's okay to keep the news to yourself. You should share this difficult time with close friends and family members, but not every co-worker or grocery store clerk needs to know about your medical details. Assure them that you know their curiosity simply means they care about you but that you'd rather not talk about it.

Because they are so rich in glutathione, avocados are a great cancer-preventing food you can eat. The reason avocados work to prevent cancer is that their powerful antioxidants wage a war against the free radicals floating around in your body. Eliminating free radicals is how you work to eliminate cancer cells.

There is large concern over high death rates due to tobacco addiction. For those who can't quit on their own, state Medicaid programs are increasing coverage for tobacco dependence. Although higher levels of coverage as well as coverage for pregnant women are needed, Medicaid is well on its way to offering help to those dependent on tobacco products.

If you are able to look fear directly in its eyes and act in its face, you can forever defeat it. One of the best ways to defeat anything, whether we're talking about fear itself or a disease like cancer, is to know more about your enemy. Don't forget to use these tips to assist you in overcoming cancer and please consult with a cancer oncologist for medical advice..




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Maximizing The Cancer Social Network

By Cecile Ingram


Coping with a serious illness is always very tough, this is especially true when the announcement came out of nowhere. Dealing with the possibility of you losing the battle can be very painful. It is important that you will know though that you can always refer to proper cancer social network that will help make it easier for you to deal with things moving forward.

This is expected to be a very difficult time. So, it matters a lot that you will know what are the things that you are supposed to do to make sure that you can address the issue more effectively. Of course, there are no assurances that you can go through the while nine yards successfully, what matters most is that you re able to gather the right people who can be there to support you along the way.

Make sure that you research about the condition by yourself as well. The best thing that you can arm yourself with is knowledge. You have to know what it is that you are going to experience as the disease progresses. Know what are the likely experiences you might encounter especially where your physique is involved. This way, they will not come as a surprise to you when they will happen.

Get a second opinion too. Your doctor might actually suggest you to get one. There have been instances when these findings were actually debunked by other medical practitioners. F this happens, good for you. Seeking the opinion of another specialist allows these people to examine and reexamine the symptoms you have to make sure that they are diagnosing your right.

Once it has been successfully established that you indeed acquired the disease, your next step would be to ensure that you're able to find out about the possible choices and possible options for you. It matters a lot that you know what other choices you have. This is necessary so you can choose the option that would work quite right for you.

Know about the effects of the treatment that will be carried out by the professionals who'll be assisting you. You need assurance that all these sessions that you will need to undergo will have some sense in them. You want assurance that the side effects, if there are any will be properly explained to you ahead of time. If anything, you need them to give you an idea of what to expect ahead of time.

Ensure that you get to practice a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to dealing with these kinds of diseases, is always critical that you're able to maintain proper lifestyle. Making sure that you eat the right food and go for those practices that will help you feel healthier is always essential. After all, the last thing you want is for the sickness to worsen unnecessarily.

Make sure that you will be able to find the right professionals that can assist you along the way. The key towards a highly successful cancer social network is to have the right people who are considered authorities in the field to look after you. This is critical so you are confident that they would know exactly what are the things that you are supposed to do to cope with the issue.




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Cancer , Lung cancer facts , Cervical cancer treatment , Breast cancer care , Skin cancer cure 2012