Living with cancer.
Hi.
My name is Andy and I am 64, I was diagnosed with renal cancer.
During autumn 2016 I had severe intermittent pain in my left side and blood in my urine. Diagnosed as a renal tumor left side ( kidney cancer. )
March 2017 left kidney removed and it was thought the cancer hadn't spread so I went back to work, by autumn 2017 I had blood in my urine and it was discovered that the caner had spread to my bladder.
In September 2017 I decided to give up work and in October 2017 I had these tumors removed, I was then I started on a 3 year course of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Immunotherapy. This meant having treatment every 6 months followed by a cystoscopy to see if any tumors had grown on the bladder wall. All this was pretty unpleasant and at the end of 3 years on the BCG I felt absolutely battered by it.
But despite a couple of scares along the way, no new tumors had grown and I'm now under 6 monthly observation ( cystoscopy later this month. )
My job had always kept me fit, quite physically demanding especially as I got older and the hours were long which meant I had no time for hobbies like sport, but in 2018 after my tumors had been removed from my bladder I decided to raise some money for CRUK by running a trail 10k at Cannock Chase, I enjoyed it so much that I just kept it up.
All through my BCG Immunotherapy treatments I was determined that it would not stop me from running. I always feel that I need to be in the best condition should I have to undergo more surgery.
If I'm getting tired when I'm out running I use my medical condition as a factor to spur me on...... I'm not giving in to fatigue and I'm not giving in to cancer.
So in answer to your questionnaire, I do a lot more since diagnosis and my advice is to keep yourself as fit and healthy as possible ....and never give in. Unfortunately there isn't a cure for bladder cancer but the treatment I've had slows it down. My brain tells me that if I run, then it won't return. I think anyone with a life threatening illness needs a goal to aim for, and a distraction from its consequences. Keep fit, keep healthy, keep calm and carry on !
