Recap and some news...

Instead of making you read all of my prior posts, I'll give a short recap here to bring you up to speed. 

• My latest journey is all about cancer.
• In May of 2023 I saw blood in my urine.
• After some initial testing, and a cystoscopy in July, I was found to have bladder cancer.
• A TURBT in August showed that the cancer was Stage 2, Muscle Invasive. The protocol at this stage is chemotherapy followed by bladder removal (radical cysectomy).
• I had four rounds of chemo in Oct-Nov-Dec (cisplatin and gemcitabine).
• After two months of recuperation, I had bladder removal surgery on Feb 29, 2024.
• The pathology of the bladder (and prostate, and lymph nodes, and ...) was the cancer was very aggressive, and had spread to 1 of the 8 removed lymph nodes. 
• The odds were 80% that the cancer, once escaping the bladder, was roaming around my body, so the next step in the protocol would be immunotherapy (Nivolumab) to try and limit the potential spread.
• I started my first treatment of Nivolumab on May 14. I will have one every 4 weeks for a year (13 total). The next one is tomorrow.
• I also had a CT scan on June 2 to establish a baseline.

So now for the good news. Laura and I were at BC Cancer this morning and our oncologist (Dr. Noonan) said that the scan was clear and there were no areas of concern. She will order another CT in a few months to see what's what, and will talk with me each month before treatment(s).

My urologist/surgeon (Dr. Wong) also called this morning to say that this was "very good news", and doesn't want to talk to me for another 6 months.

So ... the first bit of good news in over a year. 

I'll take it. 

(I think I'll buy a watch ...)