Anxious

Hello LadyLL, and welcome to what I have found to be an extremely friendly, supportive and informative group. Please please take a few deep breaths and smile - your relative has got one of the best cancers to get if you are going to get any. My husband's diagnosis is the same as your family member. The 'high risk' bit refers to the likelihood of recurrence after treatment such as he and your relative have had. The consequence is that even under Covid, medical teams check the person's bladder regularly in case of new tumours. As long as it remains non muscle invasive, people live merrily normal lives to a great age just having repeat checks, any recurrences removed, more BCG or an alternative [such as Mitomycin, put direct in the bladder just like the BCG, which has worked well for my husband], and more repeat checks. If no recurrences pop up the medics will likely do the checks less often eg 3 or 6 monthly. So to answer your direct question directly, it is not a case of curable/incurable, it is a case of manageable.

I really hope you find this info reassuring. Support the person by buying some Robinson's Lemon Barley Water and encouraging them to drink plenty, properly diluted, especially after treatment. It reduces the likelihood of getting a UTI [urinary tract, 'water' infection], and was originally recommended for this by my GP many years ago. Also generally living healthily in terms of sleep, exercise and good quality food .[personally I don't have much processed stuff like ready meals].

For you we also have a thread called A chatty Catch up, where we natter over weather, lockdown, pets, anything, which is just destressing, knowing that everyone still has some connection with bc [bladder cancer] in common.

Best wishes, Denby

Hi LadyLL, Denby has explained everything perfectly. I was diagnosed in 2017 non invasive Grade 2 T1, just as I turned 70.  I've had 24 doses of BCG and I'm still living a full happy life (as full as the pandemic permits). Fortunately there are many different treatments for bladder cancer so the medics can help guide us to the best options. I'm not sure any cancer is ever considered totally cured though some folk only seem to get one outbreak, but in the case of bladder cancer it can be removed and delayed very successfully. I expect your close relative will have a long term relationship with their Urologist but personally I am glad I get the 3 monthly checks. Very best wishes. x

Hi LadyLL, totally understand your anxiety as I felt the same. I went down the stoma route and I can honestly say that life is good. There are many ways to treat BC,. To be honest, Covid has cramped my lifestyle more than Basil (my stoma)

This is a great group and welcome to it. So much support here

Inanna x 

So lovely to hear you so positive about your choices Inanna. Are you able to get out walking these lock in days? lots of love H. x

Hi H

Good to hear from you. Must admit not going out much as I am shielding 

Hope all is well for you and yours

Inanna x