Got home this evening. Surgery went well. Healing time starts now. It was a pretty major surgery, the docs said they found no real issues, he says it appears the cancer was contained to the bladder and had not spread. We will get the Pathology report to confirm all this, hopefully, in 2 weeks. I still have a lymphoma issue, but the Oncologist says I have a sort of rare lymphoma that is amazingly slow progressing and we aren't worried about that, at least not now, we'll look at it again in another 5-10yrs. The Bladder cancer was aggressive and the docs said that if we didn't do the surgery I wouldn't be here in 3-5yrs.
The Surgery was pretty gnarly, they gave me an Epidural at about the Diaphragm level, to keep me numb, and filleted me open from my diaphragm down to the penis, about a 14 inch cut. Took out the bladder, redid all my plumbing with intestine parts, took out a crap load of Lymph Nodes, and stapled me back up. I have a temporary pee bag on my belly for the next few months.
I feel like crap, I hurt like a stuck pig, cannot get comfortable in a good position for more than 30 minutes at a time and am on strict do nothing orders for the next 2 weeks. Can't drive, I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a 20oz bottle of water. But I'll be alive for more than 5yrs, or at least this cancer won't kill me.
I'll heal, I'll feel a little better every day, I'm sure I'm in for some really crappy days in the near future, along with some good ones. The docs say I can probably go back to work late Spring/Early Summer(Ive been on medical leave since Oct 4th). When I get feeling better in a few weeks I'll pick a nice Sunday and come hang at Billys with the regulars.
I'm still here.