Survivorship
Cancer survivorship can mean different things to different people. Some people consider themselves to be survivors upon diagnosis. Others prefer to wait until they have completed treatment. Still others feel they must be cancer-free. The label itself is not nearly as important as finding your path to a satisfying life amid the changes that a bladder cancer diagnosis brings.
Start by trying to maintain a positive attitude. Think of it as giving yourself a solid foundation that will help you during and after treatment as you learn new habits and adapt to the changes ahead. It can be challenging to always be optimistic, but surrounding yourself with the right resources, tools and people is a step in the right direction.
Follow-up Care
Making and keeping your follow-up appointments is critical because bladder cancer can recur, even after successful treatment. It is also important to stay alert to symptoms and share them with your medical team. Early detection may improve prognosis. Additionally, regular preventive medical appointments promote overall health and awareness of other diseases and illnesses.
To help you stay on track with follow-up care, ask your health care provider for a survivorship care plan (SCP). Along with being a record of your cancer history and your treatments, an SCP includes a schedule of follow-up tests, strategies for managing side effects and late effects, and recommendations for healthy living.
A New Routine
You may have to make adjustments to certain daily activities, from how you perform personal care to socializing. For example, if you have bladder surgery, and especially if you have a stoma, you may have to change how you urinate and bathe. Your ostomy nurse will provide you with detailed instructions about how to do both of these safely and successfully. Hang in there. The more often you do them, the better you will be.
Think about changing your wardrobe. Try different pieces of clothing that help disguise the stoma or pouch. Make sure your clothes are comfortable. Feeling good about how you look will help you be more confident leaving the house to do errands, take walks and resume your social life.
Avoid Tobacco Products
After receiving a bladder (or any type) of cancer diagnosis, many people believe it is okay to smoke and use tobacco products. That is not the case. Studies show that there are multiple benefits from stopping the use of tobacco products even after a cancer diagnosis, including:
- Improved overall health
- A boost to your immune system
- Increased treatment effectiveness
- Fewer or less severe side effects
- Chances of a better outcome from your cancer treatment
You have many options to help you quit, such as nicotine replacement therapy, medications and local support groups. Additional strategies that may help include finding other types of stress relief and temporarily staying away from the people, places and things that tempt you to smoke. Talk to your health care team about the strategies that might work best for you.
Support
Being diagnosed with any type of cancer is life-changing, but bladder cancer is extremely sensitive because it affects body parts and functions that you do not typically discuss with others. You will likely have many questions about treatment, treatment-related side effects and how to adjust to make a smoother transition to your new normal. Talking about it can be embarrassing, but suffering in silence is not the answer.
Reach out to the bladder cancer community. It is filled with bladder cancer survivors, volunteers and health care professionals who are devoted to helping you navigate your survivorship. Whether you prefer to talk in person, online or by phone, connecting with people who have experienced the same feelings, side effects and issues is extremely valuable. Ask your health care team for more information.
