I just realized that it has been a year since I added a new post.  I forgot to do that in January this year.  Bill had a clear cystoscopy then and his usual round of three BCG treatments.  He was prescribed a new drug Uribel to ease the pain and it was wonderful.  Expensive and worth every penny.  Not so wonderful was the news that he had one more round of treatments in six months to finish the treatment protocol.  We had counted wrong and thought we were through.  So in July he again had a clear cystoscopy and just finished the BCG treatments this week. This means he is through treatments UNLESS semiannual cystoscopies the rest of his life show new tumor growth.  His doctor is very positive  It has been almost five years since diagnosis in November of 2008.  In 2010 tests showed no cancer cells present and he has been clear ever since.  We feel soooo lucky!  Hats off to Dr. Ken Ferguson!
We really have appreciated the concern and good wishes from all.  I have learned that several friends have referred others who have the same diagnosis to this blog.  They have read it and found it helpful.  Not sure if there will be any further postings but I will leave it here for anyone to read.
Barbara

Yesterday Bill  had his semi-annual cystoscopy and everything looked good.  Tomorrow he begines his  next-to-last round of semi-annual treatments.  That is, IF the next cysto is clear.  This began with diagnosis four years ago in November.  It has been a long ride and we will both be glad to finish.  Of course, he will continue to be tested the rest of his life.  Small price!!!! 

Bill's semiannual cystoscopy this morning showed a smooth, happy, slightly pink bladder with no sign of tumor growth. Whoopie! Thursday he begins three weeks of maintenance BCG treatments. Not so whoopie, but it works! Then on Feb. 17 he will have surgery on his left thumb to remove bone spurs caused by arthritis. Guess he is paying the piper for the two weeks in Hawaii!

All good news! Bill had his 3 weeks of BCG maintenance treatments ending August 11th. Then on the 25th he had a cystoscopy, the bladder version of a colonoscopy. We just had a call from the doctor's office that the last of the lab work (FISH test) came back today and all is negative--no cancer cells. So this will be a great holiday weekend, especially since we go to Redwood City tomorrow to babysit Baby Jay Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Then home to rest up for a round of golf Monday morning. Life is good!

Great news for the expanding Dendy family. Jay William Dendy was born at 5:12 pm on May 26--six pounds, 19 inches, smart and handsome. He was about a week and a half early but no one is complaining about that! Jay, Greg and Alex are all fine and so are the four grandparents who all arrived at the hospital in time. I would include a photo, but my new Windows 7 computer is balking. If you want one, send me an email--bdendy2@aol.com

Bill's cystoscopy this morning showed no new tumors. So the plan is a round of three maintenance BCG treatments beginning July 21 and another cystoscopy about six weeks later. We returned home early last week from the east coast--Atlanta, the Masters in Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, and D.C. We skirted all the tornadoes and even went to Fort Sumter on the 150th anniversary of the first shot. It was a great trip!

Whew!

Bill had his cystoscopy this morning and that bladder looked smooth and pink. No sign of tumors. So now he will have maintenance BCG treatments the next three Fridays and hopefully recover by Christmas. After the test we took a walk to calm ourselves down and then had a celebratory lunch. He will continue to be tested every three months and if nothing shows up, BCG treatments every six months. That is a three year program although we are not sure when the three years began. May or August perhaps. It was two years ago in early November that he was first diagnosed. It's a long haul!