Bladder Cancer and Treatment

In the Fall of 2015, at the age of 38, I was diagnosed with Stage 2, aggressive bladder cancer. My treatment consisted of four rounds of dose-dense MVAC chemotherapy, followed by a radical cystectomy (complete removal of bladder) and prostatectomy (removal of prostate, nerve-sparing in my case) with an orthopedic neobladder urinary diversion (new bladder constructed from my own intestines). Thanks to many excellent doctors and nurses, countless unseen researchers, two extraordinary surgeons, and the support of my family and friends, I'm still here to share my story. I recorded these video as I was going through the treatment. This is a detailed account of my treatment and some of the helpful lessons that I learned along the way. The story is unfiltered; I don't avoid frightening, painful, or embarrassing topics.