Robert Potter Bob's Journey

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At the end of June Bob had a successful hernia repair. In check ups that followed our family doctor began to notice Bob's creatinine level was rising and ordered more tests and an appointment with an urologist. The urologist ordered a sonogram and it showed a mass in Bob's bladder needing further investigation. On September 19 the urologist de-bulked the mass and sent it for biopsy. On the 23rd the urologist told Bob he has stage 4 bladder cancer that has metastasized to his prostate.


Since then he has been hospitalized twice because blockages in his bladder raised his creatinine levels putting him in crisis and the last time an e. coli infection was on top of that. The hospitalizations have resulted in a nephrostomy (urine drainage tube collecting in a bag outside his body) being placed in each kidney. He's elected to leave them in place during his cancer treatment to avoid similar situations with blockage.


Now that his kidney function seems to be settling down, we can begin to make preparations to begin treatment. The oncologist plans to use two drugs, Carboplatin and Gemzar in tandem. Bob begins treatment on October 31. Following that treatment he'll have surgery to remove both his bladder and prostate. The nephrostomies will be closed and a new urostomy will be formed to allow urine to pass from his kidneys directly outside his body for collection. We'll know more details and get a timeline this week.