Randy’s Story

Site created on September 11, 2018

Randy's bladder has been problematic for many years.  A low grade papillary cancer was found in 2008 which led to yearly cystoscopies.   Since bladder cancers almost always come back, and come back worse, the yearly checks were just part of life.   As feared,  a second bladder cancer,  high-grade carcinoma in situ, was diagnosed in 2017.   That resulted in treatments and quarterly checks.   A third,  bladder cancer was found in August 2018.  That one was much worse and required removal of his bladder and prostate.  That was challenging, of course, but not totally unwelcome.  Get that stinking thing out of there!     


This cancer was found early before any evidence of spread.   Randy is young, otherwise healthy, and a good candidate for a surgery that formed a new bladder from small intestine.    Because we are mobile, we opted to come to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale for treatment and  surgery.   It is one of the premier facilities in the country in addressing bladder cancer. 


We are working with a surgeon who specializes in  neobladder surgeries,  doing 1-2 per week.   Randy had intensive chemotherapy for about eight weeks.  Surgery was  in mid December.  We eventually made the decision to move out of the trailer and into a home in Surprise, Arizona as we didn't feel we were ready to take off anytime soon for full time travel.  Now we hope to be winter residents and summer travelers.


Although we certainly welcome personal contact, we also opted to make this CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated and appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Newest Update

It's Been Awhile - All is Still Well

Journal entry by Serene Matthews —

A week ago Randy decided to go back and read this Caring Bridge site from the beginning, way back to the summer of 2018.  He read all my posts and all your comments.  It was interesting to hear the things that either he didn't remember or hadn't known because he was in the midst of the tests, chemo, surgery and complications.

I don't think I will ever go back and read it all again.  Living through it once was enough but I will always remember the support we received through this site.

So on with the update...Randy had his scans back in July and again today.  All continues to be just fine.  We are so thankful.  The lasting impacts of the surgery have resolved or been worked around so life is really pretty normal.  He doesn't have to go back for scans and tests again for a year.  We don't know how long he'll go for yearly scans but assume it will be at least five years post.

It is so nice to just be able to forget about all of it for months at a time.   Of course, the cancer and treatments are what caused us to stop full time RVing and buy a home in Phoenix, but we are happy being here.  Randy would like to consider full time RVing again but I don't see that happening.  We kept the RV and still plan to finish our map someday when we can travel again!  

Once again, thank you for the love and support over the last two and a half years.  We needed you and you were there for us.  Thank you.
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