What’s a nice guy like me doing with Cancer?
Hi everyone my name is Peter and I have Cancer, to be more specific I have Stage 3/4 Bladder Cancer. 
So why do this? Write a blog about cancer, especially ‘my cancer’ that is a question that many have asked me, why share what is probably going to be really hard to do and maybe at time hard to follow. The straight answer is I’m primarily doing this for me but as you find out more about me as we go on I’m not a completely self-centered moron and I truly hope that some of what I share with helps someone else then that for sure will be a bonus. Some clarification before we proceed, I’m not pissed off about having Cancer anymore, I was but fortunately, some weeks before I started this blog I did all the crying and wall punching (not really!) that I felt was necessary or expected for someone that is given that news. Cancer can be very private, I kept my feeling to myself and suffered for it, it’s bad enough having friggin cancer but not reach out to for help, be it emotional or physical, is just stupid so I don’t do that anymore.
Some rules about how we proceed on this journey,
- I will not lie to you EVER…
- If I am having a crappy day I will tell you – sorry somedays cancer isn’t fun.
- If you don’t like what I write, sorry, go watch YouTube or check out Facebook.
- You can comment on all the articles, I will not edit any comments unless you are being a complete dick
- I live in Toronto Canada but I’m from the UK originally consequently I have a dry sense of humor that borders on sarcasm. If I find humor in things that upset you that is not my intention. Laughing, ‘often at myself’ has gotten me through many prior downtimes.
- I am not a writer – so if the odd period turns up in the wrong place I’m sorry. I edit on the fly.
- There are two amazing women in my life who I will mention one is my partner Divina and my daughter Julie, everyone else will be identified as Jo or St and Ma, just the first 2 letters of there name just to protect their privacy.
So that’s it really, that’s why I started this and hope to continue to the end of this journey wherever it may take us, there will be tears, humor but above all I want this to be an experience that I for one would not want to miss.
The latest article
Coloplast Story
The Initial Fears
“There’s a lot of Cancer in there” were the words I heard from my Urologist when he first discovered my Bladder Cancer. Leading up to this moment. I had feared the worst and there was the reality staring back at me from the computer monitor. From that moment on, I knew my life would change. How much and for how long was the question I was faced with.
This was in the spring of 2019; what followed were 5 months of chemotherapy followed by having an ileal conduit to replace my bladder. I knew if I wanted to survive, surgery was the only option. But the thought of having a ‘bag’ attached to my body for the rest of my life sank me into a difficult depression that followed me throughout the treatments and leading up to the surgery in December 2019.
A new normal
Upon leaving the hospital after a 7-day stay, the task ahead was to create a new “normal” for me. I was provided a bag of supplies at the hospital from an ostomy supply manufacturer and assigned a nurse to visit me twice a week at home. After experimenting with a variety of seated positions and clothing options, I began to think of ways to make the bag more comfortable for me. I asked the nurse about the possibility of wearing my appliance horizontally, she suggested I switch to the Coloplast 2 piece system. I did a lot of research during my early diagnosis and it became clear to me that the Coloplast Mio Click system would be hugely beneficial. 
I was able to order samples through their website and received a rapid follow-up call from the amazing client product representatives to answer all my questions. Using the product itself has given me much more confidence and comfort. The Mio Click system allows me to wear the appliance vertically for sleeping and relaxing at home, and horizontal when I want to be more discreet or more active.
The phrase “it is what it is” is a cute bumper sticker but I soon realized that my mental recovery would be largely dependant upon friends, family, and how confident I could be with my urostomy. I was fortunate to be surrounded by well-wishers, constant phone calls and drop-ins. I was never allowed to feel sorry for myself for too long. I was faced with the fact that the sooner I accepted my urostomy, the sooner my life could return to a new normal. My life has remarkably returned, albeit with a minor body modification, to my pre-cancer condition. A recent vacation to Cuba allowed me to swim in the ocean every day, and participate in activities such as snorkeling and kite surfing. I was confident that my urostomy appliance would not let me down or become a problem while away.
Paying it forward
During my Cancer journey, I found it helped me to write a blog and share my experience with others. It was and continues to be an amazing experience and I’m grateful for the connections with people in similar situations. I am humbled by the help that was so freely given to me during my treatment and recovery. It is incredibly rewarding to reach out through organizations such as Bladder Cancer Canada, to volunteer my time and share my story. I hope to do more in the future to assist and inspire people who have the same fears and concerns I had as they begin their own journey of recovery.
The story in its original format can be found HERE on the Coloplast Canada Website
Previous articles
Coloplast Story
The Initial Fears "There's a lot of Cancer in there" were the words I heard from my Urologist when he first discovered my Bladder Cancer. Leading up to this moment. I had feared the worst and there was the reality staring back at me from the computer monitor. From...
This time last year…
Time to reflect This time last year I was flat on my back at Sunnybrook Hospital having recently undergone surgery to deal with my Stage 4 Bladder Cancer, the Christmas ahead would I thought, be one of pain, anxiety scattered with thoughts of feeling sorry for myself...
I wont lie – I was scared…
For those that may not have remembered way back about 4 months ago after being told I wasn't going to need further cancer surgery, I was given a clean bill of health due to no signs of cancer showing up. When they told me there were no signs of cancer anymore they...
Is that a bag man or a man bag man?
PG14 for yuckinessSo this is going to be all about living with a urostomy bag, it's real, I have one so why not talk about it. If nothing else it might be an education for some people and hopefully a bit of a laugh for everyone. There are close to...
My tank sprung a leak.
It's been a while since I've reached out to everyone so I thought it time for an update. Things have settled down to a routine, still no cancer in my life right now and I'm months away from a recheck so taking things a day at a time. I have come to the conclusion...
My final destination – for now
A 'power greater than me' got stronger yesterday - I was to meet with Dr. E the surgeon who was going to remove the dormant lymph node in my neck on the suggestion of Dr. N who had performed the cancer surgery along with the blessing of Dr. C my oncologist. I perform...
My Journey’s end maybe in sight !
This weekend I was at a conference and someone told me that "your articles really helped me, even though I didn't have Cancer - why did you stop" I didn't have an answer for them. When I started this blog/article site at the beginning of my cancer journey I felt that...
What an experience (PG14 for images)
Well, I’m back home, missing a few bit’s and pieces but I’m home and it’s time for an update.
Where do we go from here?
I realized over the weekend after a few people mentioned that they had been following 'My Unexpected Journey' that once I have had the operation to remove the bulk of my cancer that this journey that we have taken together will come to an end. There have been...
Test Results – (thank you Bobby D)
For those that have been following me you probably have noticed that I haven't added anything here for some time. There were no hospital visits, no doctors appointments so nothing really to add. But behind the scenes though there was a lot going on in my head, you...
And now we wait…
Short Post My journey still has momentum, spent most of the day in the main building at Sunnybrook for a CT Scan, for those that have been following me the chemo is over and we are at the testing stage. The CT scan is this big machine that looks like a big donut on...
Peeweetoms has passed away
Peeweetoms was someone who I never met, spoke to or contacted, but I wish I had. I started following his inspirational YouTube videos towards the end of his cancer journey. He was the inspiration for me to start My Unexpected Detour Here is a compilation of his...
When you are wrong…. (PG14)
You would think with the chemo behind me I would be in a great mood, but there are stages after they give you the 'juice', first you feel strong primarily because they give you steroids on the day. The next day you still feel in fairly good shape, then it's downhill...
Time for a Cautious Celebration
My father would often say in difficult situations “One day we will look back and laugh at this”
Remember When
Let me explain, yesterday was my last 6-hour session in this my final round (for now) of chemotherapy, I have a one-hour session next week but the 6-hour one is always the most difficult to endure. Things were a hold up because of my regular appointment with my...
The Battle between Faith and Fear
Do you get that feeling that something's just not right, just not sitting well? As I enter into what I have been told is my final week of chemotherapy with a five-hour session on Wednesday followed by one hour the Wednesday after my head is in a different place. At...
The Cloak of Fear
Fear lies resident in every fold The cloak of fear keeps its hold Lined with terrors now too old Its buckles tighten in the cold The cloak of fear awaits your death Waiting patiently for your last breath Who will suffer is no concern Your spirit surely it can burn...
My Thanksgiving came with a surprise
Prior to my last 2-hour chemo session, I met with my oncologist ‘Dr. Ch’ I had to admit to her that I was doing that good. Constantly out of breath, climbing stairs were a killer for me, at my ‘lady loves’ condo the are a dozen or so stairs leading from the parking...
A time out was the order of the day
What a treat this weekend, I had an opportunity to forget about my cancer, if only for a few hours or so it was a treat nonetheless. As some of you may know my hobby is flying kites but even as a member of the Toronto Kite Fliers I haven’t been up to attending any flying events this year.
Kicking Cancers butt with humor
So round three has started, it could be viewed as entering the home stretch but live ‘a day at a time’ I have to except that the could be more to come in this battle. A previous article that I wrote in entitled But wait there’s more goes into greater detail....