Hello all,

I've been reading all your posts for the last three months since I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer of the bladder. I thought it would be nice to write something about myself here and what I have.

My name is Abdulkareem and I'm not a Muslim by birth but by choice. I was diagnosed last November 2017 and had an operation to remove the tumour from the bladder. When I came out of surgery,I was told that the tumour had gone into the muscle of the bladder wall and also signs of it in the node, but no further. I was referred to a specialist hospital and went their two weeks later.  The oncologist was really good and clear about what I had. He informed me that I had stage 3 to possibly 4 but that they would do some tests.

Cutting a long story short,I was told that it had gone into some nodes in both my lungs but no where else. I will start aggressive chemotherapy on Wednesday for six months in two week cycles.

I'm a very positive person and believe that positive energy is the way forward. Although,I have now completely changed my diet and eat fish, salads, seafood, soups, organic wheat pastas, almond and unsweetened soya milk......etc.. I have put my daily target of steps at a minimum of 5000 and a positive attitude to everything.

I feel good but I also know that it is going to be very hard. I don't have family with me and don't want to inform my children as I don't want to burden them with something that they cannot help me with as I live more than three thousand miles from them. I think it better to tell them later when there is a much clearer picture of what is happening.

I have some friends here who I can call on, so I think I'll be okay. The hospital doesn't have a support group for cancer here and I've discussed this with my doctor and I think we'll start one soon.

I wish you all well in your endeavours and I'll keep you all posted about what drugs I'm taking and the effects I'm experiencing when I can.

Take care all and remember that being positive for yourself is the most important thing. It is a way of coming to terms with what you have and saying " you're the invader and you're not welcome"

I read Lance Armstrong's book and there were some good pieces of advice in there.