NAME: Mike Douglas

DATE: May 2019

TYPE OF CANCER: Bladder

DATE OF DIAGNOSIS: May 2018

  1. WHAT MADE YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR TO DETERMINE YOUR DIAGNOSIS?

I initially found out because I had blood in my urine, and it became progressively worse until one night it was terrible. It was around 2am when I decided that something had to be done, but I waited to see if it would be any better later in the morning. The next morning, I was off to Duke to see what exactly was going on. After some testing, I was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI) and was prescribed a medication to take for 10 days. The 10 days went by, and the blood was starting to come and go, but continued to get worse. During the course of my wife receiving her cancer treatments at Duke, I inquired about a doctor who could take a look at me, which lead me to Mary Blessing, who is a blessing. She ran some tests and determined that something else was going on, that was not caused by the UTI. I then saw another doctor a couple of days later and was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which had spread to the muscle of the bladder.

  1. HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WERE DIAGNOSED?

When you know something is wrong, something is wrong. I was not prepared for the lifestyle change after taking out my bladder, prostate, some lymph nodes, and part of my intestine. Having to use a bag, for an example, it definitely took some getting used to. Dr. Longo and the staff at Duke were fabulous, as well as Dr. Madan and his staff. Susan Mathena was also terrific to work with.

  1. AS A CLIENT OF DPC, HOW DID WE ASSIST YOU?

If it wasn’t for Susan Mathena, I wouldn’t know who you guys were. You helped with one of my expensive prescriptions, mileage reimbursement, as well as my necessary supplies.

  1. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE OR WORDS OF WISDOM TO SOMEONE WHO IS NEWLY DIAGNOSED?

I would say, and just in my case, do not be stubborn. Exercise regularly, do your research and see what is good for you and what is not. If I would’ve known this was a big deal, I would have check it out sooner. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Always try and keep your priorities in line.