Bladder Cancer as a Chronic Condition: A Phenomenological Case Study

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to disclose the lived experiences of a woman survivor of invasive bladder cancer who underwent reconstructive surgery resulting in re-established urinary continence. Post-operatively she experienced pain, loss of urinary continence, body image alterations, and fear of recurrent malignancy. Data revealed the chronic nature of managing re-established urinary continence after bladder cancer, the uncertainty of long-term survival, and the complexity of the sudden loss of urinary continence.Findings revealed transformation with additional themes including: unknowing, awareness overlaid with suffering, loss of self, the insider’s view, metamorphosis, restoration, and the unfolding path.