Chemotherapy Advice

You can use www.lotsahelpinghands.com to start a care site and create a calendar for meal delivery, rides, etc.

I'm coordinating that for a friend with leukemia and it has been SO helpful to her family....and when people ask "what can I do?".....there you go!

Socks, bed jacket, lotion, cleaning service, hard candy, puzzle books, a good book or two, etc. "comfort items" are always nice.

Hi mom-

I know that every chemo agent is different...and each person receiving them reacts differently...

But when my peter was going thru concurrent chemo and radiation...one thing that helped with his insatiable thirst (yet too nauseous to drink anything) was that I got a mini icecube tray...and froze different flavor gatorade mini cubes for him to suck on. It was better than plain ice in that maybe it helped with electrolytes a little.

I got him a journal...although I used it more than he did.

He decided he wanted to shave his head before he was a 'baldy'...so we did that. He looked great! She may appreciate some scarves or hats...

I got some 'manly' smelling lotions...and found that he LOVED a great foot rub (or body rub) alot.

Eating was a huge challenge...things he loved prior to chemo...he had no taste for during...things he 'thought' he had a taste for seemed to make him sick. It was hit or miss.

I also brought some 'cheerful/funny' videos for him to watch during infusions...but mostly he slept.

His first 'chemo' was on valentine's day...so I brought garland to hang from his IV pole...had a bottle of sparkling cider...and plastic champagne glasses etc. Did similar for his chemo on st pat's day (o douls)...and easter time.

We played lots of card games - so maybe a deck of cards?

It is tough...and I send healing thoughts to your SIL.

Best Luck!
michele/cat

Here is a comprehensive list straight from BC patients:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/706846?p...

If she hasn't discovered breastcancer.org you should point her to it. Its the best resource and community on the internet for BC.

It's nice thing you want to do for your SIL. She will probably become tired and want to sleep a lot at the treatment and at home.

The major things I have noticed is the loss of the hair and many of the hats that people wear. Also get a nice blanket that is not heavy to cover the body as the hospital is always cool in temp. It could be to keep germs down but it is cool to cold in treatment rooms. Most people seem to sleep or have an ebook with them. My husband is currently going through chem and his treatment is every three weeks.

Will your SIL have a port or use a vein for treatment? If she can get a port it will be easier on her and she won't blow out her veins in her arms. You get hooked up and you won't feel the needle. She will have steroids to take before the treatment and she may be sleepy hence the person to drive her home.

Cooking and preparing meals for the family may become an issue because her smell of food may make her ill. Try to make up meals ahead of time and freeze them so that they can be reheated quickly. Kind of think of a pregnant woman who has to cook and not feel well with the queasy tummy. Spicy food might be in order to help her with her taste buds instead of bland food. It will be trial and error for a bit until she finds what she can eat. The doctor will probably give her a prescription for nausea.

Just be there for her. She may want to write in a journal or you may want to write in the journal your feelings. If she has small kids they may want to draw pictures for her and they can be put in a book for her.

May you all stay strong and supportive with SIL's treatment.

The other S.

PS The cancer society or the cancer center will have additional info for you and can answer questions. Keep us posted.

is there any way you could put the money into getting her a cleaning service every couple of weeks? to me, that's one of the biggest lifesavers for women being "down" due to illness... there's also an organization that provides housecleaning to certain women with cancer, maybe google that, i can't remember what it's called! my husband is an oncology pharmacist, when i go visit him at work, all the outpatient chemo patients usually have on a hat of some sort, and usually carry a throw blanket - some have books/magazines/e-readers, some sleep, some suck on hard candy... it's very individual. you're sweet to care, i hope she has a fast and fabulous outcome!

My prayers are with your SIL. Just pitch in, driving kids places, grocery shop, cleaning. The American Cancer Society, I think, will provide cleaning
services to the patient. When my sister was going thru this, we always kept a sense of humor. She is quite the character. All of the patients looked forward to us coming because we always had something up our
sleeve. We dressed up as nuns, had a dog that when you turned him on
rolled around the floor laughing, wore Kentucky Derby type hats etc. Just try to keep her spirits up with a good joke here or there.

Hopefully, she will not suffer the nausea. There are many medications out
there that alleviate the problem. Hopefully she will be premedicated and not suffer.

I've never been through this, but I think cooking food is probably one of the best things you can do for her. If she's feeling tired or nauseated, she's not going to want to take the time to make food for herself or her family...this would really help everyone in her household (does she have kids or a husband?)

Great suggestions so far.
On a day that she is feeling well enough, you might offer to go with her to pick out a wig before she loses her hair.

I went thru chemo and went thru all the things you describe. take her to get some hats / scarves before her hair is gone. she will be self conscious when the hair is gone. she will be angry with herself because she is self conscious but there it is. I was cold during my chemo. not just during the actual getting it but later at night at home. so a soft blanket that's not to heavy but is warm and snugly is great.