Here’s my list of helpful tips I’ve gathered from all the people who have been kind enough to share their experiences getting chemotherapy, and a couple of things I’m doing, too:
Before treatment:
Get hydrated. Increase your water intake two to three days before treatment. Your liver, kidneys, and circulatory system are about to take a hard beating so give them some extra love.
Restock the essentials. For us, that’s cat food, clean unmentionables, toilet paper, dishwasher soap, ginger ale, cash, and crackers.
Check your refills. Do you have all the prescriptions and other medications you’ll need for the coming seven to ten days? Are you clear on the timing of your dosing schedule, especially when you’re supposed to stop and/or start?
Doublecheck your arrival time. I have four appointments back to back on treatment days, with four different teams, and each team sends its own reminder. Make sure you’ve got your ducks in a row so you’re not rushing, surprised, or late on the day of.
Download your entertainment. Yes, most hospitals have free guest wifi. But it’s not fast enough for streaming/downloading HD movies, especially not when everyone else in the treatment area might be trying to do that same thing at the same time.
Choose your clothes. If you’ve got a port, plan to wear a v-neck or button down shirt to accommodate the I.V. If you’re sensitive to cold or you’ve lost your hair, wear layers. If you’re getting a Neulasta device, make sure your top or sweater is loose enough not to rub it.
Pack your bag. I bring a gym bag containing my tablet, charging cords for all my devices, a woolly hat, a longer knit scarf, an old tee shirt, noise-cancelling headphones, a large bottle of spring water, my glasses case, my notebook for reference, and an extra pair of thick socks.
During treatment:
Check the I.V. pole. Your meds should be hanging from a pole on wheels so you can get up and walk around with ease. Make sure that pole is disentangled from the cords, tubes, and other apparatus before the nurse starts the infusion, so you’re not fighting with any equipment while you’re feeling sleepy or foggy.
Sleep if you can. Both times I’ve had chemo thus far, the meds make me feel intensely drowsy. I also know now that I won’t sleep well for several nights afterwards. So I drape that tee shirt over my eyes, put on those headphones, and grab as much sleep as I can get.
Eat if you can. In addition to the actual chemo meds, you’ll be getting hospital-grade anti-nausea drugs. Take advantage if they work better than the meds you use at home, eat whatever sounds good, or chew on ice chips if that’s all you can manage.
Just after treatment:
Congratulate yourself. You did it. Don’t downplay this achievement.
Order takeout. Treatment day is a very long day for everybody. Spring for a pizza and have your own dessert.
Hug your pets and loved ones. For me, the body aches and neuropathy make me feel so uncomfortable, I can’t even have the cats in my lap. If this is your experience, too, get some cuddle time in while being squeezed still feels okay.
Take a deep, deep breath. Just after an infusion, you get about 24 hours of feeling decent before the side effects roll in. Enjoy this respite as much as you can, however you can.
medicinal sausage 