What Do I Need for Chemo?

[seussfan]

Okay - so I am finally going to start chemo this Tuesday. I will have a two day visit, plus a nurse coming out on day 3 to unhook my pump. What I am curious about is, what should I bring to chemo? Are there helpful hints as to what to do or not do? Will I be able to drive myself? Does chemo hurt? Is there something I should buy ahead of time?

[Magnolia]

Bring a book or crossword puzzles, some music that makes you feel relaxed, a blanket or something to snuggle in if the room is too cool, a water bottle that's not too cold. Maybe some munchies that aren't hard on the tummy. I felt nothing the first time except a little finger tingling when I went outside in the cool spring air after oxi. You should feel no pain. Some people feel some nausea. I didn't at first, but I did get queazy later on after the wonder drugs wore off. I never threw up, though. It never got that bad. I could drive OK, but my bro-in-law always came with me for company. Fatigue becomes more of a factor with later treatments, and you may appreciate a driver later, but may not really need one.

[missjv]

hi,
well bring bottled water room temp if you are having folfox. water is important even though your body is being filled with fluid from chemo you need the water nurses will explain if you ask them. also i bring along snacks like pretzels or a banana or apple you might be hungry you might not, eat something light before you go in case of nausea. you will be given anti nausea meds before they start the chemo some people get nauseated some don't it depends on how you react to the drugs. bring plenty of reading material because you will be there for a while. also please go in with a good attitude it makes it much easier. my 1st chemo i had a bad attitude cause i was mad at the world that i even had to do this crap and it was much harder then it had to be. i was snippy to the nurses and to be blunt a real bitch. i did however get over myself and by about the 3rd visit to the chemo room i was apologizing to the staff for being such an ass. when my halfway point scans came back with significant shrinkage of my 3 already small liver mets i decided i loved the chemo it was saving my life. i made a few friends there and also i met some who i never saw again who did not make it from various forms of cancer not just colon and that was upsetting. i have been doing the chemo thing now for 10 months i have 3 chemos to go and i am done and it sounds silly but part of me would rather stay on chemo everyother week as a safety net of sorts cause all my post liver resection scans have been clear. im sure you will do fine it is hard and scary at first but then it just becomes routine and the drugs are helping to save your life thats how i finally saw it. good luck you will do great.

missjv

[sean]

I find chemo very boring. I bought a bunch of NPR this american life CDs (radio shows) to listen too on an old CD walkman. I've seen some people with portable DVD players & Ipods. Books on tape/CD would probably be a good way to pass the time. I tried reading the first time & got bored - but it was pretty dense reading. Maybe its a good time to catch up on the classics. Fox in Sox was always my favorite.

If folfox, make sure you have enough body temperature water & keep gloves handy. I recommend bicycling gloves because they are very warm and breathe well for how thin they are. You may not get bad cold sensitivity, but better to have them in case. Mine sets in immediately now.

Mix your snacks up - I've found that I get sick of things I liked the week before & its no fun being in chemo with nothing you like to eat.

Prepare well & you'll do fine. Its like a long boring airplane flight tethered to a pump and they're sold out of cocktails.

[Billy]

I’ll be starting my 4th or 5th (hell if I can remember) chemo in a week or two, and here is what I know.

Hmmm…..let’s see here…. What to bring to chemo? Well first off, bring a sense of humor! I’ve found laughing to be a big help with cancer. I recommend bringing someone with you. Preferably someone you can guilt into answering your beck and call. My dad usually accompanies me and he’ll do just about anything I ask. Sometimes I come up with stupid stuff just to see if he’ll go along. Bring along a cell phone if you can, cause there’s nothing like calling a good friend and trying to have a conversation once the chemo brain kicks in. Also, bring a pillow. I’ve spent most of my chemo days fast asleep. I’ve brought an mp3 player and a book, but usually they just sit there as I snore. Bring extra clothes to keep you warm.

Some of the things I experienced during chemo (of course you realize that everyone is different so some may happen and some may not);

I’m by far the youngest person there. They have special places where kiddies get chemo, but we get lumped in with the general population. Though it is a bit fun when a person 30 years my senior asks for my advice on what they are about to go through.

I get sick. Some drugs are mild, but some just hit you like a freight train. Remember that the doctors and nurses are there to help, and they’ve seen it all. Don’t worry if you get sick, or pass out, or let loose some bodily gasses while you sleep. They’ve experienced worse.

I get hungry, sometimes. My appetite has gone from one extreme to the other while on chemo, and I never know what I’m going to be craving. Yes, we get cravings. You’ll see…they get weird.

Chemo sucks. There’s no way around it. But as you can see by all the wonderful people here at the Colon Club it’s not impossible. Good Luck!!!!

Billy

[suzieh]

I have been following your post and I know you are so relieved to start this next phase of your treatment. I am so glad you are out of the hospital and ready to charge ahead.

Just a suggestion, be open to talking with others, I met some wonderful people, with all different types of cancers and time passed so quickly while we all got to know each other.

I never did chemo alone, you will be surprised how many friends you have that will not mind driving you or staying with you to pass the time. My husband sat with me during every chemotherapy, and then my girlfriends would take me back on Fridays for hydration. I would disconnect myself from Chemo at home and then go get a liter of fluid because it kept me hydrated for the week end when I was feeling so crummy. I did not start hydrating until the 3rd Chemo and it really changed everything about the way I felt.

I really did not ever feel like driving home after chemo. I had chemo brain or something, just a little woozy, slightly drunk, I do not know really what it was , but I remember very few rides home from infusion.

Also the whole eating food thing is so hard to give suggestions. One week I wanted a burger, the next treatment I thought I would vomit if anyone even said the word burger. Crackers are great. I was taken off all fresh fruits and vegetables and deli meat because my white blood cell counts got so low, so I had to stick with the over cooked or over preserved stuff.
Try to hydrate the most you can the day before you go into chemo, water, gatorade and that will help with nausea.

Keep us posted.

[seussfan]

Sean - I went to a bike store today but omst of the gloves I saw had no fingers to them...is that the kind I want? The ones they had with fingers were pretty thick and they were knit. What kind am I looking for?

[sean]

My favorites are made by DeFeet.The glove I'm using is called the duraglove:

http://www.defeet.com/products/products ... sport=bike

scroll down about 1/2 the page. I also have one pair of their socks for my infusion day.

Its best to actually try the gloves and to get a set that can be worn as doubles if needed. I now have 3 pairs (medium) of the first layer because I like to wash them every day & have a clean pair around. The will shrink just a bit, but it hasn't been enough to matter yet.

If you have trouble finding these gloves and are in the DC metro area, the bike shop in town is locally owned so they keep winter products stored over the summer. I was just there Wednesday and they had several pairs left. The shop is:

Bikes@Vienna

http://www.bikesatvienna.com/

The owner's name is John Bruno. He knows all about the weird side effect of oxilaplatin and chemo brain - I was talking to him when my wife called to inform me I left our 3 year old alone. I've been letting some people know in chemo about the gloves & he knows to keep them them out.

The outside glove I use on really instense days was made my Lake a long time ago. It was just fleece fingered glove. The closest I can find is the Anchorage:

http://www.lakecycling.com/custom.aspx?id=4

I don't know where these would be stocked but I'm sure if you poked around you'd find then.

Good luck.

[sean]

Also, these defeet gloves are good for when its spring or summer weather - maybe 60's or higher. It was 50 degrees out this morning & I needed something a little warmer.