If you've been through Chemo, a question...

[Poohnatic]

Hi.

My mom has been diagnosed with lymphoma and cancer and will begin chemo on Monday. I'll be helping her out as much as I can.

One way I think I can help is by getting your help.

What helped you cope with chemo? How did you combat the nausea? What gave you strength?

Any answers, via posting here or PM would be appreciated. She's a strong lady and is ready to fight-I just want to give her some help in her battle. For instance, she knows her hair is going to fall out pretty quickly, I got out my whispering canyon bandanas and will get her a donald duck squeaker hat at WDW (family joke).

Thanks for any help you can give.

Suzanne

 

[Kallison]

No advice -- just wanted to say I will say a prayer for your Mom.

 

[DisMN]

I'm convinced a positive attitude and good spirits are half the battle and it sounds like your mom has both going for her!
With my dad's and father in laws nausea we found that coke syrup helped keep the nausea at bay. My aunt's scalp was very sensitive during her chemo so she had to wear very very soft things on her noggin. We had some luck searching for soft head coverings for her online.

Nice to have the internet to get ideas and find answers to your questions...I found it invaluable when I needed quick answers to questions that weren't necessarily emergencies.

Good luck to your mom.

 

[clh2]

As far as nausea, the staff administering the chemo will probably have some great advise for your mom. I had a coworker who was undergoing chemo for breast cancer about 2 years ago. Everytime she thought she was doing well after a chemo treatment, and she did something other than the recommendations, she really felt lousy. Luckily she learned to stay within the food recommendations pretty quickly.

My coworker is doing great, having completed all her treatments about 2 years ago. Shortly before her treatments, she opted to purchase a wig, instead of working with hats/bandanas or other head covering.

 

[tiggersmom2]

{{{{HUGS}}}}} sweetie!!!! I just said a prayer for you and your Mom. I know that the lady who has AIDS (Jenny) on here, is on a really strong anti-nausea drug. I'm sure if you did a search on her screen name you could find it (I would do it but I can't remember her whole screen name. )

 

[MinnieM3]

Hi.

My mom has been diagnosed with lymphoma and cancer and will begin chemo on Monday. I'll be helping her out as much as I can.

One way I think I can help is by getting your help.

What helped you cope with chemo? How did you combat the nausea? What gave you strength?

Any answers, via posting here or PM would be appreciated. She's a strong lady and is ready to fight-I just want to give her some help in her battle. For instance, she knows her hair is going to fall out pretty quickly, I got out my whispering canyon bandanas and will get her a donald duck squeaker hat at WDW (family joke).

Thanks for any help you can give.

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne. {{{{hugs}}}}} for you and your dear mom. I finished a very rough chemo regimen a little over a year ago. This is my personality, so my tips may not work for your mom, but here goes..... I brought a portable CD player with me and listened to my favorite music all through chemo. That was my saving grace. I just leaned back with a pillow and nice blanket, closed my eyes and enjoyed my music.

I didn't eat much on chemo days, but drank a lot of water.

I always just went to chemo by myself, which most people don't do, but I didn't want to feel obligated to carry on conversation for hours with someone when I just really wanted to rest. I did like it once when DH went with me and played backgammon!

The nausea drugs they gave me did the trick! No big problems with that. BUT, if later I felt even the slightest twinge of nausea, I'd take my meds immediately. Worked like a charm.

I indulged myself with whatever I wanted throughout the whole regimen. Food started tasting bad, mouth sores, etc. made eating hard. I'd do what I could. Sometimes a week of chicken noodle soup. No biggie.

I also rested whenever I felt I needed to. I kept away fromall crowds due to lowered immunity. I washed my hands like crazy.

I wanted to do the wig thing and got a great looking one, but it never looked great on me. Looked like a dead animal on my head! LOL! So I switched gears and went with hats. Fun! Sometimes I just went bald. It just wasn't a big deal to me.

If I was having a really good day, I was sure to go out and about because I knew I'd run into people I knew and they could see I was doing well. I tried not to go out as a gloomy gus or when I was feeling lousy (which was a lot of the time).

Just be there for her. Listen. Encourage her to ask her doctor about everything, no matter how small. The doc should work hard to make chemo as painless and "good" as it can be.

God bless.

 

[Martha7]

I think our friend also said that the anti-nausea meds worked well, but that you had to take them right away. There's also a medication for the mouth sores, but I don't remember it's name. Please give your Mom our best wishes! You sound like a terrific daughter!

 

[snoopy]

I have a dear friend with Aids who fights nausea all the time. I sent her some ginger Altoids and she said they really help. Ginger is a natural anecdote to nausea.

Thinking of you and your mom and sending good thoughts......

 

[DisneylandGuy22]

Think Positive, Tell her to stay calm, and Live her life everyday to the fullest no matter what. Dont take life for granted as life is to short to be unhappy. Be strong, always smile and enjoy life

My my 2 cents

 

[always quiet]

One year ago this week, DH started his chemo and radiation for cancer of the tonsils and the lymph nodes. I have to honestly say that we were both expecting so much more in the way of nausea (not that the treatment was a walk in the park, not by any means!). First off, the doctors office gave him a prescription. It was a packet which contained 3 pills. The first dose he was to take the morning of his chemo. The next 2 for the following 2 days. He was also given a second prescription of pills he needed to take for 5 days following chemo. Also, before they started the chemo iv, the first bag contained yet another anti-nausea medication. He NEVER got an upset stomach during chemo. If you want the names of the medications, I know I can get them for you.

His BIGGEST problem with the chemo was the destruction of his immune system. With 3 kids in school, you can imagine the different germs that made their way into our home. I kept bottles of the hand sanitizers in the kitchen, the bathroom, in the van...........heck, I even had one by the front door that I had the kids use when they got home from school! Even with all that, he still got serious infections...one was so bad and his counts were so low that the doctor really said he should be in the hospital on iv antibiotics but they knew that it could potentially expose him to even more germs. I can't stress enough to take precautions when it comes to germs, especially with the winter season approaching.

I agree with the cd players to help pass the time while she's connected to the iv. Takes hours. Books are good too. Anything to help pass the time.

A positive attitude is a must....yes the road will be bumpy, but it will have a happy ending. Talk to her whenever she needs, be sure she knows that any and all feelings towards her treatment and the cancer are perfectly normal...anger, rage, sadness, depression...........it's all part of it. Just be sure she doesn't keep them bottled up inside her.

Hugs, prayers and pixie dust being sent your families way!!

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

p & pd your way. One of my best friends has gone through chemo 2 separate times, this recent one she actually didn't need the wig. I guess it all depends on how your system reacts to the drugs. She had a lot of thinning of her hair, but was never bald. So you never know.

As for the nausea, she also said she took some anti-nausea drugs that seemed to work very well.

Good luck and best of wishes to your mom and you for being there.

 

[Lessa of Pern]

The American Cancer Society runs a program for women called "Look good, Feel Better." the cosmetologists discuss how to deal with changes in your appearance due to chemo -- hats and wigs are discussed, as well as make up tips, and each participant is given a make up kit. before my treatment I wasn't one to wear a lot of make up, but now I don't leave the house unless I've got make up on. it makes me look more like "me", and not like "cancer patient." looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing yourself look "normal" really helps you find the attitude you need to beat this insideous disease.

finding a good support group also makes a difference. I have a couple of on line support systems and a real-life support group.

good luck to your mom.

 

[Poohnatic]

Thanks, everyone!

My mom is a tough lady, a fighter. She'll get through this and will be finding humor at every turn-that's just the way she is. I bought a mickey pirate bandana for her today, and I picture her there wearing it and saying she's fighting that scurvy cancer!

I wish I knew where my portable cd player was, but I think I'm scarfing DH's MP3 player-I'll rip my jazz standards and movie soundtracks to MP3 for her. Note to self: warn the doctors that mom can't carry a tune in a bucket!

There's definitely divine intervention in my life, my moving here a year ago was because she needed me here.

I'll keep you all updated on what is going on, and welcome any more input. You know how it takes a village to raise a child? It takes a village to conquer cancer, too.

Suzanne

 

[Pop Daddy]

talk to the ladies on the dis breat cancers survivor thread, they can help you , and there sexy

 

[Serena]

My mom wasn't on chemo long enough for me to give any advice. I just hope everything goes well.

 

[Shugardrawers]

PM coming your way. I can make her some cute head wraps. I have the cutest Mickey fabric I got from eBay and also some lovely fabric left over that a wonderful diser sent my way.

 

[laurabelle]

talk to the ladies on the dis breat cancers survivor thread, they can help you , and there sexy

Pop Daddy

Suzanne- You are more than welcome to come to our thread! Here's the link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=810357&page=1&pp=15