Chemo Tips #1 — Empowered and Prepared

Chemo is intimidating, but, with smart preparation and determination to win the battle, you can walk into your first day ready to give it everything you’ve got. You can do this! I’ve been through it and offer here some tips that worked for me, but keep in mind that your journey is yours to create and lead.

Hydrate. Get in the habit. If you’ve not been diligent about hydrating before, this is the time to start. You’ll need ample fluids to flush chemo, especially on infusion days. I got dehydrated twice during my five months, and I can tell you dehydration is miserable.
A doctor friend advised me to get my port ahead of time, at least 72 hours, so the site could heal before my infusion. I’m glad I did, because on my first infusion day, I didn’t have any concerns about the port.
Plan to wear button-down or loose-fitting shirts or blouses for easy access to your port. Comfortable clothes help you relax as well.
Pack your chemo bag the night before your treatment. It felt good to be ready and not rush or stress the next day. Because I had early morning infusions, I brought my own instant oatmeal and some snacks like a banana or granola bar. The clinic had beverages and snacks as well. After checking your vitals, they draw a blood sample for lab examination. Your blood levels have to meet minimum standards to proceed with treatment. The results take awhile, so I enjoyed having my breakfast during the wait.
Do your homework. The first infusion day is long, because, in addition to treatment, you receive piles of information, instructions, and further scheduling. Try to learn as much as possible beforehand to avoid being overwhelmed. Your brain will have enough to process that first day. Be sure to seek good information from numerous sources.
My daughters and I set up a Caring Bridge site. It doesn’t have to be Caring Bridge per se, because similar websites exist, but it’s important to communicate. People wanted to know how I was doing, and they inspired me with their prayers and posts.
If you have a routine dental cleaning coming up during your treatment period, reschedule it as soon as possible. Tell them you’re starting chemo. They should understand. When your white blood count is low, you’re more susceptible to infections. Thus, dental treatment is not recommended during chemo. Also, ask your dentist for advice about mouth care. My dentist told me to gargle with salt water after every meal to avoid mouth sores. His tip saved me a lot of pain. We’ll talk more about that in subsequent posts.
Prepare your heart and mind. Do whatever you need to do to be at peace and reduce your fears. Talk it out with family and friends. Pray. Rest as best you can at night. Read encouraging books. Listen to music you love.
You get to choose whether or not you want company on infusion days. I invited my husband and daughter, and that worked well for me. They coordinated schedules such that one or the other was usually there. I have a friend, though, who preferred to do the infusions by herself. She simply felt she would like to read or watch television to divert her attention and relax.
Get a small shopping bag on wheels. I had chemo before COVID, so I was already in the how-to-protect-myself mode when the pandemic hit. Shopping with my own bag made sense to me.

Next Blog–the First Infusion.