Hello,
My mum was diagnosed with secondary cancer 6 months ago. In a nutshell, she had womb cancer 4 years ago and 6 months ago we found out it has metastasised to her lungs.
She has been on hormone treatment which hasn't worked - in fact things have got much worse. In the last couple of days we have found out that it has also metastasised to her bones and liver.
She is in so much pain - it's awful. There are other questions I have but this is not the right post, I just wanted to stick to the chemo questions.
The reason for my post is that my mum has her first chemo cycle on Wednesday and we really haven't been given much information other than what time to attend the hospital (I am finding a general lack of communication which we have been struggling with).
We have looked online at things but I feel I want to ask people who have had chemo or who have friends/family who have had chemo.
My mum lives alone, although I am staying at her house very regularly.
What would people advise my mum to take with her to the chemo session?
What things might she need at home afterwards?
We have read things such as taking a blanket, cosy socks and snacks, a book, ipad/tablet. Is there anything else that people could suggest?
Any help/tips/advice would be hugely appreciated.
Hi FlowersForever. Sorry to hear about your mum, but good to know you are supporting her. My chemo would have been different, but in general the tips are the same and you seem to have covered all the basics with comfy clothes etc. Plenty to drink as well. They usually give you a cup of tea and a sandwich, but it is quite basic. It can be a long day in the chair and on a drip, but you are not being pumped full of drugs all that time. Most of the time it is just saline solution to keep the kidneys working, with intermittent infusions of the drugs. The chemo lounges are usually friendly and upbeat and not all doom and gloom as you may expect. There is usually a lot of chat going on, although people may be more spaced apart than when I did mine. Your mum will most likely be given anti sickness tablets. It is important she takes these as prescribed even if she does not feel sick. They are designed to help prevent sickness rather than cure it. Some chemos can cause mouth ulcers, and I was advised to get a good quality mouth wash and to use regularly to help prevent this. People don't usually get any side effects on the day, but if anything happens it is usually the day after. When at home it is important to keep well hydrated to flush things out. If she can keep a drink to hand so she can have regular drinks, rather than large amounts at once. Water is recommended, but if she finds that difficult, the mild flavoured water with something like lemon barley water. I hope all goes well. Best wishes.
