Chemotherapy & surgery on your own ?

I had breast cancer twice, once married once divorced. Because my ex wasn’t supportive I can honestly say it was easier on my own. Friends could step in without worrying they were treading on his toes so I got more help in a practical sense, we had a rota to drive me to and from chemo and to help me walk my dog. When you can’t sleep you don’t have to worry about waking anyone up. I planned my meal making when I was well and filled the freezer so I could have it easier on bad weeks. I could rest without having to consider his feelings, I just got into a routine and got through. It’s very daunting at the beginning of your treatment but it somehow creates new routines and you just get through. All the best x

My top tips would be:

Meal prep: I would pre-prepare nutritious meals in advance so I always had a good stock in the freezer of something good to eat, especially on chemo days where I'd be a bit tireder, potentially have a bit of nausea or weird smell.

Side effects diary: I had a diary notebook where I would write the side effects I had (I guess you can do it digitally too). It's easy to forget what day you had what side effect, but there are definite patterns and so by keeping a note of them, you start to see the patterns. Once you know that on day 3 you will have a change in saliva that creates mouth sores, you can already plan for the adaptations you need. The more you know, the better you can plan around it :) It also helps to keep track of appointments.

Sleep routine: sleep is super important for recovery, and the more consistent your routine, the better you feel. That's not to say your sleep won't be disturbed by side effects, but hopefully you still feel well rested.

Movement: it's very important to move too. I found that waking up and doing some sport or going for a brisk walk helped me to break through the early tiredness and get me ready for the day. If I tried to work directly from getting out of bed, I would feel the fatigue more.

Ask for help when you need it: if some things feel too difficult/daunting to do, ask family/friends to help. It doesn't mean they have to do everything for you, but they can help to take some of the load off when you need it.

I hope that helps x 

What an inspiring journey you have been on. Thank you for sharing x