Chemotherapy infection control

Hello

My hubby just started Chemo had his first chemo last week.

I work in an infant school  so you do not need to give up your volunteer work

I work part time and in  playground unless it is heavy rain  ---no school until start of term

We all went to grandaughter's birthday party windows wide open.

Just avoid crowded places we do not have a car so  mini cab  there and son who drives gave lift back

Cafe ok but avoid crowded places as in town centre  or get there very early

Have you got nearby park that has cafe if so get there opening time

Relations can come to you but of cause if they are not feeling great they do not go to you or you to them

1. Thank you that's really helpful! Hope your husband's treatment goes well x

thank you and hope your hubby treatment goes well

1. My husband had his first chemo 10 days ago and I think the messages we have been told are quite mixed so we have made up our own rules. I am probably being too cautious and it may relax as time goes  but this is what we are doing or not. Husband is not going shopping with me so as not to touch anything. If we go out for a coffee (well he has tea) I take his own mug and tea spoon and then I pour the tea for him. We are not eating out anywhere again so he doesn't need to touch anything. I now put the Petrol in the car. he is banned from gardening and any dirty jobs. We are being careful what we eat, no salads and only fruit and veg that can be peeled. We are staying away from people and tend to only see them outside. We were going to go away for a few days to a hotel but have decided not to in case of infection, might look at self catering instead. Probably being ott but the thought of infection terrifies me. We are using separate towels and I clean the bathrooms everyday and dust and hoover every other day. Even now keep our tooth brushes separate. I am worn out just thinking about it. So far so good and only side effect is a metallic taste . Hope your husband is ok 

Hi shar

You are doing a fantastic job and he should be proud of you. I know any type of infection is a no-no with Chemo so being over cautious is probably a good thing - and it's not for ever - it's just whilst he's on his treatment plan.

As an aside I have been married for 44 years and Lorraine has NEVER put petrol in the car EVER. When I was in hospital she made one of the children do it!!

Carry on you are amazing.

Best wishes

Brian.

Brian I have not put petrol in the car for 37 years since a bad experience put me off. I was on my own and nearly put diesel in instead of petrol, I was so panicky that I got in the car and drove off but had to stop as I had put my purse on the roof. Dooooh . 

Cor - you girls don't half have it easy. The first time Lorraine came to visit me in hospital - did I get "how are you love?". No did I heck - it was "is there enough money in the bank to pay the bills and for me to go shopping" and as an after thought - Oh which dustbin goes out on Friday!!

Important stuff first! eh?

• My husband always puts the bins out !!!! You men have to have some uses in life. I finally think my sense of humour is returning. A few weeks ago I honestly thought I was going to be sad forever

Thank you! And good to know the side effects haven't been too bad either.

Well done. You have obviously done a lot of research and taking as many precautions as you can. Basically you can live a normal life provided you are sensible and avoid any unnecessary risk. Quality of Life is both physical and mental which means getting out for exercise and interacting with other people. My husband has now had three rounds of chemotherapy and has kept bug free so far. The first session of chemo is the most frightening and I watched hubby like a hawk for the whole of the three weeks until the next round, after which we knew what to expect. As you have no doubt read from others -keep a diary of any and all experiences. Also there is no need to put up with side effects. Before starting chemo my husband was given a bagful of 'just in case' drugs and we needed then as his WBC plummeted and he had severe abdominal pain. At his second session he was given more support up front and this reduced some of the side effects. Our diary has told us that three days after the chemo IV he starts feeling the aches and muscle weakness to the hour. But then we know that this lasts for 4 days in his case and by day 9 he is getting back to normal.

As a microbiologist I would suggest that during your school volunteering you wear a mask. When children return to school after the summer break there is usually an upsurge in coughs, colds, covid. This is because most children do not mix as much when they are holiday so the school environment acts as a hot house for anything that is going around. Also, remember that many bugs can survive for many hours on solid surfaces such as door handles. Make sure you take your little bottle of hand sanitiser with you whenever you go out and use it regularly.  Because of the way the docetaxel works it can affect the intestines as, by nature, the cells rapidly divide.. Personally I have made sure that most meals are cooked. Herbs and Spices are notoriously dirty and need cooking to make sure that any bugs are killed off. We like overnight oats but I would never add cinnamon. The chemo plays havoc with the gut flora so maintaining good gut health is important. My husband does not like Greek yoghurt -little does he know that he has it in the overnight oats. Make sure you have a wide range of fruit and vegetables as this builds up a healthier microbiome and will help in reducing some of the toxic effects of the chemo on the guts. A natural way of improving bowel movement if you are getting constipated is to have a kiwi fruit. Also eating little and often puts less of a strain on the gut whilst you are having chemo.

The reason you should be careful about getting colds, flu etc. is that it reduces your ability to fight infection. I was reading a paper which said that most instances of sepsis in chemo patients originate from intestinal problems so make sure that your husband tells you if he is having any unusual intestinal pain. No doubt you have already invested in a thermometer and an Oxygen meter as well as a blood pressure machine. Knowing what your base readings are and then monitoring regularly -thermometer and oxygen sats twice daily- should make sure that you keep on top of things, and don't forget that a low temperature can be as bad as a fever.

Make sure you look after yourself. I got a severe telling off today from the osteopath as I landed up with a bulging spinal disc trying to sort out a puncture on my husband's mobility scooter rather than asking someone to help me out. This has incapacitated me for almost a week.