Keggy,

I'm sorry to hear that several loved ones and friends have been struck with breast cancer. I don't have any experience with breast cancer, but my husband went through chemo for testicular cancer. The chemo drugs are different for different cancers, but the general chemo tips are usually universal. (but always talk to the doctor first)

A common chemo effect that doesn't always get attention is electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. Taking a multi-vitamin along with drinking lots of water and sports drinks can help.

Boost or Ensure shakes help a lot to give nutrition without having to eat (eating is hard not only because of nausea, but because chemo will often change taste buds so that things taste different/bad).

Always have gum or candy or something like that available because chemo can cause dry mouth, metal-taste mouth, weird tastes, etc... So always having something with you to combat dryness that tastes good will help a lot.

Keep a log at home similar to a nursing log and bring it to each appointment/treatment. Keep track of medications, side effects, pain, nausea, food intake, vomiting, fluid intake, etc... this will help a lot for making sure the patient is as healthy as possible during chemo.

Nausea sucks and can be dangerous because it leads to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. If the anti-nausea meds are not helpng enough, ask for different ones. Too many patients just accept nausea as a side effect that they have to learn to live with, but due to advances in medications this is often no longer the case. Yes, chemo comes with nausea, but don't just blindly accept it, communicate all nausea to the doctor/nurse so that they can make appropriate changes to reduce it.


When your hair starts falling out - do not shave it to make the process faster. What happens is that the hair that wasn't ready to fall out will often grow a little bit more and then fall out -- and then you are going to itch like cray as the stubble falls out and lands on you, on your pillow, etc... once it falls out the stubble is hard to find, hard to get rid of, and it will be everywhere and it will itch everything.

It's much easier to leave the hair alone, or trim it short because then as it falls out it doesn't itch and you can find all the hair.... keep in mind that all hair falls out not just head hair, so many ladies stop shaving their legs before chemo so that hair falls out instead of tiny itchy stubble.

Don't let anyone around you if they are sick with anything - even a common cold. This might mean kicking a spouse out of the house for a few days and having other family and friends help you, but the last thing a person on chemo needs is to be exposed to any illness.

Be more careful with food prep for the same reasons.

Before chemo starts go out and get a bunch of comfortable clothes. Chemo can cause nerve sensitivity in some people. My husband couldn't stand many clothing items because they were 'heavy' or had seams that touched him and it was all because his nerves became over-sensitive. So, get lots of soft and comfy clothing.

For friends and family that do not live with the patient... don't ever just say "if you need anything just let me know". It's too vague, and most people won't just call and ask for something.

Instead, make a 'coupon book' of specific things you are willing to do to help. Laundry, cleaning, cooking, pet care, child care, driving to appointments/treatment, staying at the patients home to help with care, going to appointments/treatment with them for support and a second set of ears, grocery shopping, other shopping, picking up Rx's at the pharmacy, taking kids to school or activities, etc...

Same goes for financial issues. If you want to offer financial support, don't be vague and offer it in a "call me if you need it" kind of way. Write a check, mail it or hand it directly to the patient or their spouse/partner.

Offer lots of emotional support to the spouse/partner. They call us "co-survivors" for a reason, because even though we aren't going through the physical aspects of chemo and cancer, we are feeling everything else - sometimes to a higher degree of emotional/mental stress because we try to be super-woman or super-man and do everything for our spouse/patient while holding all of the fears, worries and emotions inside so we don't worry the patient/spouse.


That's all I can think of right now. If I think of more I'll come back and write another novel

Liz