So You’re Starting Chemotherapy – tips for the journey

Some ideas I’ve compiled based on my experiences in 2002.

Own it. You have cancer. You must face the fact that the moment you found cancer is the moment you became what they refer to as a “survivor” and what I refer to as “being human”. Having cancer does not make you special or unique. There are millions of people who have gone through the same thing. It’s something you have or had and something you will have to deal with for the rest of your life. What makes you special or unique is how you deal with it.

Be informed. Know what chemotherapy is, does, and why it’s used. Check out this Wikipedia article to start, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotherapy. Then, find out what course of treatment and why it is being prescribed by your doctor. Find out what the doctors goal of the treatment is. Know the drugs that are being used for chemotherapy. It’s never just one. Also, brush up on possible side effects of them and prepare yourself accordingly.

Ask questions and don’t accept any medical language that you may not understand. Knowledge is part of the control you will have over the treatment. Have your doctor or nurse explain things until you fully understand what they mean. Use this knowledge for you, not against you. Don’t be paranoid and don’t be afraid (I can say that, but doing it is quite difficult- these are your bridges to cross). Don’t second guess your doctor by looking it up on the internet- second guess them by getting a second opinion from a professional that has the education and experience you need. Self-diagnosis is the slippery slope to paranoia and hypochondria.

Find support. I didn’t go for support groups, but many people going through treatment find them extremely valuable. Find a group that can help you during and after your treatment. Post-chemo is just as hard emotionally. Look into support groups for the type of cancer you have online or at community centers. There may also be groups supported by the hospital that you are receiving treatment at. Help is where you find it.

Tell your family and friends what’s going on. Don’t surprise anyone with the news by announcing it on Facebook or waiting for a social function. Proactively get the word out to the people you care about. Also, don’t let anyone introduce you as a cancer patient at a party- make that your job. One time, before I knew what was happening, I was introduced as a cancer patient at a party and I found it humiliating as these family members and strangers looked at me with such pity. I’m so much more than a cancer patient! Put yourself in front of that bullet and you may find support you never knew existed.

Help yourself. Find things you enjoy doing and do them. Don’t put life on hold (try not to overdo it, though either). This is a great time to get into books, puzzles, games, movies, crafts, or whatever. Find joy in small things as big things may be too difficult. Set up plans for the near and distant future so you can have events to look forward to. If you find yourself sitting alone and feeling sick and sorry for yourself, go find something to do. Anything. You aren’t helping yourself if you find yourself in that situation.

Take care of your health and nutrition. Chemotherapy destroys white blood cells and alters your hormonal balance. Almost immediately, it is difficult to fight the smallest cold. As time goes on, your body takes longer to heal, so tasks that used to be easy can wind you. Your doctors are busy enough making sure you get through chemo- it’s your responsibility to pick up the rest.

Take the appropriate steps to reduce your chances of getting colds or flu. Avoid eating in cafeteria style places, wash your hands twice as often and be sure to watch for any food born illness outbreaks or new epidemics and protect yourself as best you can. Don’t be too afraid though. Your body can still overcome many things; it’s just much much harder.

Take supplements. It may be hard on your stomach to take pills, but products like Ensure can make that easier. However, since chemo I can’t even stand the smell of Ensure now because of the memory response. I ate so much of it! Still, it’s very good for you and you need all the vitamins you can get.

Drink lots of water. A sign of good health is clear fluids in and out. If it’s not clear out, then drink the water you need to correct this. While is sucks to walk to the restroom with an IV in you, it’s better than not.

Get to know your food. There are many nutritional fact web sites out there to gain information. I like this new-ish one NutritionFacts.org. There you can find gems like “soy can greatly reduce your risk of breast cancer recurrence” http://nutritionfacts.org/?s=breast+cancer. This site is a reference I trust.

There are many places out there that don’t have good information. Whether your information is from web sites, forums, newspapers, advertisements, or your grocery store shelf: do your fact checking before implementing the product into your routine. Take kombucha tea for instance. This drink can not deliver what it says and has been reported put people into comas. http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/kombucha-tea/. Proof that a little research can go a long way.

Take naps. Sometimes, you won’t have a choice. But rest is very good for you. However, taking too many naps can be a sign that you are slipping into a depression. Assess your mental health and take action to fight it.

Remember that you are alive. Wake up. If you’re reading this, you’re alive. Seize it, live it, talk to someone, make art, play a game. You may be just fine and feel healthy, or you may feel like your in your last hour; either way, make it count if you are able.

When and if you start to lose your hair, get rid of it. Who wants to watch their hair slowly fall out? This is a stressor that you can alleviate by just owning it and throwing it out. Think of it as a chance for your scalp to heal from years of shampoo and product, or a “low-maintenance” style.

Lastly, scars are cool. No matter where they are on your body. Unless it’s just a cat scratch- that’s not as cool. Otherwise, this is a physical display of character and experience.

I’ll post more advice as I think of it. In the meantime check out these sources for support.

http://www.livestrong.org/Get-Help

http://www.cancer.org/

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping