Can I draw during Chemo??

Sparklekat

Can I draw during Chemo??

Sparklekat

Hey all!

So this may seem like a stupid question but I called my Dr.'s office yesterday on another matter and the gal I talked to sort of seemed oblivious so I thought I'd ask people who know what they are talking about . I am having 6 rounds of TC chemo every three weeks for the next four months and I have a lot of crafty projects coming up. One of which is making a bunch of "low-rise" houses out of illustration board. I need to draw all my houses and I was wondering for those of you who haven't had a port installed (my dr said I don't need it, and I don't want it), did they put the IV in your arm or can they still do it in your chest? I figured I'd get a more reliable answer from you gals then I would if I called the front desk person. And if they do put it in your arm is it too cumbersome to draw? I'm right handed and I was thinking if they did it in my left I might be able to get around it?

encyclias

I have a port, but I was at my cancer infusion center yesterday to get a blood draw. I wasn't looking specifically for IVs, but closing my eyes now and visualizing the room, it seems that most of the patients who didn't have ports had their IVs in the back of their hand. As to which hand, I don't know the criteria.

Good luck with your treatments.

Carol

susan_02143

My experience is getting a little aged, but I don't think chemo infusions have changed that much in the past 8 years. They will probably use your hand for the IV, not the chest. If you have had node surgery, they will use the hand on the opposite side of the body. If you have had node surgery on both sides, then you will want to discuss which side has less of a chance to stimulate lymphodema.

For me, the pre-meds made my brain quite fuzzy. There is no way I could have done something like draw houses, or cut out illustration boards. But, you won't know until after the first infusion. The three days following chemo were the steroid days, and I was like the road runner. No sleep, moving constantly, and getting lots done. The downside was, my attention to detail was lacking, and I often had to redo whatever I got accomplished.

I would recommend that you don't assume anything. Bring your stuff, but you might not get anything done. Or you might get a bunch done.

Hope it goes well for you.

*susan*

Sparklekat

Thank you ladies! I am hoping it's not going to affect me too much. I have been doing the Ketogenic diet for the last two weeks and people say that's supposed to make you foggy but I seem to not have trouble concentrating. I'm 29 so I am hoping I can kind of handle it. And yeah, @susan, I am sooo not cutting out illustration board, haha, I can just imagine the horror of the nurses if I showed up with an exacto blade to do chemo! But I would like to get the houses drawn at least. Because when I am not doing chemo I will have a whole lot of cutting to do!

KBeee

Hi Sparklekat,

I am also doing 6 rounds of TC. Round 3 is tomorrow. I do not have a port. They have done both IVs so far in the forearm. If you have had lymph nodes removed, they will try to avoid that arm, other wise they will probably alternate each time...or go with what they can find.

Definitely check in with the Feb/March 2013 chemo thread. It is not just for Feb/March gals. It is for anyone on TC chemo, and there are several of us on it now who are on there.

Sparklekat

I did draw! Although it was a little cumbersome. But at least I got stuff done. Now I am wondering what other projects I could bring!

KBeee

Was your chemo today? If so, we have chemo on the same days, and will for the next several rounds. I hope your side effects are few.

Sparklekat

Hi KBeee!! (I love your screen name, both my mom and my sister are KB's) And yes I did have my chemo last Friday. Other that being epically exhausted, I feel fine. No nausea, which is good 'cause I so don't know what the heck I did with my Zofran!

Hope you are feeling okay today too!