Who came to your chemo treatment?

My husband was at every long chemo with me. He brought along his laptop and worked in a chair beside me. He went out for lunch and brought me back something. At my facility I didnt notice any teens, mostly spouses & friends. Once I was on Herceptin only I went myself.

My husband came to almost all my chemo treatments.  My friend came in from out of state for 2 of them.  My 15 year old son came to one.  He did fine.  He played his video games while there, but I knew he was taking in what was going on.  I thought it was important for him to see what I was going through.

My sister came in from out of state for one too, along with another friend who was in from out of state.

DH came with (and always went to the snack place and bought donuts), I wouldn't have felt much like visiting, so wouldn't have wanted anyone there whom I would have had to entertain (or even be nice to). I'm sure everyone has different feeling about this (with no right or wrong), but I did NOT want my 17 year old son to come with. I knew this was very tough on him at a time in his life when he should have been carefree and not worrying about anything more than a prom date or calculus test, so I wanted to keep his life as normal as possible. I got great care, had wonderful nurses etc. but I still thought it was a sad scary place, and wouldn't have been there at all myself if I didn't have to be! If you are thinking of bringing a teen, I would for sure not to it for the first round. You don't know how you will react yourself, what the set up of the facility is like (individual rooms? One big room with curtains where everyone can hear each other talking and/or if they have trouble?), and how you are going to feel afterwards too.

Radiation I felt differently about.

My chemo infusions were 60 miles away, and I am single.  My mom went with me to most, my sister went with me, and 2 friends also.  Also, 3 times I went alone!  I enjoyed going by myself because I went to the very busy Univ of Michigan for treatment.   My favorite part (if there was a favorite part) of the chemo exerience was talking to others also going through treatment.  The nurses knew that and would often ask me to encourage another patient who was having a rough time.  

I would learn so much from others and pick up many tips that I could share with my Blog readers.  Other than the horrific drugs, that aspect of chemo was meaningful.

My sister went with me for my first infusion, but had to go back to work (she works at the hospital where I get my treatments), so my 18 yr old daughter came to pick me up.

My daughter took me to my second treatment and left with about half an hour to go and two friends from work came to pick me up and took me out to eat before dropping me off at home.

My mom is going with me to the next treatment. Sorta makes me nervous because she is the type that may need entertained LOL. We will see how it goes.

My husband doesn't get paid if he misses work, so he probably won't ever come to any of my last 3 treatments. He would if I asked and his bosses wouldn't mind at all, but our finances are stretched thin.

I asked the nurse practioner who did my chemo education if it was unusual for people to come alone and would they think there was something wrong with me if I did LOL - she said no, but that I should take my friends up on the offer to come as it helps them to feel involved. 

Most people at my infusion site have their spouse with them. There isn't room for more than one person, although my nurse did let both my freinds come back. I had already completed my treatment and was just waiting for him to unhook me and let me go.

I did ask my 15 year old son if he wanted to go, but made sure he understood it was okay if he didn't. He doesn't want to, he's busy trying to have a normal summer through all of this.

Tina

I went to a very busy place, the univ. of PA. It was all private rooms for chemo and pretty large too with tv's and a couple of extra chairs and large windows overlooking downtown. At least the surroundings were very nice. I felt kind of in between there, many of the patients were retired and had their DH's with them, and sometimes their grown children. Then some young women who had their retired parents with them. I was in my mid 40's. my DH came when he could. My DD who was 13 came once. She was mostly at school. My DD, she was 14 then, came to my last herceptin, so did my niece who was 15. It wasn't an occurrence every time I was there, but there were pre school children there with their mothered getting treatment at times. I don't think it was a problem for the other patients, but I wouldn't bring a young child unless there was also another adult with me to look after them. I am glad my 13 y.o. Came with me once.

I just had blood drawn and my port flushed Tuesday in the chemo room in my center and noticed there is a sign on the wall by the nurses station indicating that children are not allowed.  I believe that it is mainly from a liability and safety perspective, but because it is a communal room there is exposure to people who are quite ill, might have reduced WBC and be immuno-compromised also.