My MIL who is having chemo is coming over for dinner!

Jamienono, 

You don't need to do anything extraordinary.  If you are worried, ask your MIL if she needs or wants anything special.  It is more likely that there are some beverages or snacks she might prefer, than that she is worried about becoming infected or sick.  It is sweet for you to think about her comfort.  

MsP

I know when my mom went through chemo, she preferred her "comfort foods" such as homemade mac and cheese, home made chicken pot pie.   Maybe ask you husband what she likes?   USUALLY  women are told to avoid raw salads and raw veggies and no sushi.( the immune system is low, and these things can carry harmful bacteria and such, normally our bodies can handle it, but not always on chemo)  Not eating salad would be really hard on me, so when I though I was facing chemo, I thought I would make soups and make salads with grilled veggies, not raw.

Hope that helps, and it is very kind of you to want to be accomadating.

Great suggestions here. I think asking what foods/drinks she prefers is a great idea; keep in mind that once she arrives she may or may not be tired, and may or may not have an appetite. She might want to talk about what she is going through, and she might not. There's just no way to know, so you'll have to follow her lead.

The Clorox wipes are a great idea! I would avoid anything like sushi or raw meats, make sure produce is well-washed, etc.

Probably the most important thing would be just to relax and have a good time. Happy times with family is a wonderful break from one's troubles.

I recommend asking her if she is interested in anything special.  I suspect she's most interested in your company and not your fabulous cooking :-)  Be mindful of whether she wants to talk about breast cancer or whether she is looking for an evening of 'normalcy'.  I usually started out thinking I didn't want to talk about breast cancer and after an hour or so found myself sharing stories.  If you can find a way to make her laugh, she will probably thank you :-)

Good luck!

Dawn Bontempo

Author: Breast Cancer Mardi Gras: Surviving the Emotional Hurricane and Showing my Boobs to Strangers

• Diagnosed 10/12/2012, IDC, ER+/PR+, HER2- at Age 41
• Chemotherapy December 2012- March 2013 Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Taxol (one round of Taxotere)
• Radiation Therapy April 2013 - June 2013

Treat her as you have usually treated her.  She is STILL the SAME person she has always been.