What was helpful to you when you went through Chemo?

I had 6 rounds of FEC in 2008. but no D. Here is what i would do differently: I had no port, was picked every time. it got harder each time, and this was my biggest challenge - it got so hard to do it I'd need a tranquillizer & the best nurse in the room - next time, if it happens, I'd want a port..

I made all frozen-ahead meals. Wrong! Your taste buds change totally. My pre-made meals were revolting. You never know what you'll begin to like, or tolerate. forget about "nutrition". I'd suggest your mom eats what she likes, nothing remotely hot, even if hot suddenly appeals. I had a yen for thai food & one bite set my mouth on fire - it's like you develop an entirely new digestive tract, the lining is like a baby's.

Water, tea & coffee were repulsive to me, but you must keep hydrated. Ice-cold melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple cut in chunks in the fridge kept me hydrated and tasted great. Each person finds what suits.

Big meals of meat go down like a painful, gut-wrenching, balloon. I hated salads. I loved PChoice cheesecake with blueberries - you never know.

Mouth tasted like a garbage pit after eating - I brushed and flossed at least 3 - 4 times a day and silver lining - when I saw the dentist again my gums had improved in health hugely.

the steroids that they give you are wonderful! so are the anti nausea-pills. I only barfed once, when I opened my over-heated car in the winter and the car heat smell just about knocked me out. we live in the country. I also made the mistake of taking garbage to the dump. You could hear me dry-heaving for a mile.

Berets are perfect Ontario winter wear, soft, wear indoors, outdoors, to bed, - and chic - for when your mom loses her hair. which will grow back beautifully! another silver lining - lost all my underarm hair - yay! never had to shave them again

The nurses in chemo I found wonderful without exception - as were all staff at the cancer centre i went to. Each time, I was so thankful I live in Canada - it will cost not one cent.That IS a cheerful thought!

Under no circumstances go into a public hot tub! Even for a treat, after it's done. I did, ended up in emerg suddenly completely dehydrated & with a high temp. Got IV & tylenol - was released, Immune system not up to hot tub germs.

Actual chemo and the few days post-chemo were best for me to get things done, side effect of the steroids, I would crash on about day 4. But perhaps they give other meds I'm not aware of - so much has changed.

It's all doable, go with the flow, sleep when sleepy, eat what one likes, be utterly kind to oneself - lovely your mom has you to care.

As greentara9 mentioned above, you - sometimes - end up with a strong, metallic taste in your mouth with chemo. This, often, makes eating hard as you can't taste anything. And, as chemo progresses, even if you are doing well in the nausea department due to the steroids, you still can lose the desire to eat. I found myself eating what I referred to as "white foods": bananas, rice, pasta, bread, yoghurt, cottage cheese. It was all I could - psychologically and physically - stomach. I could drink coffee in the morning, but water - lots of it - will be your friend. I found fruit- and vegetable juices , especially those with a tomato base, much too acidic - for both my mouth and stomach - so Gatorade became a god-send!

The steroids for nausea are wonderful, but they can make you moody and unpredictable. " 'Roid rage" is a real thing. It may not happen, but - if it does - it's perfectly normal.

Chemo gives some people diarrhea; others become constipated. For me, it was constipation. After talking with my MO, I started taking stool softeners prior to chemo to help alleviate it somewhat.

(Always check with your MO before taking any other medications/supplements during chemo.)

My first chemo left me with a raging headache. My MO prescribed painkillers to take before each chemo after that and my headaches were greatly reduced.

If you feel like it, move. Exercise during chemo will help your mood and distract you. If you don't feel like, don't worry about. If there is any time in your life to pamper yourself, NOW IS IT.

If you experience peripheral neuropathy - i.e., numbness/tingling in your fingers/toe - be careful to really care for your feet. Bath water that is too hot or too cold can be surprisingly painful. Wear shoes; if your toes are affected, stubbing your toe or stepping on something hard can reduce you to a sobbing, agonized mess.

Avoid anyone who is ill. You don't even want to catch a cold, let alone a really serious infection. For me, this meant avoiding my young nephews whenever they had the sniffles. It's just a wise move.

Ativan may become your best friend. I really struggled with insomnia, especially during radiation.

Yep, check out that other thread for things to prepare for... Try and get a port placed and make sure you finish all dental work ahead of time and do things like get shots and vaccines (flu, pneumonia, shingles) and do all the tests and scans you can beforehand.

During... help keeping up the house, cleaning, chores. Shopping.

Eating--this can be such a problem! Try and let the patient choose whatever they think they can eat. I relied on Instant Breakfasts and a lot of milk-based products, and sherbet ice cream. So much food that I couldn't eat if my life depended on it.

Supplements-- check with MO, but B-Complex for Neuropathy. L-Glutamine for mouth sores and other problems. Claritin for bone-aches if you're getting Neulasta or Neuopogen shots (which you might ask about, the shots, I mean. They are for keeping WBC up and are often given prophylactically). Electrolytes if you are getting dehydrated. Potassium and Magnesium for the same (my main side-effect was dehydration and diarrhea, so I needed those badly... plus diarrhea pills). Sometimes certain pro-biotics can help with stomach problems. Will need heart-burn meds like Pepcid if they feel any sort of stomach ache. There are lots of anti-nausea meds for that.

A good thermometer to check for temperature. Need to make sure it doesn't go above 101.3 or something like that (check with others). For me, a good blood pressure machine. Low PB can signal dehydration.

Let the person rest and sleep as much as possible. Fatigue can be a big problem.