Seeking suggestions

[pegkerr]

How do you pamper someone going through chemo?

I'm not quite sure what to expect. Nausea? Sleepiness? I asked Rob to think about what might comfort him if he's feeling lousy. Other than let him sleep and keep the laptop fired up with movies.

Other ideas, especially from anyone with experience as a caretaker for someone going through chemo? Thanks.

Comments

[loredena]

He may lose his appetite, so comfort foods, soft foods, shake and such are helpful to have around. Consider protein shakes or even those protein and fiber powders to add to juice or milk. My father got chills and fever (though I think that's atypical), so having a selection of warm and soft blankets around was great too. Ginger helps with nausea, so if he'll eat it sugared ginger is good; ginger ale otherwise.

He'll likely not be up to driving, if you can line up help with driving and grocery shopping that will aid you tremendously. Make sure you have comfort items for yourself too! We put Enya-type music on an iPod, and also bought some nature videos (if he finds he tires easily he might fall asleep during movies).

Ask about pain medicine, including aspirin and nsaids - my father just plain ached after chemo, making walking hard at times. We kept a tray of items in reach for him for the bad days - his glasses, a book, tissue, a water glass and so forth.

Bring food and drinks with you to doctor appointments (even just cheese and crackers and juice) for both of you - it's all to common to find yourself waiting for hours and getting hungry and low blood sugar helps neither of you. If you knit or crochet, bring it along. I carried my spindles to many a hospital room.

{Everyone's experience is likely to be different, and I think my father likely had a stronger course of chemo than you are looking at, his cancer was further along and more vicious}