Two years ago today was my first chemotherapy session. It might have been the scariest Halloween I’ve ever experienced.
If you know someone about to start chemo, send this to them. Here are all the things I didn’t know and maybe it can help make chemotherapy less scary for someone you love.
- The routine is always the same. Wait. Blood work. Wait. Dr visit. Wait. Pre-meds. Infusion. Sit. And sit. And sit.
- If you have a fear of needles, I promise you’ll get over it soon.
- Depending on the chemo, you might have to chew ice chips or eat a popsicle while it first runs in. It helps with the terrible taste you get in your mouth.
- Your hair doesn’t fall out immediately. Mine took about 10 days. But first, all your body hair falls out. Including your nose hairs. Which don’t think you need, but you’ll find that you do. My hair got all brittle and ratty after 10 days and that’s when my husband shaved it.
- Your scalp might also be painful around that time and for about a week after.
- You might have tons of energy later during the day after the chemo session. The steroid infusions kick in and I couldn’t stop talking and staying up late.
- The next day, you might feel like crap. Or a few days later. It’s different for everyone.
- Your taste buds change. Food you used to love can taste gross. It didn’t last long for me but was super noticeable during that time.
- Stay hydrated. Before. During and after. With electrolytes. It makes a huge difference.
- You might not feel very different for a few sessions. Each session can get progressively tougher.
- The nausea is real. It was about the same as pregnancy for me.
- The nurses are absolute angels on Earth. They will make you laugh and keep you comfortable. I certainly felt like a VIP patient.
- You won’t make it through without community. Accept help. Sleep a lot. And eat good food when you can.
- Remember, this is just a chapter. Not the whole story.
