1st chemo done yesterday...now what??

Foods
Marc, what does she like eating, normally? You say your family is a "buy dinner rather than make dinner" kind of family... does that go for lunch too? In which case, if that's what she likes to eat, then buy dinner/lunch and bring it home. No point trying to make her eat things she normally doesn't eat... as for what does she like, the best thing is to ask her. I'm afraid we can't help make suggestions when we don't know what her likes/dislikes are.

As for cooking... you have the whole internet at your disposal Do a google search on soups with ingredients that she likes. Does she like Carrot soup? Then do a google search on "Carrot Soup Recipes" and you'll get a kajillion of them... pick the ones that look easiest to make. Does she like chicken? Why not do up a tray of Chicken Wings, then you can freeze some (already cooked) and bring them out to reheat for meals. Salads are pretty easy to make, so make a bowl of salad and have it in the fridge to use as a side salad with a soup, chicken wings, or sandwich.

Again... it's hard to make suggestions since only your Mom can tell you what she's in the mood for.

As for, is the "tired feeling" going to get any worse? Everyone reacts differently so we can't say how your mom is going to react. Expect the worst and if it doesn't happen, then be pleasantly surprised. Chemo accumulates in the body more and more as each session is completed. Some people get exhausted, others just sail through it. As for her leg problems... I have no idea if that is a side affect of the cancer or if she has something else going on. It's obviously not a side affect of the chemo since she has only had one session of chemo and she had the leg problems before she did her chemo. The legs stuff you really are going to have to discuss with her doctor and see if there's something that can be done for it, or if it will go away after she's had her surgery.

Good luck...and congratulations to Mom for having started the first chemo session!

dianetavegia said:

Agree with Cheryl!
I like Kraftfoods.com You can search for recipe ideas under chicken. You can search for 'light' foods, too.

Things like boneless chicken breasts are healthy, low fat and so easy to make. Kraft has some 'bake in foil' recipes where veggies, rice or potatoes, chicken, etc. are all baked together. Those could be cooked ahead of time and quickly warmed for your mother. A chicken breast chopped up is great on top of those salads Cheryl told you about.

Healthy eating is a major part of the healing and staying well process. Eating fast foods is not healthy. Even foods from restaurants can be cooked in rancid oil that has cooked many different meals for many days. Cooking at home is the best way to go.

Plenty of fluids, a good diet and getting up and moving around should help your mother feel better soon.

Hi Marc!
I eat alot of soups when I am on chemo, I love the chicken and stars soup, it's important for your mom to stay hydrated, while hooked up even.. lots of fluids, I didn't seem to get worse by my 3rd treatment as well, I still stayed the same, but once the nurse came to unhook me, I was tired for about 4 days, but got better as the days went by, chemo does wear you out, but she will bounce back. Also, I go to allrecipes.com for alot of recipes, just type in "casseroles" or anything and it will give you ideas on what to make, and the people even rate and comment on them, on how good the recipes are or not.

Hope your mom feels better, I never had any leg problems on chemo.

Hugsss!
~Donna

marc24 said:

oh really?
yeah this whole day has been tough...the whole morning she was kinda out of it, feeling really fatigue, then from 1pm to 4pm, see seemed to bounce back, then from 4 to now...she is back to fatigue and sleeping alot, we try to keep her eating when she feels like it, she had a soup and 1 wheat bread, then go back again with the sleeping...we are gonna try to keep her eating when she has the energy for dinner...fish and some other stuff, maybe some fruits that are blended...

im in a dilemma here, me and my dad are the only once to alternate help...both of us work, im 24 yrs old and i am a tax accountant, 2nd yr at my job, the economy is horrible and i feel the need to take a leave of absence, but that is pretty much a guarantee that i will probably lose my job if i keep missing more days. I spoke to everyone i work with about the situation with my mother, they are very understanding, but there will be a point in time when busy season hits me and i will be needed asap, i work in a CPA firm and we are dead hectic during tax return time, so now i feel like im being pulled from two places, family vs. my own career....its an easy decision cuz i will chose my family 10 out of 10 times, but i also know i have my own life and its really close to suffering...but i will sacrifice the small problem i have compared to what my mom is suffering from...any advice with those family members that you guys had help from, etc..? how did they balance since i am having trouble now??

Hmmm... not much advice from me...
... I can't help you with that one, Marc. I had plenty of caregivers when I got out of the hospital. Neighbours/friends who would walk my dog, do my grocery shopping/laundry, etc.

But once I was healed from my surgery and started my chemo (about 2 months after the surgery), I pretty much could do everything on my own. I live in an apartment and the laundry room is two flights of stairs down from my apartment (no elevator in this 3-storey walk up building). So occasionally, if I was feeling particularly tired, I would have to let a neighbour/friend do my laundry because I didn't have the energy to keep going up and down the stairs. But cooking and getting around the apartment, I was more than capable and fine doing that on my own.

I know everyone reacts differently to chemo, but I don't think I've ever met someone who was so fatigued all they were able to do was sleep on the first treatment. You've got me stumped on that one.

If that's the case, then perhaps you and/or your dad can arrange to have a home care worker come in a couple of days/week to help with the cooking/laundry/housework? I don't think you should put yourself in a position where you lose your job... that's not going to help your mom, you or anyone. If you have other family or neighbours around who can help, that would be great too... otherwise, you really should look at having someone come in as a home care worker.

Cheryl