What did you take with you to Chemo

kayebadoe

What kept you occupied? What did you wish you had taken.

m-star

POLO MINTS!!lol
thats what i
POLO MINTS!!lol
thats what i took with me! Chemo can have a horrible taste. When you get it I.V,it goes through your blood stream and then you get a taste, Mine tasted like marzipan (i detest marzipan or anything almond flavoured to this day). Ihated it that much,my mum would sit by my side pushing mints into my mouth to kill the taste. I had my chemo I.V only once and i couldn't stand it so the next doses were given direct to the vein in my arm,via a syringe. It was over with in 5 minutes or so. Another thing i couldn't have done without is Lorazopam. Took 1 before i went then the 2nd one once i got home in bed.Knocked me out cold for a full 12 hours and when i woke up,the worst of my sick feeling and that shakes had gone.

I guess if you have to have I.V though,o book or Nintendo DS might be an idea?Or iPod? But definatly take mints!!!!

Kay

kayebadoe

m-star said:

POLO MINTS!!lol
thats what i
POLO MINTS!!lol
thats what i took with me! Chemo can have a horrible taste. When you get it I.V,it goes through your blood stream and then you get a taste, Mine tasted like marzipan (i detest marzipan or anything almond flavoured to this day). Ihated it that much,my mum would sit by my side pushing mints into my mouth to kill the taste. I had my chemo I.V only once and i couldn't stand it so the next doses were given direct to the vein in my arm,via a syringe. It was over with in 5 minutes or so. Another thing i couldn't have done without is Lorazopam. Took 1 before i went then the 2nd one once i got home in bed.Knocked me out cold for a full 12 hours and when i woke up,the worst of my sick feeling and that shakes had gone.

I guess if you have to have I.V though,o book or Nintendo DS might be an idea?Or iPod? But definatly take mints!!!!

Kay

Thanks
I never would have thought of mints, but I will get some.I just knew you all would know what to take.

dixiegirl

I took
Fig newtons, carmel popcorn, books, dvd's and a pillow. I slept when I could between the trips to the bathroom with all the fluid running through me.

Take anything that makes you comfortable. Don't be afraid to treat yourself on chemo days!

Take Care,

Beth

CiAnnaBananna

Chemo trip
I take way too much stuff! Magazines, dvd's, ipod, nintendo DS, journal, computer, sudoku puzzles, camera, video camera. I also always bring an assortment of food because it's hard to tell from day to day what my taste buds are in the mood for. It's terrible when you pack something and then go to eat it and it either has no taste or a terrible taste. Just yesterday I bought a bunch of oreos and couldn't taste a dang thing. So for me, its always better to bring too much than not enough! Good luck with your treatments!

JoanieP

Subway
I craved Subway and my husband or daughter always went next door and bought me one during my CHOP. I always brought reading but seemed to end up talking to the person beside me. I came away from chemo blessed that I had lymphoma and not what the person next to me had. I always brought my prayer quilt made by a group at my church. There were many prayer knots tied on it and it always gave me peace. I hope your sessions go quickly. My first was the longest. Good luck and God bless you on your journey.

mollylarge

Something you want to give up
Someone gave me this tip before I started chemo - take a snack that is your downfall, because it won't be once you're done! I took bags of M&Ms, my total weakness, for the first 5 or 6 treatments and went through them, well, like candy. After a bit though, they really became associated with that chair and that feeling. Five years later, I still almost never eat M&Ms, never from a bag.

m-star

mollylarge said:

Something you want to give up
Someone gave me this tip before I started chemo - take a snack that is your downfall, because it won't be once you're done! I took bags of M&Ms, my total weakness, for the first 5 or 6 treatments and went through them, well, like candy. After a bit though, they really became associated with that chair and that feeling. Five years later, I still almost never eat M&Ms, never from a bag.

wow thats so true!
(WISH I
wow thats so true!
(WISH I COULD HAVE TAKEN A BAG OF FRIES IN WITH ME TO MY CHEMO!)LOL

Association with chemo is a big no no for me. Music that was on the radio at that time.....i cant bare to hear now. And the marzipan thing is the worst!

kayebadoe

m-star said:

wow thats so true!
(WISH I
wow thats so true!
(WISH I COULD HAVE TAKEN A BAG OF FRIES IN WITH ME TO MY CHEMO!)LOL

Association with chemo is a big no no for me. Music that was on the radio at that time.....i cant bare to hear now. And the marzipan thing is the worst!

I learned what not to take
my computer. It was so heavy. They have personal movie viewers so from now on I will just take the movies and use there viewer. I also took too much food. That is easy for me,cause my eyes are bigger than my stomach.

merrywinner

m-star said:

wow thats so true!
(WISH I
wow thats so true!
(WISH I COULD HAVE TAKEN A BAG OF FRIES IN WITH ME TO MY CHEMO!)LOL

Association with chemo is a big no no for me. Music that was on the radio at that time.....i cant bare to hear now. And the marzipan thing is the worst!

Oh so so true!
I had not even thought of that until now. I usually ate the snacks they offered there and now that I think about it I will never have diet Sierra Mist, Lorna Dunes or pretzels again! I did however play with my cell phone the whole time and I still like that.

winthefight

m-star said:

wow thats so true!
(WISH I
wow thats so true!
(WISH I COULD HAVE TAKEN A BAG OF FRIES IN WITH ME TO MY CHEMO!)LOL

Association with chemo is a big no no for me. Music that was on the radio at that time.....i cant bare to hear now. And the marzipan thing is the worst!

it is amazing
I took lunch and snacks that weren't going to upset me stomach which was usually fine until they gave me the Red Devil. I packed my MP3 player, and books that I never read. Once they administered Benedryl, it was a done deal for me. I was out like a light!

It is so amazing how I never think of these things until I hear other survivor's stories. I use to be an ice eater. I would rather eat ice than food lol. They gave me ice chips to suck on while undergoing R-Chop. Now I can't stand ice. I do not have it in any drink (ugh).

Secondly, my hair began failing out when the Pantene commercial starting airing many times a day. Now when I hear that "inhibition song", it drives me nuts! I have a flash back of how awful I felt with chemo and my sensitive scalp.

And lastly, I can relate to the songs too. It took me about 2 yrs to stop squinting and avoiding a tv show. When I heard the theme song for "Two and half men". I associated that show tune with my chemo treatments.....every day.

I never made the connection until now. Good to know I am not alone in this.

Thanks for reminding me I am sane.

winthefight

mollylarge said:

Something you want to give up
Someone gave me this tip before I started chemo - take a snack that is your downfall, because it won't be once you're done! I took bags of M&Ms, my total weakness, for the first 5 or 6 treatments and went through them, well, like candy. After a bit though, they really became associated with that chair and that feeling. Five years later, I still almost never eat M&Ms, never from a bag.

m&ms
I wished this one worked for me. I started eating M&M peanuts while in chemo treatments. I craved them. Now, they are my weakness. lol

And congrats on your five year anniversary!