I can recall many striking details about my first chemotherapy treatment. The humid summer air during the walk from the parking lot, the knot in my stomach that wasn’t yet nausea, the smell of the hand soap in the cancer center restrooms.
I recall how disoriented I felt, as if I had become disconnected from myself, and how unprepared I was in terms of the things I had brought with me.
Copyright: zinkevych
I showed up for my first chemotherapy session with only my purse, my cell phone and perhaps a disposable water bottle. But I had no snacks, no blanket and nothing to pass the time. Did I think I was going to the movies? Why hadn’t I thought about what to bring?
The truth is, in the frantic first few weeks of my cancer diagnosis, it simply hadn’t occurred to me that I would need to pack a bag with supplies for chemo.
The chemo room was cold – as in meat locker cold – and once I was ready to go with the IV line plugged into the subcutaneous port that had been implanted in my chest, I asked the nurse for two blankets to keep from shaking. I was shaking from cold, but also from the anticipation of those first drops of chemo that would be soon flowing into me.
I made a mental note: next time, bring a blanket and warmer socks! That was the start of my Chemo Packing List.
At the first flush of the IV line with saline, an acrid taste bloomed on my tongue. I had long since drunk all my water and I had nothing on hand to kill the nauseating taste, no candies or gum. Out of desperation, I reached for the nearest thing to get some relief and rubbed the hospital blanket up and down on my tongue, in a fruitless effort to get rid of the bitter taste.
My husband was horrified and the blanket tasted faintly like bleach, but I was too beyond pride to care. I mentally added hard candies to my list of chemo supplies, so that I could pop one in my mouth before anything was pushed through my IV.
Fortunately, the chemotherapy infusion room had some necessary items such as tissues, crackers and an ice machine. Over the next few weeks, I learned that my nose and eyes would alternate being dry and watery, so the tissues were essential.
I never ate much during chemo, but snacks were important to help avoid nausea so I began packing items such as peanut butter crackers and granola bars. I added ginger candies to the chemo bag for when the nausea really kicked in and I brought my prescription anti-nausea medication so that I could take it during the car trip home.
I also brought my own refillable water bottle, a blanket and a sweater. Some rounds of chemo lasted five to six hours and I experimented with entertainment such as coloring books and watching movies on a tablet computer. Eventually, I found that I was happiest napping or listening to an audiobook to pass the time.
My husband jokingly referred to himself as the butler or the chauffer during the several months of my chemotherapy treatment, as he willingly carried my overstuffed bag and mini-cooler, refilled my drink bottle and functioned as the overall “pit-crew” chief. I’m so grateful to my husband for his loving support and I wish this blessing for everyone. This support role can be done by a family member, friend or by several people in rotation. Remember to ask for and accept help!
Everyone has slightly different needs and preferences, so as you get going with chemotherapy, you’ll learn what things you need to be most comfortable during chemo. Start by packing your chemo bag with the items that I mentioned here: water bottle, snacks, blanket, warm socks, something to do, anti-nausea medication, and hard candy or gum. Also, remember to bring your phone, headphones, insurance card and identification.
For a complete list of what to bring to chemo, sign up for my newsletter and download the free Chemo Packing List. I look forward to chatting with you on social media and hearing about what’s in your chemo bag!
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