OT questions about chemo treatments

Great info, Kate. Thanks! I live 1500 miles away. For me to get away for
3-4 days is doable, a week would really be pushing it. If I can only be
there one time would the beginning, middle or the later treatments be the
best time for me to be there? After she gets home from the treatment or
during the actual treatment- like if the treatment is on a Wed. should I be
there Tues. or Thurs.? ? (My dad is there to help her, too, but this is
really distressing him at age 84 and he's in rather frail health himself.)
Do the chemo caps and other patterns available on the internet work
correctly or are they made by folks who have good hearts but don't really
know? What about a sun hat with a brim and lined with Minkee? Would
batting under the outer cotton hat with a silk (or similar) lining be an
idea? She lives outside Phoenix and it'll be getting hot there soon.

I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the thoughts, possibilities and things to
think/worry about.

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

"Kate T." wrote in message
...
Your Mom will lose her hair and her scalp will become very tender.
She will need a cap or hat of some kind to keep her body heat in. You
lose most body heat through your head. Baseball caps with those
adjustable plastic things on the back are very painful. A cap made of
fleece or knit cap or toboggan as some folks call them are great. A
wig can be very painful if it has a web or netting on the inside. Not
too tight. The seams of a lot of hats and caps are very hard on the
scalp and hurt like the dickens. A hat, in the summer time, with a
brim will help shade the eyes.

A full size hug quilt is the best with a flannel backing keeps the
patient warmer than the usual cotton fabic backing. A lap quilt is
not big enough to keep out the chill.

With the radiation treatments the skin will be burned badly like a 3rd
degree sunburn. One thing I recommend it a product called Aquaphor by
Eucerin. Its a healing ointment. This is applied after her radiation
treatments are completed. This ointment should be applied very gently
as the skin is very tender. Once the skin has started to heal it will
become very dry and itchy. Aquaphor helps greatly to stop the pain
and itching. It can be found in most drug stores. I am not
affiliated with the company, my doctor recommended I use it and I got
great results.

Can you find her a hospital gown that has snaps on the shoulders so
they can be undone easily without having to get undressed. Those
things that tie in the back and around the neck are a real pain to
wear.

When your Mom goes for her treatments go with her. She will never
tell you that she feels less scared with you there, but she will. Her
attitude about the whole process will be a big factor in her going
through her treatments and them being successful.

Remember that a big tote bag will carry a lot of things. Easier to
handle than a purse and can be hung on the handles of a wheelchair.
Two things in the tote bag, tissues and bottled water.

Hope this helps.

Kate T. South Mississippi

My mom is going to start chemo and radiation treatments for her breast
cancer pretty soon. I have some questions about how I can help her thru
this.


I belong to 2 groups that make quilts for cancer patients. We make sure
the quilts have flannel backs so they're soft. Chemo patients get
"chemo skin." That is dry sensitive skin that breaks and bleeds easily.
We try for light warm batting. The quilts are dropped off at the
hospital with instructions to the hospital personnel to give them out as
they see fit. The idea is to give the patients something they're in
control of. If someone wants two, we say let her have them. When you
have so many reasons to feel like you're getting the short end of the
stick, there should be one place to feel like you can take advantage.


Something else to keep in mind: Remember Clockwork Orange? The idea
was to condition Alex to associate violence with being sick. Instead,
he got ill from the Beethoven background music. It can happen to chemo
patients. One friend's mother would get a wave of nausea when, during
the week, she stubled on the overnight suitcase she took with her to the
hospital. When the chemo was over, she got pleasure from burning the
perfectly good suitcase. I don't know that it's happened, but I would
be thrilled if one of my lovingly made quilts was given the same
treatment! If it made a cancer patient feel better to slash and burn
the quilt she associated with nausea, I'd applaud her and would be glad
I could help in that small way.


--Lia

My sweet MIL had chemo for an extended period of time for colon cancer. I
did make her a quilt to keep her warm. Oddly enough, this was about 7 years
ago and she didn't have breast cancer but her quilt was pink. My FIL gave
it back to me after she finally succummed to the cancer and I treasure it
so. Anyway, my suggestion is to give your mom a tube of Utterly Smooth
(hand cream in the tube with the cow markings on it). The chemo made my
MILs hands crack especially around the nails and nailbeds. This cream, often
used by hand quilters, worked wonders for her.

I will keep your mom in my thoughts and prayers!

--
AliceW


"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
My mom is going to start chemo and radiation treatments for her breast
cancer pretty soon. I have some questions about how I can help her thru
this. If you've experienced either and are willing to answer some
(possibly personal) questions for me, please email me at quilteacher at
yahoo dot com

Thanks a bunch!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

I was doing a Yahoo search on breast cancer and found out that Amazon has
low prices on breast cancer. Gee..... how special.

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
My mom is going to start chemo and radiation treatments for her breast
cancer pretty soon. I have some questions about how I can help her thru
this. If you've experienced either and are willing to answer some
(possibly personal) questions for me, please email me at quilteacher at
yahoo dot com

Thanks a bunch!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

My mom had terrible chills after her first treatment. We couldn't do
anything to get her warm. We just kept piling blankets on her & gave her a
hot water bottle. She liked the hot water bottle.

My mom's skin was very sensitive as well, so lots we rubbed lotion on her
whenever we could.

We bought "only the best" wig for her - human hair - it was ridiculously
expensive.
And it looked ridiculous on her - it was too much hair for my little mother.
She ended up wearing silk scarves on her head. She had a multitude of them
anyway, so she could always match her outfit, but they are so soft on your
scalp, no seams, no yarn, nothing irritating. We all got pretty creative in
how we wrapped the scarves on her head. (We donated the wig to a Wellness
Center.)

Pauline
Northern California
"Sharon" wrote in message
...
On Jan 18, 3:59 pm, "Leslie & The Furbabies in MO."
wrote:
My mom is going to start chemo and radiation treatments for her breast
cancer pretty soon. I have some questions about how I can help her thru
this. If you've experienced either and are willing to answer some
(possibly
personal) questions for me, please email me at quilteacher at yahoo dot
com

Thanks a bunch!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

Both sisters have gone thru this ... they both complained about being
cold all the time. I got them those big wooly work socks for one
thing - a quilt with a flannel backing is great too. All the best to
your Mum.

Sharon (N.B.)

If I can only be
there one time would the beginning, middle or the later treatments be the
best time for me to be there? After she gets home from the treatment or
during the actual treatment- like if the treatment is on a Wed. should I be
there Tues. or Thurs.?

I'd guess going for the first treatment would be very helpful, be there
the night before to help her prepare, figure out routines, check the
route etc. then on the day help her figure everything out at the
hospital, make sure she gets all her questions answered etc. Basically
help both of them figure out how they can work through the whole thing.
The first treatment can either be bad, because they give you everything,
then if they find you react badly to something that's not absolutely
necessary, they may decided to stop giving (I've know a fair few people
have a reaction to steroids after their first chemo and for them not to
be given later). Or it can be a relief it's not has bad as you might
have thought, better drug selection and better management of symptoms
have meant that for a lot of cancers it's no where near as bad as people
might expect.

Cheers
Anne

Leslie, this is really too trivial to mention - but if you are thinking of
making anything for your Mom; turban, wrap, quilt or pillowcase, I find that
Minky is not Minkee. Minkee is as soft as a baby's breath; the 'as good
as' substitutes are not nearly so gentle. FWIW, Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wroteI was doing a Yahoo search on breast
cancer and found out that Amazon has
low prices on breast cancer. Gee..... how special.

Polly, you reminded me of something else. It was recommended to me to
purchase a satin pillowcase, because there is less friction with a satin
pillowcase than a cotton pillowcase. And when your hair is falling out,
you'll take all the help you can get to slow down the process.

Pauline
Northern California

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
Leslie, this is really too trivial to mention - but if you are thinking of
making anything for your Mom; turban, wrap, quilt or pillowcase, I find
that Minky is not Minkee. Minkee is as soft as a baby's breath; the 'as
good as' substitutes are not nearly so gentle. FWIW, Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wroteI was doing a Yahoo search on
breast cancer and found out that Amazon has
low prices on breast cancer. Gee..... how special.

Hey Leslie

I have another suggestion to block out the desert sun. How about an
umbrella that folds up. I used one in Houston in the spring and
summer of 2002. It was a life saver. I would have to sit in the sun
for an hour at a time waiting for transportation to my motel. A fad
was started that year.

Have you looked into trying to find some kind of transportation to the
hospital that is dedicated to taking patients to their appointments
and that can accomodate wheelchairs. That way your Mom won't have to
be getting in and out of the chair and vehicles so much. She and the
chair can be loaded all at once.

Have you checked into home health care services. have you checked
with the Area Agency on Aging and the cancer society for services that
you mother could use. They surely would know about transporation
services, home care services such as feeding, bathing and dressing.
Maybe even home nursing services, if you mother needs it. Maybe even
housekeeping services. Someone to help with the laundry, washing
dishes, light house cleaning, etc.

I know you are in a whirlwind of confusion right now. S-l-o-w D-o-w-
n and breathe. Concentrate on making Mother a quilt that will cover
her during the treatments and make one just like it for yourself so
you can wrap up in it and give mama a hug, long distance.

I know someone out there knows where a free pattern is for a
wheelchair tote bag. Come on ladies and gents, this girl needs your
help. We need to keep her quilting and sewing. This is her therapy
during these trying weeks and months.

Again, hope this helps.

Kate T. South Mississippi

Here is one
http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/htm...heelchair.html
and another
http://make-it-easy.com/wheel2.html

HTH

Dee in Oz



"Kate T." wrote in message
...
Hey Leslie

I have another suggestion to block out the desert sun. How about an
umbrella that folds up. I used one in Houston in the spring and
summer of 2002. It was a life saver. I would have to sit in the sun
for an hour at a time waiting for transportation to my motel. A fad
was started that year.

Have you looked into trying to find some kind of transportation to the
hospital that is dedicated to taking patients to their appointments
and that can accomodate wheelchairs. That way your Mom won't have to
be getting in and out of the chair and vehicles so much. She and the
chair can be loaded all at once.

Have you checked into home health care services. have you checked
with the Area Agency on Aging and the cancer society for services that
you mother could use. They surely would know about transporation
services, home care services such as feeding, bathing and dressing.
Maybe even home nursing services, if you mother needs it. Maybe even
housekeeping services. Someone to help with the laundry, washing
dishes, light house cleaning, etc.

I know you are in a whirlwind of confusion right now. S-l-o-w D-o-w-
n and breathe. Concentrate on making Mother a quilt that will cover
her during the treatments and make one just like it for yourself so
you can wrap up in it and give mama a hug, long distance.

I know someone out there knows where a free pattern is for a
wheelchair tote bag. Come on ladies and gents, this girl needs your
help. We need to keep her quilting and sewing. This is her therapy
during these trying weeks and months.

Again, hope this helps.

Kate T. South Mississippi