Often people going through treatment for cancer say they can't concentrate on anything and can't read either. Story tapes/Cd's are a great gift. They can listen to them lying down without disturbing anyone and for a while have forgotten about their illness. Try Bill Bryson books or Ladies of Letters with Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge - the funnier the better...
Real life advice from real women
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Topics: health
How to help a friend through chemotherapy
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I had chemo for breast cancer last year and would recommend the following:- (split into a couple of posts). 1. Be NORMAL - keep in touch, talk about your own news, even your problems - your friend will appreciate it. 2. For people with bad tastes in the mouth or mouth ulcers - buy them some acidophilus capsules from a health food shop (fridge section). This replaces the good bacteria in the stomach killed by chemo and will make the person feel MUCH more cheerful. 3. The tip about lack of concentration is spot on, but a few gossipy magazines, or DVD of a TV comedy series are great as they each only require a short span of attention, rather than a book or a film.
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4. If your friend is female, call the hospital and see if they do the Look Good Feel Better program - this is a fun day for cancer patients and your friend will get make up tips and a fantastic bag of goodies from top top beauty brands, clinique, chanel, estee lauder, dior etc. 5. Remember that your friend will only feel rotten for the first 4-5 days after treatment, and will be fine for the rest of the time, so arrange some nice quiet socials when you know will be a 'good' time. Having a treat to look forward to after each treatment is a brilliant help. 6. I had 6 treatments, treatments 4 and 5 were the worst as you feel as if you've been having treatment forever - this is the time when your friend might need a good talking to if they feel like giving up.
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7. I lost my hair and chose to wear scarves rather than a wig - so I looked at lots of lovely 70s Biba style fashion photographs and developed quite 'a look' - team with huge shades and lipstick for that Riviera look a la Kylie 8. If your friend is suffering from sickness, go to the hospital with her and talk to her doctor - not all anti sickness medicines suit everyone and there could be a better one - there is no need to be sick. 9. If you are a good cook, some lovely healthy fresh soups delivered to co-incide with the 'poorly' time immediately after treatment are like a gift from the gods - nourishing, tasty and easy to re-heat.
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All the people I know who've been through chemo say, 'you soon find out who your friends are!' So stay in touch, short visits, phone calls, notes, emails, flowers, anything that tells the person you care and are thinking about them.
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recommend a book called the PH Miracle by Dr Robert Young, it's a real eye opener
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Just be there for him/her. Offer to drive to appointments, take care of dinner for the friend (and family if needed), bring over a movie, send funny gifts or flowers, whatever your friend needs that you can provide.
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I'm afraid there may come a time when a little gentle bullying is required too. My dad hated chemo so much at one point, he talked about giving it up. This is where friends and families have to point out just how much they are loved and that you need them around. This kind of treatment is horrible and I think it's down to the support group to keep spirits up - and remember, even though they're poorly, you can still have a laugh and joke with them. On a practical level, dad always complained of having a horrible taste in his mouth, so a constant supply of jelly babies helped! Chemo can also cause very painful feet - something to do with the way it affects nerve endings - so something as simple as finding the patient a pair of really comfy, thick soled slippers can be a great help.
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Buy them a bottle of Biostrath yeast extract and ask them to take it twice a day with a glass of juice. A specialist recommended it for a friend of mine undergoing chemo - she was the only one in her group who didn't get violently ill after each session, so worth a try. It's available from independent health stores and chemists, or else online.
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dont avoid spending time with them,being a constant present, phoning them, sending them letters, messages and surprisingly them with gifts to remind of goodtimes and life.
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Make a Ginger drink with fresh grated ginger steeped in boiling water for a few hours, strained and then add lemon joice and honey to taste. Helps with the nausea and is really good for settling your tummy. Also keep fresh pineapple cubes in a Tupperware box to hand when undergoing chemotherapy and try to eat one or two every hour or so. There is an enzyme in it which helps to combat mouth ulcers. Helps with the bad metallic taste in your mouth too.
