Tips and Tricks

These are some of the things that worked for me  to make things a little easier. I will keep adding to this list anything new I find. 

General

1. Keep a diary

I did this in a physical book. No electronics ! Any old diary will do but with the dates. I used one from 2015 or something that wasn't used and it wasn't even in English ! I wrote over the day of the week to match 2023 and wrote all the important dates  and activities. 

Eg. Chemo dates, bloods, medicine to take before and after the session and ticked them off as I did them. For the medication it was couple of medications twice a day and I wrote down all medicines not just a one liner "Take medicine". I wrote all the medication by name and how many and when to take them and marked them off as I took them. 

I also included food intake just so I know if anything goes wrong what I had.

It was a good exercise not only to help remember things but also as something to do in the first week after chemo since that is when you are uncomfortable to most. 

2. Continue to work

I found that it was beneficial as a mental activity. Of course I was working from home and a desk job. But that gave me a change of pace and different thing to think about. It was hard if there were deadlines to meet since I couldn't work a full work day every day. But I kept at it as much as possible. Also since there was no travelling and any other house work that I was attending to, I could work when ever I can and that meant any time of day even in to the late evening if there was something to be completed. 

3. Get the tools you need

It was really helpful that I was able to get the items needed for my use separate from the rest of the family. Things like  the plates, cups and cutlery in different colors, a separate laundry basket that was enclosed and with a lid, different coloured towels and linen etc 

Although minor details, these little things were helpful in terms of keeping the items I use separate from the rest of the family. And that was important because they are living their normal lives and in the morning rush or doing their thing it was easy for them to forget which is which. So with different colors and easily identifiable separation, they knew which was mine.  

4. Work on your hobby

If you have one or start a new one. I found this really relaxing. Mine is yarn craft. I had a knitting machine set up in the middle of the living room! Usually my family would complain about all the yarn supplies I had but this time around they didn't or couldn't because everyone recommended that I do it. So I took the full benefit of it !

Food

1. Select food that you like

I tried to eat what I like even though sometimes they will not have any taste that I remember! The texture and the fact that I like the food helped me swallow it down.

2. Select nutritious food

Not all food I like were nutritious. But if it was healthy I would still eat it despite not having any taste. So those food became like swallowing a pill. You take it because it was good for you not necessarily for taste.

3. Sweets tasted horrible

I have a terrible sweet tooth but throughout the chemo whenever I had something sweet, it will taste horrible. Which in a way was good because that helped me keep off the sweets ! Even some fruits like honey dew melon left a sour taste after I drank water - just like you would when you had water after eating pineapple.

4. Drink plenty of water

The recommended intake is 2L of water a day. After many failed attempts at using small bottles and jugs I got a bottle that could hold 2L, filled it in the morning and drank all day. Anything extra like tea was additional. 

Also it was important to not drink too much later in the day to prevent waking up in the night to pee. But sometimes I forget and would drink the remainder after dinner and would have to wake up. But still I drank 2L !

Health and Well Being

1. Walking

This was my go to activity post surgery and during chemo. Slow paced mindful walking in the house or our side or round the block. Any where really. Helped me get moving as well as calm my nerves when there was pain. That it actually the recommended medical advice as well. 

2. Time with family

It was very easy some days to just to roll up in bed cover myself with a blanket and go to sleep all day. But that was more depressing after a while. One day I realised I will get dressed up as if going out and come sit with the family. Best decision ever. Helped me to feel involved and them to know that I was okay.

3. Support Groups

I am not person to go chat to a complete stranger on the condition even with someone who has gone through the process previously. I generally dont like to chat. Period ! :)  But I chat to the ladies at the chemo centre and the phycologist and nurses there. So I wouldn't recommend joining a support group for yourself.

However what I do recommend is your immediately family in your household to have very close family or friends as a support group that they can chat about your condition. There may be things that they are not comfortable talking to you about,  specially their emotions and it helps for them to have that support group and I highly encourage it.