4. Mouth sores
Little ulcers and cuts can form in the mouth one to two weeks after chemotherapy.
Caregivers should check the patient’s mouth for red areas or white patches that could become sores. Try offering liquids with a straw to help bypass the sores, or soft foods for easier eating. Another tip is to coat the sores with Anbesol or Orajel before meals to numb them.
Call a physician if the patient has a temperature of 100.5 degrees or higher, or if the sores last more than 48 hours.
READ: What Happens After Multiple Myeloma Treatment?
5. Seizures
High fevers, head injury, infections of fluid around the spine and brain, and tumor growth in the spine or brain can cause seizures in cancer patients.
If a seizure happens while the patient is in bed, family and friends could cradle their loved one to keep them from falling to the floor or hitting their head. Loosen any clothing around the patient’s neck and make note of how long the seizure lasts. Don’t try to open the mouth during the seizure or move the patient unless they are in a dangerous area.
Once the seizure is over and the patient is comfortable, call emergency personnel. Make sure someone stays with the patient until the medical team arrives.
6. Stomas
These are new openings in the body for body functions such as breathing, urinating and eating.
When taking care of a someone who had a tracheostomy, clean the tube in their windpipe once a day. Wash your hands carefully before and after handling the trach to prevent the spread of infection. Also, be careful to keep water out of the trach when bathing the patient.
In patients with urostomy or colostomy, gently clean the skin around the opening with warm water and pat dry. Showers or baths can be taken with the pouch on or off. Make sure to empty the pouch when it’s about a third full, and apply pastes to the skin around the opening before putting on the pouch.