9 Ways You Can Prepare For Your First Chemotherapy Treatment

You’ve got this!!

Try To Stay Calm & Have A “Normal” Day

The unknown always adds an extra layer of worry, and this is something you’ve never been through before. Try to go about your day as usual to alleviate the emotional toll of chemo treatments. Try to plan your chemo sessions around a time when you usually have free time so that your family and other commitments are not disrupted.

Have A Chemo-Buddy

Please feel free to bring your significant other, sibling, best friend, neighbor, or anybody you’d like. Someone you can rely on will help keep the mood bright.

Maintaining a healthy mind is just as important as maintaining a healthy body. Your chemo pal will remind you to remain smiling when you need it most.

Having a chemo companion daily is ideal, but understanding that it may not always be feasible is essential. Bring along something to take your mind off of things if you need to. Relax and enjoy that you are not entertaining anybody, soak up the quiet time too.

Get Something To Sip On While They Administer Chemo Drugs

You should grab whatever you’re hooked to just before you receive your chemo medications and have it in your hand so you may sip or chew while you get the treatment.

Aneela Bemet, B.S.N., from Kaiser Permanente, has suggested that putting something cold in your mouth may help you avoid mouth sores produced by chemotherapy medications by freezing your taste buds, keeping them intact, and reducing the flow of saliva.

Prepare The Port Site

Lidocaine lotion may be used at the port site, so be sure to ask your oncologist for some. As the numbing effects of the cream require time to set in, this should be done at least an hour before your scheduled visit.

When the nurse accesses your port, you may feel some discomfort if this is your first time. Don’t rush through the process of accepting the “new normal.” Take your time.