What Chemo is like?

The first thing I discovered was not all chemo treatments are the same.  Each one is matched to the type of cancer you have.  I have colon cancer.  My chemo does not affect my hair.  I also take a pump home that pumps one of my chemos into me over the course of two days.


Things to know before you go-

1,  This was big for me--you can go to the bathroom during chemo.  My chemo came almost a week after my surgery and I was in the bathroom 6 times the first treatment.

2,  You can eat, drink, read, watch TV.  Where I have treatments, there are several TVs but they are muted.  I preferred to bring my computer and watch DVDs.  Some people sleep.  Some bring their computers and do work. Some read.  I am there 4 hours so DVDs really pass the time.
3.  I had a port put in prior to my first treatment.  I had expected that it would be a simple procedure.  It was simple but it was a surgical procedure and I was taken to an operating room and put to sleep. I woke up in recovery and then back to my prep room.  It took less than an hour but it was a surgical procedure.
4.  During chemo when they actually attach the tubing to the port, they both swab the sight and spray a dumbing solution on it. One time I felt pressure but the other times I hardly felt a thing.
5.  The first thing that happens is they draw blood and check your blood work.  Often, I had some low scores come back.  We did find when I took vitamins and ate a lot of spinach my hemoglobin and red blood count stayed where it should.
6.  My chemo room is exactly that one big room.  In the middle is a rectangular nurses' station.  Around the nurses station are many recliners. lined up next to the nurses station as well as around the perimeter of the room.  You sit in a recliner and there are IV racks with every chair.  The racks list how much time before you are done.  The racks have a battery backup so when you do need to go to the bathroom you just unplug the rack and take the rack with you.
7.  I found that the nurses that chose to work with chemo patients  have been very helpful, upbeat, and really concerned to help make your chemo go as smoothly as possible.