Hi all
Just a thread for fun (and ideas). Diagnosed 2 weeks ago after Mamogram, and first appointment with surgeon today who confirmed Her+ ducatal cancer. Will be starting chemo this months and wondered what people do to fill their 4-5 hours whilst on the drip?
I have taken up crochet since being diagnosed 2 weeks ago and decided I will try and make a blanket from granny squares. If I am rubbish it will be a dog blanket but if good, the whole family will have blankets 
Hi!
Sorry about your diagnosis x
I take a book with me but usually end up chatting to other people on the ward. I have learned to crochet in the last year but never tried to crochet while at chemo, I’m such a clutz I think I would get it all tangled with the tubes etc 
Good luck with your blanket. Keep at it even if it’s not brilliant at first, your crochet will just get better and better with practice.
I have just bought a whole pile of yarn to make a temperature blanket for this year!
Hope your treatment goes well xx
Hi. Following this thread as i start my chemo on Monday. I’ll be taking tablet, phone for music/ podcasts and a paperback. Depending how i feel i make try and finish some embroidery I started years ago on my second round x
Hi
Ideas for time in chemo chair
. Talk to others
. Read a good book paper or Kindle
. Sip water as much as you can ( hot or cold)
. Word puzzles
. Listen to radio or podcasts using earbuds,( put them in before any cold cap if you’re doing this)
. Crosswords
. Knit
. Crochet
. Do some stretches
. Eat if you can , small sandwich, chopped fruit and nuts, light easy digestible stuff. My unit gave us a light lunch
. On line mediation or relaxation app using headphone/ earbuds
. Sleep if you can
. Drawing
. Writing ( i kept a diary throughout my whole pre and post breast cancer period to help my anxiety, worries and thoughts to process the amount of information and crap)
. Download onto a tablet films, boxsets etc
You will find that time does go quite quickly and the unit will be busy, the nurses are lovely and were my angels when i needed them and they’ll be there for you too
Good luck and blessings xx
Just want to reiterate what curlywurly1 said, you’ll find the staff on the unit so lovely. I was amazed how they had taken the effort to learn my name for my first session so they could greet me by name when I arrived. I had a bit of reaction on my first dose (quite common with taxol) and they dealt with it swiftly and calmly, looking after me so well. I do find my day of treatment isn’t a day to dread as the staff really do go the extra mile with you and it is a lovely friendly positive atmosphere on the unit. Xxx
Thanks for all the tips and kind words. I’m not dreading it, I see as the first day I start getting better……even though I’m not sick just need to get through a busy week of MRI, oncologist, bloods (any more biopsies if MRI show any new peculiarities) and then get my starting date which the surgeon has said will be this month.
Sorry to hear that you need to do chemo, but it’s good to hear that you’re thinking so positively about it.
I’ve found personally that it’s not that much sitting around for 4 hours but instead something is always happening. Tablets, new drip, pharmacy explaining take home meds, cold cap prep, water, tea, doctor seeing me, nurse chatting to me… I didn’t feel bored haha. I was also very sleepy because of the steroids I received for the immunotherapy so I usually slept for at least an hour.
Taking a Kindle with a nice book with you is always a good idea. I’ve started learning French so I did some exercises in an app. Watching a series on a tablet/laptop was also nice. First time round I took a lot of stuff with me but later I just brought a Kindle and my phone to be honest.
Hi,
I took a book/Kindle, but found I always fell asleep due to the antihistamines they give you making me zonk out (especially when I had paclitaxel). I’m not normally someone who can fall asleep anywhere.
Lisa x