I realised today that since being diagnosed with BC, I no longer have an executive doctor’s-style handbag bulging with business documents etc.
Instead I carry an environmentally-friendly, little canvas shopper, containing:
Anti bacterial hand gel
Spanish fan for hot flushes
Bonjela for mouth ulcers
Scented spray for unfortunate episodes of post-chemo toilet urgency, lol
Tiny mirror to check my drawn-on eyebrows haven’t rubbed off
Eyebrow pencil to draw them back on if they have
Extra tissues for runny nose (no nasal hair, yuk)
Enormous sanitary towel in case of mammoth period after 5 months without
Spare buff in case of rain
So…what’s in yours?
Louise x
Hi Louise
I don’t carry a handbag but you would find similar items in car or pockets, hand gel, towel, disinfectant wipes for toilet seats etc, hand wipes, sweets!
Sarah x
Hi Louise,
Thanks for that. Amazing how we check our lifestyles following this BC dx eh? I have my first FEC chemo on Thursday and now I know what to get in…whats a buff? Am I being really thick?
Hayley x
Heya Ladies
Google for Buffwear Hayley and all will be explained/ I’ve worn them for years when out hiking, I now have about 6. Love em.
As for what’s in the bag… this is bad 
Digital thermometer
chemo record book
throat pastilles
anti bac
car park money
L-Lysine lip balm (bye bye cold sores
paracetemol (just in case)
bottle of water or lucozade
tissues
homeopathic spray (special mix for me while doing chemo)
nux vom (in case of nausea)
all the pills they give you post chemo that I didn’t use (the other anti sickness ones)
spare buff
waterproof packlite coat (always have this with me. I live in cumbria)
hi all
i have given up too
by the way if you have one it should be on the “good arm” - learnt that yesterday. I can’t carry it on the good arm due to other problems!
i have bulging pockets
mobile phone
keys - too bulky I need to splt them down
money
pen
list of things to do
identify
tissues
now only buying clothes with pockets!
love FB xxx
Oh yes lists of what to do
2 pens to check them off
extra money in case i cant bus it and need a taxi
tissues
hand gel
water
water
lucozade
diary
mobile
ipod
Hi
Thanks for the tip on Buffs just ordered a couple they look brill
Debs
Buffs are wonderful, Debs and Hayley. Even when my hair grows back I intend to keep wearing them. Two of my friends have got them too, just cos they see how I have enjoyed wearing them.
yes you’re right, Fiz, good arm only.
Louise x
True, true.
My soft leather bag now contains:
hand sanitizer (germ gel)
2 packets of tissues (agree Lady…this no hair thing is awful!)
lip balm/lip gloss
cell phone
every imaginable business card from doctors (who can remember address and phone?)
small pad for emergency writing
pens
for tolls (to hosptial)
Odwalla bar - protein bar in case I get stuck anywhere
in addition to normal
keys, purse, checkbook, etc.
the nurse who helped me after original biopsy nearly yelled at me for having it so heavy
so, right, on good arm
pref on husbands arm!!!
Em
xx
AH yes forgot to say, I think we should be sent away from the onc with:
2 buffs
1 wig voucher
5 bottles of antibac
1 snugpak Response Pak bum bang
The snugpak is so you don’t have to carry it on any arm, the thing’s brilliant. They use them in war zones and they carry so much more than a hand bag but fit really well. My friend the corset maker got me onto them, she had her makeup in the front pocket and a tool kit in the middle I kid you not, supperb and only a tenner!
Can’t believe I didn’t put that on top tips for chemo: google for:
Snugpak Response Pak SP055
Soooo many pockets. The next discussion should be how do you pack your snugpak.
Oh yeah and OH’s love them two, you’d best buy 2, we did
Whoa, we’re all carrying a lot aren’t we?
In addition to most of the above I now carry:
TicTacs - can’t stand chewing gum at the moment
Insect repellent wipe - once bitten twice shy!
Bottle of cooled, boiled water, none of this fancy mineral water for me (according to our local hospital), but do drink flavoured spring water if I need to,not been told not to!
Dental Floss - having got worried about tooth infections
A small brush that came with my wig, so I can look glam at any time (yeah right!)
I won’t even go into what I add on my treatment days - I think I have enough food, drink and books etc to last a fortnights holiday.
`Nicky x
Am nowhere near so hygeine conscious as you guys - just lip balm and a tissue, along with mobile phone and keys in my pockets! Oh, and credit card or cash if I must.
Thanks for explaining the drippy nose. It’s been driving me mad.
a
x
The other day, on the way to the hospital for a blood test, I said to my OH" Why is my bag so heavy?!"
The reason was mainly the bottle of filtered water i always take with me now ( dry mouth big time )
Then there’s the purse,
the keys,
lip balm
chewing gum or mints
tissues
snack bars ( at least two )
usually a banana
mobile phone ( which I have trouble finding once it sinks down amongst all the other stuff! )
handcream
mirror and lip gloss
Actually, I don’t know how I pack it all in. The zip’s gonna burst one of these days!
That bumbag sounds like a good idea,cos like you say, it’s not so good carrying all that weight on sore arms.
Ann
Oh, I forgot the battery hand-held fan! (hot flushes AND dry mouth big time! )
Ann
Oh yeah and Skin so soft dry oil: soft and fresh scent as it keeps the midges and mossies at bay and does not contain deet (I can’t imagine fec on ths inside and deet on the outside… I’d turn into the hulk lol)
Hi
Louise, can I add large dark sunglasses for when any of your list fail and a quick exit is needed!
Lily x
think about this…its a wonder our arms dont fall off!!!
we pretty much carry around our house with us
I didnt add those wonderful zippy mints with lots of caffeine in them
to freshen breath and give you a zip if you are falling asleep
zenio??? dont know…lil black container
This thread reminds me of last August when I was still having FEC and had gone up to London (suitably bewigged) to meet cousins who were visiting from Canada. Just like you ladies I had a bag full of essentials, wig brush, mints, phone, tissues for the drippy nose, stuff to paint my eyebrows on, prescription sunglasses, blusher cos I looked so washed out, keys, money, tons of stuff.
We went to a pub for lunch and some low-life stole my bag. Even my return train ticket was in there. It was one of my lowest points…and I didn’t even have a tissue to cry into!
Wish I’d have worn a bum bag!
xxx
Oh justme, that’s awful. It’s a pity your bag didn’t contain something more unsavoury, would have served them right!
Lily, funny you should say that, I have got some fab dark glasses, which I do wear sometimes when I am going somewhere where there will be a lot of casual aquaintances I want to avoid (ie people who dont know I have got BC but would want the full monty of a story) BUT yes! when toilet incidents (of various kinds) occur then I can zoom out incognito, lol
Louise x
I forgot the sunglasses they hide the lack of eyelashes and eyebrows!!! When I went for chemo I used to have ruck sack packed with stuff all the usual mentioned above BUT no one has mentioned the hot water bottle and thermal glove I used to have on my veins to keep them warm and up as I had such crap ones!!! My hottie had a sheep cover on it.
I also had a little purse with my lucky sugar pig in it bought in Salzburg at Xmas for Good Luck and my Mantra for BC
STRENGTH, COURAGE, HOPE, CURE
strength to go through with it, courage to deal with it hope that I was cured after all this.
PinkyAnn we may sound like hypochondriacs but there are so many germs out there in public places I did it for peace of mind and I was not ill you only have to touch something that has someone’s germs on it, I even used sleeves to open toilet doors in case people had not washed hands LOL!!
Sarah x