Getting Through Chemotherapy Treatment To Ringing the Bell After Chemo

I distinctly remember going to my first chemotherapy Treatment.  After we checked in, we met two ladies waiting for their man (husband and brother to them) to finish his Chemo (see picture below).  The man completed his last treatment and ringing the bell after chemo treatment was next.  They were so excited and my thoughts were “how was I getting through chemotherapy treatment these next four months?” We were overwhelmed, scared of what to come and didn’t even think about life after chemotherapy treatment at that time. We took the photo not even understanding the true meaning of ringing the bell at that time.

My 5 Tips For Getting Through Chemotherapy Treatment

Unfortunately, there’s not a magical answer or a secret to getting through chemotherapy.  Most importantly, everyone’s experience is different.  In my case I was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and that meant four months of chemo!  Now that I completed chemo I understand the value of ringing the bell after chemo. For now…. For my regiment, I had chemo treatment every other week.  Here’s my 5 tips for getting through chemo treatment and I also used my cookbook, Eating Well Through Cancer and cooked so many recipes for the necessary nutrition.  These following tips helped me get through chemo.  My goal has been to share my experience to help many of you out there. The tips aren’t in any order.

Tip #1: Family and Friends Kept Me Positive Getting Through Chemo Treatment

If you are fortunate to have family and/or friends support, you are way ahead of the game.  My family and friends were exceptional and made sure I was never alone going for ANY of my chemo treatments.  A positive attitude is a must and I looked at chemo treatment as my medicine to get better.

Have Someone With You At All Times When Going Through Chemo

Having at least one person by your side helps immensely getting through chemo. I felt so bad for people who were alone. In fact someone commented on my Caringbridge page that from the pics it looked like we were having so much fun. Honestly, if you could have fun going through chemo we did.  My husband of 39 years has been by my side, I’m living at my sister’s and brother-in-law’s in Houston and Haley, my youngest daughter (and her hubby) plus Todd and Courtney were at my side all the time. Smothered with love and support-that’s lucky me.

Tip #2: Be Patient And Talk To The Doc About Your Medication

My MD Anderson oncologist said they weren’t doing their job if I felt horrible. After my first chemo treatment, I never thought there could be life after chemo treatment and I felt bad.  Remember, stomach cancer chemo you DON’T LOSE your hair so I feel fortunate but I had a feeding tube as I couldn’t eat. I experienced bad acid reflux (never had before), couldn’t sleep as had to sleep sitting up, nauseous and the meds made me sleep.  After my 2nd treatment, they solved all my issues and added another premed before treatment for nauseousness, got control of my acid reflux with meds, and changed and coordinated meds for the nausea. I was functioning again.

Tip #3: Walking, Walking and More Walking Getting Through Chemo

I was diagnosed on August 8th and by August 14th I had surgery to put in port, exploratory surgery to see if my cancer spread and a feeding tube.  Then, started chemo on that Friday.  Right, I sure didn’t waste time. I always exercised but people that know me also knew I didn’t like to sweat.  I firmly believe exercise is important and should be part of a lifestyle but you don’t have to overdo it. No dispute from any physician that walking is important so that’s what I did every day.  The advice given to me was try to walk 10 minutes at a time on my bad chemo days.  Maybe, in the morning and afternoon but walk! It gets your body moving.  My goal was 2 miles daily and I did it on most days and the bad chemo days I still walked but not far.

You Don’t Have To Go To The Gym To Walk or Take A Walk Outside

Don’t laugh but I walk miles every day in my house.  I started walking every morning when my kids, mom, brother and whomever called and I really packed in the steps.  So, every time someone calls me I move away from my computer and start walking around the house.  It doesn’t matter the size of your house as you do the path over and over.  Start talking and walking and watch how many miles you will walk.  Also, my iphone came with the heart app to monitor how far I walked.

Tip #4: Eating Is Important

What to eat when going through chemo?  Well, as author of the best-selling cancer cookbook, Eating Well Through Cancer, I am an expert when it comes to this topic.  However, now I am using my cancer cookbook as the patient. It is important to eat and hydrate when going through chemo because nutrition is so important to keep your strength up. However, as I understand, your appetite changes and so do your tastes. What you eat can make a difference and I have found my cancer cookbook has given me back control over food and confidence what’s best to eat.  Eat light and some of my favorites include:  Easy Potato Soup, Bread Pudding Florentine, Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce, Ginger Chicken, Chicken Soup, Chicken and Dumplings, and Ginger Muffins.  The list goes on but you must eat!  I did.

Tip #5 Listen To Your Body

I told my kids for years to listen to their body and if they think something is wrong, get it checked out. Now, going through chemo, it is more important to listen to your body. I am an action backed person and not a nap taker.  Rest never placed on my To-Do List.  Now, I learned to put my computer down and curl up on the couch with a movie.  Resting is important and not always pushing through like I used to do in the past.

Ringing The Bell And Now A Life After Chemo

I made it through chemo because of my attitude, I took care of myself and of course, a little luck. I also understand better than ever the importance of my cancer cookbook and why everyone thanked me for writing it. I used it myself and enjoyed all the recipes I tested from a different perspective! Getting through chemo is challenging but I did it.  Ringing the bell was such an unexpected emotional moment that I’ll always remember.  You can do this! Best of all, I did it with family and friends (who surprised me).

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