Comments on: Chemo Room Etiquette http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/ A first-hand look at the good, the bad, and the ugly about pancreatic cancer. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:03:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Diana http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-110 Diana Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:36:06 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-110 *chortles* How true! Great advice!! Re the nurses, however: Our nurses ask the caregivers, along with the patients, if they can bring them anything to make them more comfortable. I always thought it was wonderful that someone was taking care of the caregivers when I couldn't. (No flack about taking care of myself, please...I'm quickly learning that *smiles*) Then again, none of my caregivers/visitors would impose _their_ needs on the staff... I would add to your list: Don't assume your musical/television tastes are appealing to everyone in the suite. Thanks for the pointer to Kris's list. Stay hydrated and make a great rest of the day! *chortles* How true! Great advice!!

Re the nurses, however:

Our nurses ask the caregivers, along with the patients, if they can bring them anything to make them more comfortable.

I always thought it was wonderful that someone was taking care of the caregivers when I couldn’t. (No flack about taking care of myself, please…I’m quickly learning that *smiles*)

Then again, none of my caregivers/visitors would impose _their_ needs on the staff…

I would add to your list: Don’t assume your musical/television tastes are appealing to everyone in the suite.

Thanks for the pointer to Kris’s list.

Stay hydrated and make a great rest of the day!

]]> By: Kate http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-96 Kate Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:40:42 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-96 Lisa - I can't tell you how many times I've been told that I'm lucky I haven't lost my hair because of the chemo. Rarely do the words 'chemo' and 'lucky' appear in the same sentence. Check out Kris Carr's collection of faux pas http://tinyurl.com/23826k. Derek - sushi @chemo! Very glamorous - I love it! I'd have to learn to use chopsticks left-handed since we've been using my right arm for the IV. Ha! Another reason to get a port. Katherine - I'll shoot you an email. Hopkins was a very interesting experience. The gentleman working the registration was awesome -funny and an expert at dealing with JH newbies! Lisa - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told that I’m lucky I haven’t lost my hair because of the chemo. Rarely do the words ‘chemo’ and ‘lucky’ appear in the same sentence. Check out Kris Carr’s collection of faux pas http://tinyurl.com/23826k.

Derek - sushi @chemo! Very glamorous - I love it! I’d have to learn to use chopsticks left-handed since we’ve been using my right arm for the IV. Ha! Another reason to get a port.

Katherine - I’ll shoot you an email. Hopkins was a very interesting experience. The gentleman working the registration was awesome -funny and an expert at dealing with JH newbies!

]]> By: your favorite coworker http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-95 your favorite coworker Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:15:00 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-95 Kate - Crazy Sexy Cancer is playing right now on TLC. Kate -

Crazy Sexy Cancer is playing right now on TLC.

]]> By: Derek K. Miller http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-94 Derek K. Miller Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:10:51 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-94 We're usually there in the afternoon, and there's a free coffee-and-cookies cart that comes by once or twice while I'm plugged in. But we have had to eat breakfast in the chemo room before. Luckily the Cancer Agency cafeteria has some pretty decent sausage breakfast sandwiches, as well as croissants, fruit, cereal, etc. Strangely, however, it closes at 2 p.m., so if we're there later and hungry my wife has to venture out of the building, usually for sushi. So far neither we nor anyone else has brought in McDonald's ("The Taint," as Douglas Coupland calls it in his novel jPod). I think that, or something similarly rude like stinky blue cheese, would simply be a poor choice in any number of confined environments. It's a good reminder, to be sure. But sorry, my wife (the supporter), no matter how she dresses, is always going to look cuter than me (the patient) in there. And most of the other patients too. We’re usually there in the afternoon, and there’s a free coffee-and-cookies cart that comes by once or twice while I’m plugged in. But we have had to eat breakfast in the chemo room before.

Luckily the Cancer Agency cafeteria has some pretty decent sausage breakfast sandwiches, as well as croissants, fruit, cereal, etc. Strangely, however, it closes at 2 p.m., so if we’re there later and hungry my wife has to venture out of the building, usually for sushi.

So far neither we nor anyone else has brought in McDonald’s (”The Taint,” as Douglas Coupland calls it in his novel jPod). I think that, or something similarly rude like stinky blue cheese, would simply be a poor choice in any number of confined environments. It’s a good reminder, to be sure.

But sorry, my wife (the supporter), no matter how she dresses, is always going to look cuter than me (the patient) in there. And most of the other patients too.

]]> By: Chemo Room Etiquette at Hope For Holly http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-93 Chemo Room Etiquette at Hope For Holly Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:55:46 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-93 [...] Thaxton has a great post today about rules for the chemo room. My personal favorite: Eat your Big Mac before you step foot into the chemo room, even if that [...] […] Thaxton has a great post today about rules for the chemo room. My personal favorite: Eat your Big Mac before you step foot into the chemo room, even if that […]

]]> By: Katherine http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-91 Katherine Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:21:06 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-91 I just found your blog today through Kris Carr's site and am so grateful for it. And here I thought I would never find another woman living with PC! I am 42 and six weeks ago had surgery to remove a massive cyst off the tail of my pancreas. They think it's PC - but they are not entirely sure and apparently they may not be able to be more specific about it, yet the kind of treatment (chemo) depends on the kind of cancer it is. And the oncologist told me it didn't really matter - that whatever it was, my prognosis was poor. Full stop. Your oncologist sounds great - I too don't want to hear the bad numbers; I just want to work with someone who thinks that there is some hope and that we can work towards remission (which is my belief when I'm not buying into the statistics that the oncologist wanted me to believe). Anyway, I have sent off my records etc to Johns Hopkins for a second opinion (I am a Canadian living in London, England right now and have more faith in the US medical system when it comes to cancer care). Anyway - are there any others like us out there? Please feel free to email me if you want at kpetcher@btinternet.com. In the meantime, keep blogging! I just found your blog today through Kris Carr’s site and am so grateful for it. And here I thought I would never find another woman living with PC! I am 42 and six weeks ago had surgery to remove a massive cyst off the tail of my pancreas. They think it’s PC - but they are not entirely sure and apparently they may not be able to be more specific about it, yet the kind of treatment (chemo) depends on the kind of cancer it is. And the oncologist told me it didn’t really matter - that whatever it was, my prognosis was poor. Full stop. Your oncologist sounds great - I too don’t want to hear the bad numbers; I just want to work with someone who thinks that there is some hope and that we can work towards remission (which is my belief when I’m not buying into the statistics that the oncologist wanted me to believe). Anyway, I have sent off my records etc to Johns Hopkins for a second opinion (I am a Canadian living in London, England right now and have more faith in the US medical system when it comes to cancer care). Anyway - are there any others like us out there? Please feel free to email me if you want at kpetcher@btinternet.com. In the meantime, keep blogging!

]]> By: lisa http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-90 lisa Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:57:20 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-90 OMG too funny! How true:) I can add one - never say to a chemo patient, "Well you're lucky, at least you didn't lose your hair." {Quietly thinking, 'No ma'am but where do you reallllly think I am "lucky"?'} OMG too funny! How true:)

I can add one - never say to a chemo patient, “Well you’re lucky, at least you didn’t lose your hair.” {Quietly thinking, ‘No ma’am but where do you reallllly think I am “lucky”?’}

]]> By: Your favorite coworker http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-88 Your favorite coworker Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:28:28 +0000 http://www.katethaxton.com/survivingpc/2007/10/26/chemo-room-etiquette/#comment-88 Hilarious! Hilarious!

]]>