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Bag O’Fun

MNU-ICONS-EXPRESSIONS

Let’s talk about chemo.  Chemo is not fun.  The night before chemo day was the hardest for me, and actually getting the chemo was no picnic, either.  You are there for hours, sometimes the whole day if the clinic is backed up or your labs were late getting processed or if there wasn’t a chair for you.  It’s bad enough to be there at all, let alone wait.  That’s where the “Bag O’ Fun” comes into play (Note: I tried “Fun Bag” first. SuperHubs: “That’s not appropriate.” Me: “Oh. Right.”).

 

When I was taking chemo, I threw everything into a department or grocery store shopping bag.  In retrospect, I wish I had gotten myself a cute little bag like the one above (from Target, $39.99), just to cheer me up.  In my bag, I would include snacks (remember, you are likely there all day), reading materials, my laptop and a cozy jacket.  If I had a cute bag like this one, once I was done with chemo, I could use it for the beach or the market and make different memories with it.

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If you or a loved one is going to start chemo, here are some suggestions for your own bag to make it, well, more fun!

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How about these handy Moleskine notebooks?  I received some of these from one of my girlfriends (thanks Samantha!) and I take one with me everywhere now.  Great for jotting down lists, thoughts, inspirational words, and notes.  I use one as a diary, one for work information, another for dreaming.  When you spend a lot of time sitting around (both during chemo treatments and for the next few days after), it is great to have something to jot down the things you are likely to forget from “chemo brain!”  (Moleskine, $12.95 to $19.95)

 

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Did I mention lists?? I love to make lists.  I am sure I got this list-making gene from my Aunt Connie, the world’s greatest list maker.  At any rate, these little pads make grocery shopping or running errands a lot more organized.  It also helps those around you who know you might need some assistance get exactly what you want without you having to do it yourself.  So make a list and pass it on.  ($6.95, Z Gallerie)

 

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When you are having chemo, you have to carry around a lot of pills.  Pills for nausea, sleeping, chemo prep, chemo aftercare, etc. etc.  Instead of a plastic bag, how about one of these zippy little wristlets?  Also great for all of those medical cards, insurance papers and prescriptions you have to take with you, or maybe use for makeup or as a wallet. We found these at Target for $14.99 to $19.99.

 

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 One of my best memories of those months of treatment was rediscovering my love of games.  I played more cards, Battleship and Uno than I have in years.  I also learned how to play backgammon from my brilliant husband.  If you are lucky enough to have someone accompany you to chemo, take some games and feel like a kid again.  It will do wonders for your outlook on such a tough day ($59.95 from CB2).

 

I don’t know about your clinic, but mine was freezing.  And when you are bald, that means it is even colder.  The back of my neck where my long hair once was seemed to always be cold, and I pretty much had to wear a scarf around my neck or on my head all of the time until my hair grew back.  My chemo nurses got a kick out of my weekly parade of bling and fabric as I sashayed by to my treatment room.  You gotta have a little swagger when you are sporting a chrome dome!

While I normally wore hoop earrings regularly, I realized that if I wore those with my scarf and bald head, I could pretty much stick a parrot on my shoulder and say “ARGHH MATEYS!”  The solution to this was beautiful scarves (no bandanas) and long, colorful earrings.  It made me feel a little more girly and took the focus away from my shiny, bare head.  Here are some great combos that we got at Target.  Don’t be afraid to be bold with your headgear. At this point, what have you got to lose?!

 

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Whatever it is that you end up taking, make sure it makes you feel better.  If it is something from a loved one that is comforting, or it makes you laugh, or it makes you feel special, pile it all in there.  It is not generally the most enjoyable experience, but if you approach it with the right attitude, you can make the most of it.  It’s time to catch up on your reading, time to chat with people you never get to see and time to be with yourself.  Be nice to you.

 

-AK