Planning Your Life Around Chemotherapy

Despite all of the variables of chemotherapy, your doctor and nurse oncologist can actually help you map out how you are going to feel—and how much you may or may not be able to do—during your chemotherapy regimen.

For instance, let's say you're having treatment every three weeks. Get out your calendar. Mark the days in your treatment cycle. Mark the days you'll need to be in the lab for tests. Then fill in the details:

• The first week after chemotherapy, your appetite is not going to be great. Don't make reservations for a five-star restaurant this week, and try to avoid business lunches if possible.
• The first two weeks after chemotherapy, you're going to be pretty tired and pretty susceptible to infections. No field trips with the children or grandchildren; stay away from overnight business trips, airplanes, and hotels. You need to be extra vigilant about monitoring for any signs of infection or fever.
• Week three after chemotherapy looks pretty good. You might be fine to travel for business or take that mini-vacation you've been dreaming about.

From treatment cycle to treatment cycle, you and your oncology nurse will be able to predict, with some regularity, when you'll be having good days and bad days. It's helpful to keep a journal, which you can share with your family and friends.

How much of your regular routine can you sustain while on chemotherapy? For every woman, there is a different answer. Some women will continue to work and take care of their families with minimal interruption, while accepting some occasional outside help. But not everyone is Superwoman, and no one should try to be. Many women will need time off from work, decide to drop all outside obligations, and request lots of help around the house. There is no shame in this.

No two women will respond exactly the same way to chemotherapy. Get through the first treatment cycle, and then plan YOUR life around what happens to YOU.