CancerHacker

I wish I had known about this moisturizer when I was having radiation. It's water-based, unscented, petroleum/mineral oil free, and paraben free. It can be purchased at any of the four  Sugarmoon locations in Toronto and St. Catherines. They often have sales on their products. I believe it may be the same product as Alexandria Restore Hydrating Lotion , but don't quote me on that. This moisturizer contains aloe and is designed for use after sugaring or waxing, perfect for irritated, radiated skin. It is thinner than Glaxal Base Cream, so more frequent use would be necessary during treatment.

"Has your tumour shrunk at all?" How was I supposed to know? The doctor's were the ones with the fancy measuring tapes. The best I have is a straight edge, not the best tool for measuring a 3 cm tumour. Anyway, this chemo stuff isn't actually supposed to work, is it? Well, guess what. Three weeks after starting chemo, the oncologist measured my tumour and found it had shrunk 0.5 cms in one dimension and 1 cm in another (the 3rd dimension being unmeasurable by hand). That was enough to inspire me to figure out a way that I could easily measure my tumour to monitor how much it was shrinking. Here's my handy method that requires no tools (provided that you can feel your tumour). With one hand, place your thumb and forefinger on the outer edges of the tumour. Then with the other hand place as many fingers as will fit between the two fingers of the first hand. Make a note of the number of fingers (and which ones) -- this is your measurement.

It's been a year since I had my last docetaxel infusion and I still haven't written anything about how I coped with the experience. To be honest, I'm not really sure I did, not well anyway. I know that not everyone reacts badly to docetaxel, but I was not so lucky. That said, I've been making notes of the various things I tried in my attempts to survive with my sanity intact.

Partway through chemo my office sent me a big basket of chocolate bars. It was well-meaning. However, I had been on a health kick long enough by that point that I had gotten down to my ideal BMI, chocolate was rarely part of my diet, and I was feeling really proud of how well I was taking care of myself (all things considered). Unfortunately chocolate is a bit of an addiction for me and the basket of temptation was too much to resist, particularly since my energy levels were nil. If you are trying to figure out what to get a friend who is going through cancer treatment, have a look at my suggested gift items.

Like all things in life, (keeping track of everything for) chemo is much easier when you have an iPhone app to help you. Below are my favourite AppStore apps for keeping yourself organizized through treatment.

Wow. When I started chemo back in March the end seemed an eternity away. Now I am done and just awaiting the final set of nasty side-effects to kick in and eventually pass. Unlike most breast cancer patients I'm still at the beginning of my treatment. This is not a graduation for me. But I'm hoping that this is the end of the worst part. The repeating "get sick, get better, get sick again" cycles have become more of a way of life than I imagine surgery or radiation being. So what does it feel like to have finished? Well, my attitude in the chemo ward ("day care" as they call it at Princess Margaret to distinguish it from inpatient care) was 180° from my attitude during the first session. I was excited to get started. I had a huge smile on my face for most of the session. But now that chemo is done... what do I do now? My surgery date will be determined by the results of the various scans I have next week due to a loverly complicating case of DVT that I g...

Last week I started the second half of my chemotherapy experience, with my first doses of docetaxel and Herceptin. Over the three cycles of FEC that I had, I learned quite a lot about how to manage my side effects. No doubt you have already read a number of tips for how to survive chemo (and FEC) with your sanity intact - if you haven't then check the forums at breastcancer.org - there are tons of tips there. Below are my personal must-do techniques while getting FEC.

I am lucky to live near Canada's top cancer centre, Princess Margaret Hospital. In addition to the medical care and research done at Princess Margaret, the hospital also has an extensive patient education and survivorship program. The focus on caring for the patient as a whole extends into all areas of the hospital, including the hospital's Wig Salon. At the beginning of my wig fitting appointment at the PMH Wig Salon, Zane gave me a tour of the store focussing on the various types of headwear I may need once my hair fell out. The focus was on practical needs. It turns out that there are some considerations to keep in mind beyond trying to look good. Here are a few head accessories suggested at my wig appointment that have come in handy.

On chemo days I have a funny taste in my mouth that just won't go away. One of my favourite ways to combat the taste is to drink homemade lime sodas. Normally you would have to squeeze half a lime or lemon into a glass of club soda, but modern technology has made this previously tedious process easier than pie. One of the shops at my local market sells a product called True Lemon (there's also True Lime and True Orange for other citrus lovers). This product comes in individual sachets of dehydrated juice (of your citrus of choice), each equivalent to 1/2 a tablespoon of juice. I simply pour a glass of club soda then empty one or two sachets into the glass. Voila! Instant yummy citrus water goodness.

It has started! Yesterday I went for my first chemo session. Anxious? Yes! Terrified? Yes! Sobbing like a baby? Of course! It was too soon but it couldn't be soon enough.