Sister starting chemo today! What to expect?

[Jennytailia]

Hello.

Title says it all really, I think she is having FEC? She is not one for asking for help really, but she is going to need it. She has 2 DC(4 and 6 yrs) and her partner died in January so I am the only one around to help. On which days is it going to be worse do you think? I have been to alot of her app but have never really got a good answer for this.

[Jennytailia]

Sorry, forgot to say she has breast cancer, it's all been removed now though.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

go and look on the tamoxifen thread Jenny- most people on there have had chemo and definitely FEC

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

and lots of good wishes to her too !

[daisysue2]

How is your sister after her first chemo. I'm on my sixth so have a pretty good idea of what she would need although I'm sure you will be realising by now. With my Chemo the the first few days of FEC where the worst and I was unable to get out of bed. I had to have my children looked after for the whole of that first week by other people. Second week was much better but up and down, one day I would be great but would generally pay for it the next. The third week I was pretty much back to normal. Around day 13 my hair started to fall out and I had it cut in a short bob, all the top has gone and I just wear a scarf around the bald bit. One of the hardest days was going out with my scarf on for the first time and then going to my dds school with it on. I ended up in tears as I felt everyone was looking at me. I went back that afternoon determined to do the pick up without crying and managed to do it.

I have had so much help from people and it has been really important to me. Food parcels have been delivered, mums made a rota for pick up from school for the first week after each Chemo. I was too ill to cook and my dds hated eating microwave food but so home

Homemade food came in really handy. Love and support for my dds was important as I felt I wasn't giving them what they really needed.

Someone to go for walks with was really important as I needed the exercise but struggled to do the walks. DVDs as I needed to watch TV constantly to take my mind off everything else, it really helped me in the first week when I felt tearful through thinking too much. I watch the first four series of Benidorm.

I hope it's not been too tough for your sister she will probably be on the feeling sick stage by now. Any other questions I'm more than happy to try and answer.