Yes. It will take some extra planning and working out who can support you but it's possible to continue living alone when you have cancer. Having cancer and going through treatment raises many challenges and emotions. These may be harder to deal with when you live alone.
This is especially important: During cold and flu season, when more people are sick. During your nadir, the period of time beginning about 7-12 days after you finish each chemotherapy dose-and possibly lasting for 5-7 days-is when you may be at the greatest risk for infection.
During your first IV chemotherapy appointment, you should bring a friend or family member. They can support you and help you remember information. Sometimes you will be given medication before your chemotherapy treatment that can make you tired, so you may need someone who can drive you home.
Having Sex During Your Cancer Treatment
We recommend using a barrier device (condom or dental dam) during treatment and for a week after each treatment during oral, vaginal, or anal sex to prevent your partner from being exposed to any medication that may be in your bodily fluids.
Chemotherapy drugs target cancer cells which stop or slow their growth. A person undergoing chemotherapy should avoid eating undercooked or raw food, interacting with actively infectious people, overexerting themselves, and consuming too much alcohol.
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
If you are cleaning up the body fluids of a chemotherapy patient, wear gloves and wash your hands afterward, she advises. Kissing and more intimate physical contact is perfectly fine. Male chemo patients, however, should use a condom for the first 48 hours after a chemo treatment, she notes.
Most people will need time off work for the type of chemotherapy you have through a drip. But some people manage to go to the hospital, have their treatment and then go on to work. You'll obviously need some time off work if you need to spend time in hospital to have your chemotherapy.
For 48 hours after receiving chemotherapy, patients and caregivers should follow these precautions: Flush toilets twice each time they are used. If possible, patients should use a separate toilet from others in the home. Always wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet.
Safety concerns for partners
Be assured that it is not possible for your partner to transmit cancer through intimate activities such as kissing or intercourse. Sexual activity will not make cancer spread, nor will it make the cancer come back. Chemotherapy drugs may stay in your partner's body fluids for some days.
It's OK to have normal contact with other people, including hugging and kissing. Ask your cancer treatment team if there are any special precautions you should take. And follow these general precautions to protect loved ones and even pets from chemo.
Short, planned delays in chemotherapy for good-risk GCT patients (less than or equal to 7 days per cycle) appear to be acceptable since they may prevent serious toxicity in this curable patient population. Delays of longer than 7 days are strongly discouraged except in extraordinary life-threatening circumstances.
There's usually no medical reason to stop having sex during chemo. The drugs won't have any long term physical effects on your performance or enjoyment of sex. Cancer can't be passed on to your partner during sex.
People going through chemotherapy may carry waste in their bodily fluids for up to a few days after treatment. Due to this, family or other household members should take precautions to stay safe.
Take a walk together when you can to help ease their sleep problems, mood, fatigue, and other side effects. If they need to stay in bed, help them do exercises that their health team suggests. Show them deep-breathing exercises and other ways to relax that can help them deal with the stress and anxiety of cancer.
Listening to music or a meditation app, or watching a movie or TV show, can be a good distraction from chemo and help you stay relaxed. Don't forget to pack your charger and ear plugs/headphones. Journal/notebook or coloring book/sketchpad. Journaling can be a great outlet for expressing your thoughts and feelings.
When undergoing chemotherapy, if you feel up to it, it is generally fine to visit public places. Just remember your immune system is weaker than usual and it may be harder for your body to fight off infections.
It is generally safe to kiss others after chemotherapy as long as no active infection is present. However, it is crucial to practice proper hygiene and avoid close contact with people who are ill, to reduce the risk of infection.
Housekeeping and Disinfecting
It is better to rest if you are tired or not feeling well, as this will help your body recover from chemotherapy. If you do want to do housekeeping, there are a couple of easy tips you can follow to keep your house clean and lower your chance of picking up germs.
Sickness caused by chemotherapy can start within a couple of hours of starting your treatment and only last a day or so. Or it can come on more than 24 hours after the start of treatment. This is called delayed onset nausea and vomiting and usually lasts about a week.
Avoid refrigerated food. Drink clean and safe water. Drink boiled water that is cooled and stored safely for your consumption. Wash your hands every time you touch surfaces that may be unclean/ after being outdoors/after using the bathroom and, most importantly, before meals.
Good night's rest
A full night's sleep is vital for anyone who has had chemotherapy. Patients should get at least eight hours of sleep if possible.
One important option you'll want to bring that won't fit in the chemo bag is a companion—a supportive friend, spouse, loved one or family member who can help keep up your spirits during your infusion or just be a reassuring presence for you during the chemotherapy appointment.
When chemotherapy is spilled, it can be absorbed through the skin or the vapors can be inhaled. Acute exposure to body fluids or the chemotherapy drug itself can cause rash, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, headache, nasal sores and allergic reactions.