I’m thinking of putting together little gift baskets of small things that have made a big difference in my post-chemo coping. I would like to donate a few of these baskets to the cancer center where I get my treatments and maybe even sell some for very little money on the internet (which I’ve never done before). I’m still working on ideas to add to my running list of things to include in the baskets. So far, I know these things have been invaluable in my post-chemo recovery times:
*Colgate sensitive liquid toothpaste
* Oral-B Sensitive Advantage toothbrush (my gums are very sensitive now and although I love my regular SonicCare brush, the auto-vibrations of it often trigger my gag reflex)
* a small bottle of waterless hand sanitizer gel - most of them leave my hands dry and cracked and smell like alcohol. But I found some at King Soopers that has aloe, lavender and chamomile and it actually soothes my hands while it kills the bacteria. Gotta protect my immune system right now!
* a small bottle of soothing hand lotion like Curel or Gold Bond - skin gets thin and very dry and sensitive as a side effect of chemo
* a pair of thin gloves to wear around the house - some chemo drugs cause extreme neuropathy, which the gloves can help manage
* Peppermint candy - during the holidays, I found a cheap bag of these soft peppermint sticks at WalMart. They are soft like those buttermints you sometimes find at the hostess stations at restaurants. The sticks are about 2-3 inches long, just perfect. And they are made from 100% pure peppermint essential oils! Imagine that! These help a lot in soothing my nausea when I’ve already taken all the drugs for the same purpose.
* knitted or crocheted chemo caps
* a small book of crossword puzzles - even though my body just does not have the energy to do much more than shuffle myself to and from the bathroom the week after chemo, my mind isn’t quite as slow! I am always on the lookout for something to keep my brain busy during the days I’m stuck on the couch or in bed. Nothing too challenging though because I have discovered, unfortunately, there is such a phenomenon a CHEMO BRAIN! LOL
I know nothing about selling things like this…is it even legal to take a tube of Colgate toothpaste and resell it in a basket like this or should I circumvent that by just giving them away and charging for shipping? Also, do you have any suggestions to add to this basket? I probably won’t get around to making these for a while as I barely have the energy to shuffle myself around the house, but eventually this is a goal of mine. All ideas are welcome!
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So, how was your weekend? Mine was pretty good. I sent Honey off with Sister and Soon-To-Be-Brother-in-Law Saturday night to go gambling in Blackhawk for John’s birthday. Cousin Melissa came over to “babysit” me and she brought some awesome stew and bread with her! Normally, I’m not a big fan of stew but hers was soooooo good and nourishing to my soul! Not too spicy, not too bland, not huge chunks of unidentifiable meats and weird veggies…just perfect. It was like Grandma’s Sunday roast in a bowl with broth! Mmmm Good! And she brought this incredible bread she discovered at Vitamin Cottage that was all seedy and whole grainy with cranberries. Mmmmm. By the way, Melissa, they don’t carry it at Whole Foods after all…Honey checked last night! So we ate her stew and visited for a few hours which was a great way to spend a Saturday night. Honey spent the evening at the Blackjack tables in Blackhawk and had a great time! He came out just a couple dollars ahead. Way to go!
Yesterday we did laundry and I struggled with an all-day hot flash. Sweating and burning up but without a fever (believe me, I checked regularly!). It was weird- I had the ceiling fan on above me but gloves and sockies on to keep my appendages from prickling with that neuropathy pain. The heat seems to be a bit better today. I think it was just my body trying to expel the toxins (CAKE) from the system…or so I deduced from watching Oprah! LOL
My other symptoms are mostly better. I’ve not felt too much nausea except in the middle of the night. I’ve just been taking all of the nausea meds (there are like 4 total) that my doc gave me without waiting for the nausea to strike. So it’s bearable right now. Sleeping is still disturbed but okay. Neuropathy still hanging around…keeping my gloves close at hand. Do they make a glove or something like that to put on the tip of my nose? It’s like an icicle out there!
It’s snowing today for which I am grateful. When it snows it feels like the world is giving me permission to just hunker down and stay inside. Otherwise, if it were sunny and clear out, I’d feel like I should be out and about doing things - even though I simply do not feel physically able right now. So today I got a free pass - stay inside with the pups, under a blanket and try to get some rest. How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?
