Target Receipt

Thanks to so many of you that have contacted me via email/text/phone and certified letter regarding this blog. I really wasn't expecting such a reaction. This is just a way of sharing this experience with some of you without having to duplicate emails and phone calls daily. That was wearing me out. This does not, however, preclude many of you from actually getting on the phone once in a while to simply ask how I'm doing... maybe on a day I don't even have an appointment to report about... gasp! :)

In the last week I've realized cancer is more expensive than I thought. Sure, the copays I've already moaned about, the $3000 deductible we are getting hit with (by the way I'm fortunate I 'got' cancer in February instead of October. That way we don't have to pay a bunch then start all over when a near year hits) the cranial prosthetic I may be purchasing, the medications- the list goes on. It's not just all that, the purchases can add up on any given trip to Target.

Yes- I said cranial prosthetic. That's a fancy term for a wig. My oncologist can write me a prescription for a cranial prosthetic and we can try to recoup some of the price of the wig through insurance. Some insurance companies allocate for this, some don't but it's worth trying!

This weekend we went to Target to stock up on some things I'd need to alleviate some of the pressures of this cancer. I thought I'd make a list. Keep in mind some of these are highly recommended in my 'welcome to cancer' modules and paperwork. Some purchases were things I just threw in the cart:

Sleep cap- $10. This is self explanatory. You don't want to wake up with inches of hair on your pillow, and once it starts falling out your head just gets plain cold. I got a cute beret to catch those hairballs and eventually keep my head warm. Many people also buy satin pillowcases in the same shade as their hair color. The satin provides less friction, sometimes delaying the falling out process a bit.

Toothbrush and matching cap- $1.50- You're supposed to get a new toothbrush every other week while going through chemo. The purpose of this is to keep as much bacteria out of your mouth as possible. We all know toothbrushes are a haven for germs and bacteria so I got a fancy polka dot brush with a matching cap to keep the germs away.

As a side note, many of these purchases involve germs. The drugs used in chemotherapy attack all the fastest growing cells in one's body. CANCER. While that is a good thing, these drugs cannot discern good fast growing cells from bad fast growing cells so anything in my body that reproduces quickly gets attacked. This is why hair falls out and finger/toe nails often fall off (gross) or get extremely fragile. Think of every fast growing place on your body- and these areas will be essentially stopped in their tracks by chemotherapy. All my white blood cells (that are good and attack infections and disease) will unfortunately be a target as well. I have to do everything I can to stay healthy and away from even simple, every day illnesses.

GLAD Press and Seal wrap- $2.39- I have a cream to place on my port to numb the skin before each procedure and I've heard this is the Mercedes of saran wraps to use to cover the area. It will keep the cream from getting all over my clothes.

Salt and Baking Soda- $.98- Every day I need to swish with a homemade mouthwash to keep my mouth as bacteria free as possible. Mouth sores are very common and uncomfortable when going through chemotherapy. Grody. Again, the white blood cell count is lowered and my body may not be able to fight off those little nuisances it usually battles just fine. I swish and gargle with water, salt and baking soda four times a day- after meals and before bedtime in an attempt to keep the pesky sores at bay.

14 ounce bottle for said homemade mouthwash- $1.29- This was purchased and promptly labeled CATHYS CATHYS CATHYS so our girls do not accidentally take it with their school lunch. That would be pretty gross. I can't swig directly from the bottle- again- GERMS. I have to squirt the potion into a separate cup each time I swish and spit!

Thick hair bands: $4.19- in case my hair thins right on top and I need to hide it! The Chia Pet look? Yuck. Some people see only thinning in this area so I could get away with simply wearing headbands throughout most of treatment. Who knows- no way to tell.

Magazines, books and new songs for my mp3 player to pass the time. See previous post on my attempt to understand The Bachelor's final selections and thought process.

I've already filled six prescriptions for nausea and various side effects that I take with me to chemo each time in a little kit. I won't bore you with their names and purposes.

Now on to over the counter medications:

Chemotherapy can do so many things to an individual's body and there is such an array of side effects that I was advised to have many things on hand to combat a variety of 'inconveniences!'

Generic Imodium A-D (Up & Up Target brand)- $3.75- Yep, many patients get diarrhea.

Generic Senokot (Senna)- $2.50-Yep, many patients get constipated.

When going through the checkout lane I could not help but wonder about the cashier's thoughts as these two items rang up one right after the other. "Look lady, are you stopped up... or unable to stop?? WHICH IS IT???"

I don't know yet, mam. That's why I have to buy both.

On that note, I got liquid Magnesium Citrate- $1.29 each- A friend, that probably prefers to remain nameless, recommended this stuff to me right after I had my baby and it works....fast. It comes in cherry, grape, lemon or regular flavor at any Walgreens or local store. I'm not too proud to admit- It can be your best friend.

Generic Breathe Right strips- $6.50-My husband can snore. He does not mind me posting this. It will be important for me to sleep well during recovery so this was just a no brainer. They haven't worked worth a crap so maybe we'll just look into some type of surgery eventually. Heck, we might as well- we've already hit the yearly deductable!

Hard Candy- $1.99- This is needed to help with the nasty metal tastes in your mouth during treatment. I'm told it can also help prevent the mouth sores we discussed earlier.

This weekend I also purchased many favorite foods; Velveeta Shells and Cheese, Nestle Quik, steaks, crusty bread, Diet Coke and bananas. What an odd combination. Did you know that it is recommend to lay off your favorite foods for the duration of chemo? I thought it was just a tip I found online from some of my new friends with the disease, but my oncologist recommended it directly to me as well. If you've ever gotten sick just after eating something, you probably associate that food with the... well, puke. Then, it's likely hard for you to eat that food again.

Multiply that by at least four months of chemo and you've got the idea. If I get nauseated I don't want to leave this whole experience hating everything I once loved. So, it is recommended to only eat foods you are so-so about on the day of chemo and several days thereafter. Do you know how difficult it is to go shopping for foods that make you say... Ah, Comme ci, comme ca! (That's... I can take it or leave it... in French for those of you that decided to study Spanish instead.)

During my Target visit I bought all my faves and ate them last weekend through yesterday. That was fun. The same scenario applies to music and books. If you listen to the same few composers or artists (and don't forget that hard candy you'll end up hating) during or around chemo eventually you'd likely associate them with this not so fun time- and end up not listening anymore in the future.

Headed to today's treatment soon. I get to give my new port a workout and will be happy to get rid of these alienisque pins and tubes hanging out of me. ET phone home, please!