Hints and Tips

This is a little blog just with some tips for everyone not only those going through chemotherapy. First of all throughout my treatment my hair has gradually thinned however it seems to have gotten less and less as my treatment goes on, this shocks my doctors and nurses and they still say they reckon I will lose it as my chemotherapy ABVD is known to be very violent to the hair cells and it is very common to lose the majority of your hair. However, the only thing I have done drastically different is take a teaspoonful of Life Mel honey in the morning on an empty stomach and at night. I am now on my 5th or 6th jar and it costs £37.50 a jar which has mounted up to be quite costly however in my opinion it has been worth it as it is designed to keep my blood counts up (so to stop my immune system dropping so much etc after treatment). My nurse was also astonished that I haven’t been neutropenic throughout my treatment as she has never seen someone receiving the chemotherapy I do without being neutropenic at least once (neutropenic means that my infection fighting cells are extremely low) mines are still low so I am still very susceptible to catching infections but not as low as expected and the only explanation I have is the honey. There is also a version of it for everybody to help boost any immune system which I haven’t tried yet, but I certainly will be after my treatment ends to help strengthen myself. Healthy eating has seriously been a challenge especially at the start of my treatment as everyone was giving me sweets as gifts and I had little energy so couldn’t walk about as much especially not being at school and not being able to attend the gym, everything which I had previously done. I remember whilst I was in hospital after receiving my first chemo therapy my nurse said, “chemo loves carbs” and so has Nicole for the past few months lol. Being diagnosed is extremely damaging psychologically no matter how strong you are, and I reckon I comfort eat for a very long time. I have always tried to have a healthy and fairly slim body and my treatment has really destroyed my body on the inside and out. However recently I have been walking more and attending as many weekly gym classes as I can on my good weeks. Zumba and body balance, I have found to be extremely good for my mental and physical health, I recommend these to anyone as I know everyone has weeks or even months when you eat bad and let your body go a little. Any advice I can give is don’t take Primark sizing to heart. I got to a point where I wasn’t fitting in my old jeans and they were actually painful to wear, and no tops fitted me the way I wanted so knowing that eventually I would lose my “chemo weight” due to steroids etc I went for the cheapest option of Primark for a few items. Going from an 8/10 before treatment knowing I’d gone up a size in other clothing brands and Primark insisted I had gone up at least 2 even 3 in some items and being in a vulnerable place that day this destroyed me. I know many people who may not be going though treatment may also feel like this and I just want to tell you that if you set your mind to something you can achieve it, eventually, the key is to never give up. Dryness of my skin has also been a problem and I know many people may suffer from eczema or other similar conditions. Hypoallergenic products have been a huge help for washing my body and face and things like hypoallergenic deodorant has also really helped ease any itchiness or irritation. Chia seeds, Maca powder and Cacoa powder are also a range of super foods I picked up which is a great addition to smoothies or cereal to help boost your nutrition. My teeth and gums can be extremely sore after treatment and after a visit to my dentist she recommended toothpaste with extra fluoride and antiseptic mouthwash this may be helpful for others who struggle with toothache or a sore mouth. I hope this can help even one person and if anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to ask, I may have forgotten a few things due to chemo brain please forgive me! All my love, Nicole x