Protecting family from Chemo medication

GorgyS

HI all. Wondering if anyone has some tips/experience for protecting family from chemo medication who live in the same household.  Thanks 

There are some information I found: 
https://www.cancervic.org.au/cancer-information/treatments/treatments-types/chemotherapy/safety-precautions.html

Daina-BCNA

Hi @GorgyS, I'm sure others will have tips/experiences to share, but in the mean time, you can also find the Cancer Council booklet that references safety precautions - https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Understanding-Chemotherapy-2022.pdf 

GorgyS

Thank you Daina. I have to keep this guide handy in preparation for chemo. 

Afraser

The attached list is sensible - the main thing is not to get any bodily fluids in contact with others. Or if that’s unavoidable (nausea is rarely helped by cleaning up after oneself!), then bring on the gloves, disposable cloth, etc. Mostly it’s not onerous and is usually only an issue for a few days after each treatment. The reported incidence of harm, given the number of people having chemotherapy, seems to be very low. Small children need extra vigilance. I had no nausea and the only time the gloves and boots came out was in day oncology when my tube sprang a leak! Best place for it to happen though. Best wishes. 

GorgyS

Thank you @Afraser for your response. Lucky we have two toilets. Use of separate toilets and  rooms, cleaning and good hygiene ( wearing masks maybe)  would be a way to go. I think I will manage as it is only me and my husband at home, but our son comes often to visit. Having small children would probably be more challenging to manage. I will use this as an excuse for stopping the visits from friends   

Afraser

Wearing masks may save catching some germs if your immunity is affected but won’t protect much else unless you sneeze (or spit!) a lot. Reducing contact with small children for the duration is useful for the same reason! Good luck - the time can go quicker than you might imagine! 

arpie

@GorgyS  

When my husband was on chemo, I remember being told that he should have his own toilet - and to always put the lid down before flushing, so that no 'micro drops' of chemo could get into the air & be breathed in ...

It was during covid, so we were quite anal about wearing masks & staying away from other people, as we couldn't afford for him (or me) to get ill. 

His overnight chemo tube leaked once, so I had to bag it all up in the wee small hours (wearing rubber gloves) and I triple bagged it, to be sure it couldn't leak further, as it was a pump & kept pumping ...

Sadly, It looks like covid is well & truly on the rise again, so that risk is still very real ..... Quite a few of my friends & family have had it in the last 2 months ..... I still haven't had it at all yet.  I had the most recent shot before Xmas (6th one.)

take care xx

BlackWidow

Thank you for this post @GorgyS as it is not something some ladies have been warned about.  Yes, COVID is on the rise again all over the country so it has to be mask time again ?  Not many people are wearing them and apparently it is not longer necessary to stay at home and isolate so we need to protect ourselves.

Afraser

One of the problems now is that sometimes the only one wearing a mask is the one with Covid who won’t/can’t stay home! Staying home if you have Covid is still the best way to avoid spreading it (except to those at home with you!). I haven’t had Covid, don’t want and while my immunity is fine (way past treatment), Long Covid would scare anyone. Wear a mask when mixing, especially with crowds you don’t know, keep vaccinations up to date and don’t believe any one who
tells you it’s all over! Reliable authorities know that that it’s not  - what we can count (hospitalisations, deaths, wastewater evidence) is all increasing and we have no means at all to accurately count actual cases.