I was recently asked what I would suggest a friend put in a chemo bag for someone she knew. I figured I would post my list here as well so others may find it helpful! I will say it definitely has a feminine influence (I mean I wrote it), but I am sure guys would like similar things!
Chemo Suggestion List (in no particular order):
1. Chapstick- my lips got SO chapped! I never experienced super dry skin, but my lips definitely got dry. I typically use Burt's Bees, but have found Blistex and Softlips to be good as well!
2. Some nice face wipes- When I was too tired to shower or take a bath, I liked to wipe down with some nice smelling face wipes. I also really liked to use them in the hospital to help freshen me up! Make sure they aren't makeup remover wipes...most brands have some that are more cleansing! I used the Say Yes to....brand. I like the blueberry!
3. Evian Mineral Water facial spray- This was a new product I discovered! I know it sounds like a rip off, but it really made my face feel clean and soft! I also would use this as a body spray in the hospital or if I was too weak to shower. Anything that helps one feel clean in that situation is good! A little goes a long way too...I have had mine since the summer and it is still not empty! Also this could be useful to non chemo people too...it is a nice little refresher and it won't mess up your makeup! I found mine at Ulta...here is what the bottle looks like:
4. Mints, Jolly Ranchers, or other hard candies- Sometimes chemo can taste bad going in or leave a funny taste in your mouth. We learned quickly to keep some Jolly Ranchers on hand after Methotrexate!
5. Some nice stuff for the bath- I took a lot of baths because I was too weak to stand and shower (also because of my leg surgery). I had purchased some bath bombs and bath bars from Lush that made the bath so much nicer! I do not love baths, so it helped to have some stuff to make me like them! I also got a bath pillow off Amazon that suctioned to the tub that helped make baths more comfortable. I always love Bath and Body Works body gel and use that to make the bath water smell good!
6. Some body spray- I mentioned before that I did not use my good perfume during treatment. I did not want to ruin my favorite ones with bad memories! I went to Bath and Body Works and bought a few little body sprays in random scents to use in the mean time.
7. Some fun cups- you are supposed to stay SUPER hydrated so I always had a cup with me. I found several cute ones at Target that had a rubbery straw that was easier to use when I had mouth sores. I do not know the brand, but I would recommend them for sure! You can find cute cups of all kinds almost anywhere!
8. Sleep mask- I got one of these for my birthday, but how I wish I had gotten one sooner! I like to sleep in the dark, and this would have been SO helpful, especially in the hospital. It would also have come in handy for naps...you sleep a lot during chemo and a mask would be helpful for all the naps during the day!
9. Fuzzy blankets or nice sheets -I LOVE blankets..probably because my house is always cold. You typically spend a lot more time in bed than usual, so I loved to have fuzzy blankets to snuggle under and some clean sheets! There is nothing better than clean sheets. I got 2 new sets during chemo since I spent so much time in bed...it cheered me up (plus my other sheets were quite old).
10. Tote bags- I received one that said "kicking cancer's @$$" and I LOVED it! I used it as my main chemo bag. Whether packing to go spend the day at the Cancer Center or to go to the hospital, you can never have too many bags!
11. Of course, magazines (maybe a subscription?), fuzzy socks, cute hair bands, hand sanitizer, nail polish, movies, candles, etc are always good options too!
I would love to hear if anyone else has any other suggestions! I hope my list can be helpful. If I can ever be of more help message me on FB or let me know somehow!
In other news, life is good! I have had a cough/sore throat thing all week, so I haven't felt 100% but hopefully I can kick it soon! It is nice to not be freaking out about fevers or going to the hospital! It doesn't get worse, but I may go to the doctor next week if it doesn't seem to go away!
I have been keeping busy at the school and with babysitting! I am enjoying this weekend with nothing to do (besides homework). It is extremely cold so I am just fine with staying inside!
In fun news, I got a new car this past Monday! We had kind of been talking about it for awhile and then last week we went to look. I loved my first car, but it was very basic and had some bad memories associated with it. I am so thankful my dad was able to get a GREAT deal on a new car and am ready to make new memories with it! I never got a good picture of it, but here is what my dad sent me when he got it. It is a Hyundai Elantra GT (another hatchback!) and it is so cute! Plus it has some really cool features (obsessed with SirusXM radio). 
I have eyebrows and eyelashes again!!! I am SO HAPPY to have my eyebrows back! I also started wearing mascara this past week..my lashes are not full grown yet, but am SO glad to be able to wear mascara again (it is always my go to makeup product!). My had is still fuzzy and I actually had someone ask if I had cancer or if I cut my hair like that the other day (the person asking turned out to be another survivor). I don't think my hair looks on purpose, but it is cool other people may think so! It has allowed me to have some neat interactions with people when out, so that is a bright side.
I don't have much else to report! I have some schoolwork to do, but my class ends this month so it will be nice to not have to worry about schoolwork for a little!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and stays warm!
