#facingtheissues Chemo Side Effect Checklist
“Despite 12 hours of sleep, I felt like I’d just eaten a giant plate of week-old sushi covered in mayonnaise left out in the sun, then ran an IronMan and gotten hit by an 18-wheeler right before I crossed the finish line. Chemotherapy makes getting out of bed seem like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.” – Michelle Lamont
The above is from an article written by 25 year old breast cancer survivor, Michelle Lamont. Lamont checks off her chemotherapy side effects with an honest, funny and touching depiction of how her body reacted when she was undergoing treatment. The full piece can be read here.
In response to Lamont’s article, Christa, 25, a young adult in active treatment for cancer, writes:
“I love it! Her experience is so relatable. She is my age, she’s in school, and she’s trying to do normal things for people our age, like go to a wedding. I had to turn down being in a wedding this year because of everything going on with treatment.
All of these topics are on point. The fatigue section is perfect. As for taste alteration, I drink coconut water by the gallon. I used to drink the kind that had little bits of coconut in there but now, I can only drink the pure coconut water. I love spicy things more than ever, and I don’t really eat dairy anymore. I don’t exactly feel like a Disney villain—more like a cartoon character. Like an egghead.She didn’t write about her port, and I think that is a really important part of chemo. Port accesses are the worst, along with staying in the hospital. Also, sometimes I’m pretty out of it. The best part of chemo, if there is one, is that I’m in a pediatric hospital. People are so nice, so kind, and they make me feel like a normal person.Overall, I think she hit the nail on the head. She’s hilarious and did a great job with this article.”
So what do you think? What side effects would you add to the list? Did you find any unique ways to cope with some of these side effects?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on social media. @ulmancancerfnd #facingtheissues
Cancer Changes Lives…So Do We!
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