What treatment you are having will affect how long you are on the ward for each time you come in. Sometimes it will just be overnight, sometimes several weeks. If this is the case, it may be possible to go home at weekends. This depends on how close to the hospital you live, how well you are and whether your doctors are happy to let you go home.
drips and stuff
The chemo medicines you are having will also determine what happens to you. Some drugs and other medicines that go with them are given as drips over several days so you will have some pumps on a movable stand next to your bed. The pumps will be pumping the medicines from the fluid bags on the stand into your central line. These will be going all the time so you will have to take the stand with you wherever you go, even to the shower and the toilet. Unfortunately this means that you can’t go outside for a break. If you only need to have your medicines over a short time, then you can go out for walks or for lunch in between. Some hospitals have gardens or grounds where you can go for some fresh air.
Because you are being given lots of fluid every day – sometimes up to 5 or 6 litres a day – the doctors and nurses have to make sure it is all coming out the other end. The only way they can make sure that this is happening is by asking you to wee into jugs or bottles so that they can measure it and test it. It’s very important that you do this otherwise they won’t know if you are weeing enough. It can be dangerous for your heart and lungs if there is too much fluid in your body so the doctors need to know to be able to do something about it.
other medicines
During treatment you will quite often be given other medicines alongside your chemo. You have them for different reasons:
- some reduce side effects
- some work with the chemo to fight the cancer
- some are to make your body safe enough to have the chemo
They will mainly be given as tablets or syrups especially if you have to take them at home. It is important that you take these medicines because they are prescribed in order to keep you as safe and as well as possible.
