There is so much to contend with when you find out that you have breast cancer and start getting treatment for it. I found through trial and error that there are some things you can do to make the whole ordeal a bit easier on yourself, which is what this page is all about. The following are some of the things that I did that helped me deal with a whole host of things relating to treatment etc. Most of it is just common sense.

General advice

·Always take somebody with you when seeing a doctor if possible. A lot of what is said can be upsetting and can go right over your head and if you take somebody with you they tend to take it all in a lot better than you do.

·Don't be afraid to ask questions Just because they have a set way of treating this disease doesn't mean it cant be altered in some way so that it suits you and your needs little better.

·Read as much as you can about the disease and available treatments, it always helps you and your doctors if you have an idea of what you are dealing with.

While having chemo

·Always make sure you carry a bottle of water and a Chap stick with you as your mouth and lips tend to get very dry while having chemotherapy

·Try to take notice of which vein is used for chemo and for blood tests and ask them to use a different vein if possible the next time. It can be very difficult to get blood out of your arm the further into treatment you get as the veins tend to contract a lot and get very painful. A hot pack on your arm before you go to treatment or to get tested can help a little with this.

· If you find yourself with mouth sores, eating ice cream or ice blocks or even just sucking on an ice cube is a great way to get some relief when mouth washes don't work

Some tips for dealing with hair loss.

With some of the drugs used in chemotherapy hair loss is inevitable and even though you know its going to happen, when it actually does start to happen it can be very upsetting and traumatic. The following tips are some of the things that I found helpful when my hair started to fall out.

·Get your hair cut short before you start chemo, It's certainly less traumatic to loose short hair thanto loose handfulls of long hair when the time comes.

·Once your hair really starts to fall out have somebody clip if for you with a pair of clippers using the number one blade. It might seem a bit extreme but its all going to go anyway and you'll be surprised how much better feels once you do.

·If you find yourself going through chemo during winter like I did wear a woolly beenie to bed to keep your head warm. You'll be amazed at how cold your head actually gets in bed when you don't have any hair.

·When you shower keep using a conditioner even though your hair is gone as it helps to keep your scalp soft and stops it from becoming dry and flaking.

·If you buy a wig before you loose your hair make sure that it is adjustable because obviously with your hair gone your head is going to be smaller. Also if you find that it is itchy after you put it on, a little talcum powder underneath can stop this.

·Once your hair starts to grow back again let a hairdresser give you your first colour because it is so easy to stain the scalp when your hair is very short.

While having radiation treatment.

·Ask at reception for the phone number of the machine you have been assigned to. That way you can ring them just before you leave home and find out if they are running on time. Sometimes machine just break down and by ringing ahead you can save you a lot of time sitting around in the waiting room.

·As your treatment progresses and your breast starts to get sore don't wear a bra because it rubs and makes it even more uncomfortable.

·If you're being treated on the underside of your breast, once it starts to get red and sore a cotton cloth placed underneath your breast can make make things a little more comfortable and help stop chafing.

·If you do find you have chafing check with the staff about what you can use to treat it as any cream or powder with a metallic element in it can make it a lot worse due to the radiation.