Traveling

January 17, 2013

Traveling

Traveling in the Car

If your child is like mine, traveling in the car was a bit hazardous.  We had to drive a little slower, more carefully, and we always went by the straightest routes. Any nausea always resulted in throwing up. Here are a few things we took in the car or did to make car trips a little easier.

Bottle of Cold Water  I always kept a filled cold bottle of water in the fridge and grabbed it as we left out the door. Being nauseous makes you feel hot so a sip of cold water is very welcome.

The “Pink Bucket”  We were never without the pink bucket in the car. I’m referring to the small pink plastic tub container the clinic kept handy for patients who were nauseated. Ordinarily you might look at one of these and consider it to be only a small storage container/wash basin, but we know better!

Keep a pink bucket in the car, out of sight of your child as just seeing it can trigger a spell of nausea, but keep it within your quick and easy reach while driving.  I lined the bucket with grocery store plastic bags and kept more bags folded and handy underneath the liner. They make clean-up a lot easier, and your child might need the bucket more than once on a trip.

Cold Washcloth  I also kept a clean cold washcloth handy in a zip lock sandwich bag (when you are nauseated, you appreciate a cold washcloth).  I kept damp clean washcloths in the freezer in ziplock bags and then grabbed one before leaving for the clinic.  It was tremendously wonderful to have it when we needed it.  I would place one on Shana’s head to cool her off when she was in the throes of nausea and then later it was great for wiping her face.

Wet Wipes  It was always good to know they were handy for wiping hands, etc.

Blanket  One of the side-effects of chemotherapy Shana experienced was feeling very cold, regardless of the time of year. She felt cold all the time, so we were constantly trying to keep her warm. As soon as she sat in her seat in the car or at the clinic, she was covered with a favorite blanket.

As we went into the clinic, we took the blanket with us. The clinic had great blankets and pillows for their patients, but Shana liked having her familiar home blanket with her.

Hat  A very comfy fuzzy hat helps prevent the loss of body heat.

The Clinic Travel Bag

After only a couple of trips to the clinic it became obvious that we would all be a lot more comfortable during the hours there if we brought along a few comforts from home. I had a canvas bag of sufficient size and began filling it with an assortment of items that all proved essential at one time or another.  Some items were already supplied by the clinic, such as nose tissue for example, but bringing your own favorite (softer!) brand was nice.

Also, the clinic worked hard to provide good snacks for their patients and families, but if your child’s favorite snack is not available, and he or she is hungry, you’ll be very glad you brought your own along.

In our clinic travel bag, we carried:

• Washed grapes or cherry tomatoes (Shana’s favorites)
• Cold bottle of water
• Favorite home blanket
• Puffs facial tissue
• DVDs (a few for a variety)
• Hand sanitizer (the clinic had some available but we liked the aroma of ours)
• Small insulated lunch bag with cold box drinks and any cold snacks
• Favorite salty and sweet snacks (in small ziplock bags)
• Lip balm (dehydration affects the lips first)
• Something for her to read
• Something for me to read, do, or eat
• Change of clothing
• Current list of medications and supplements, plus administration timetable

While going to the clinic for chemo wasn’t exactly a day at the spa, we almost treated it like it was. By being prepared and taking all our little comforts with us, it kept us both relaxed. It also made it easier for me to simply provide comfort and not display any worry.

Permalink