There really are tons of tips and tricks for the fashion conscious lady as she goes through cancer treatment. But, let me share jut a few “don’ts” this morning for the lady handling chemo.
1. Skinny Jeans Without a doubt, this is one that I harp on the most when I speak. So, why not “harp” a little bit more on this topic here? Here is the deal. You get up knowing that it is a chemo day, you try to look somewhat stylish so you slip into your “skinny jeans” at 7am in the morning. They are feeling good, you are looking great; you will show this chemo who is boss.
Around 10am after having your first bag of fluids, you make your first bathroom run. By 10:30am you realize the jeans are a little tighter, and no matter how many trips to the bathroom you make, it is not helping. Ah, yes, bloating has commenced and you still have 5 hours of chemo to go through! Dang it anyhow, if only you had worn a long shirt you could unzip those jeans and sit in comfort!
Next chemo, skip the skinny jeans. If you want the long lean look, opt for skinny knit pants that have stretch in them. The operative word here is stretch. Wear items with give through your chemo treatments and you will feel all the more comfortable for it.
2. Turtlenecks Well, really, turtlenecks or any shirt that goes right up to your neck, especially if you have a port. Big scoop neck shirts or v-neck shirts will work well and are A-ok. Here is the deal on this one. When you get chemo, or blood drawn, or any fluids given to you, the medical team will access your port. They are perfectly able to stretch the shirt a little, access the port and have the tube wind its way out through the neck of your shirt.
Certainly, you don’t want the shirt stretched. But, the bigger issue, I found, was the shirt pulled on the port tubing the entire time I received chemo and that simply hurt. So, while the chemo nursing staff can certainly work around a tight or high neck shirt, the constant pulling on your already sensitive port area is simply not worth it.
3. White What, you exclaim, it is summer, I must wear white! To which I share, do so at your own risk. You see, whether we like it or not, when going in for treatments, medical appointments, you name it, there is a good chance that blood will be drawn or a drop may appear from your port access, you name it. It simply is not worth it to wear your favorite white shirt only to have it stained.
Now the nurses are fabulous at accessing ports and drawing blood but all we have to do is twitch the littlest bit and we have stained our favorite shirt. So, leave it at home, with your skinny jeans!
4. High Heels I know, I am sucking the wind right out of your sails with this one! How in the world can you possibly be stylish with out minimally wearing some heels. And, sister, I hear you! But, here is the thing with this one. Those drugs you are receiving at chemo, many of them may cause to you feel a little lightheaded or even dizzy. On top of which, you may feel nauseated with a need to move very quickly (if you get my drift). Finally, we have the sometimes paralyzing fatigue. Put these items all together and add heels and you can see how we might have a big problem. Last thing you want while going through cancer is a broken ankle, so stay safe and wear your cute flats.
We share so that others can live as radiantly as possible through treatments. And so I ask you, what fashion tips do you have for sisters on a cancer journey?