Hmmm, so I don’t know if I’ve given any quick tips/hints out to all those who are going through the chemo/radiation suckiness. But, here goes some:

1. For avoiding mouth sores during chemo: Definitely get the Hurricane Solution off the bat. Then try to rinse your mouth with Ulcer-Ease (you can get it at CVS) after every meal. Suck on sugar-free lemon candies. Also—I got one of those Oral-B oscillating toothbrushes with soft bristles and I had no teeth problems. DO NOT USE anything Listerine.
2. Taking Prednasone: try taking it with Yoo-Hoo. It definitely cuts the taste.
3. Yogurt has a lot of potassium. Try the Yoplait Whips since it has a fluffy consistency and is easier to eat than the other yogurts.
4. Also with yogurt—smoothies! Get a large bag of frozen fruit (since you can’t have regular fruit). 1 cup of orange/apple/grape juice in a blender. I like the Kirkland yogurts, but any swiss style yogurt will work. Put a handful of fruit in (being sure to wash your hands first) and it’s a really good way to get something down that’s healthy and that you need to be eating.
5. Big fan of Zofran for nausea. Also, peppermint tea is good for settling your stomach.
6. A lot of people aren’t fans of the Aquaphor for radiation. I liked either the Udder Cream or the Dream Cream by Lush (www.lushcanda.com). Also, the Aveeno Baby Oatmeal cream for cradle cap did wonders on the back of my neck.
7. Rosebud Lip Salve ($5 at sephora) helped my lips a lot. I still wind up with dry lips.
8. For drinking water—I really suggest investing in a water bottle to carry around. I had a Spongebob one, but hey to each their own!
9. I used Johnson’s Baby Shampoo on my bald head. I also occasionally put some conditioner to keep it from drying out.
10. If you are running out of eyelashes, line your lid and put on a thickening dark colored mascara on—be very wary of spider lashes though because when they clump together and you don’t have that many it looks soooooooo much worse. No eyelashes—they sell them pretty cheap at the drug store.
11. If you find you’re running out of eyebrows—you can definitely draw them in. I’d recommend using an actual kit because they’ve got all the tools, the powders, and what not and you can still use it to sculpt as they come back in.
12. I used the Dove clothes or foaming cleansers when my skin was really sensitive.
13. I know I sound like an advertisement but Paula Dorf blush in Candy Apple gives the appearance of healthy cheeks. It really rocks. Also if you want to put on makeup use a tinted moisturizer—not a foundation, a bronzer and the blush. Under-eye cream and concealer works wonders, I kid you not. Definitely liked the Bobbi Brown stuff. It’s expensive but it kept me from looking sallow. I didn’t want to go to work looking sick and well, I would spend hours in front of the mirror doing my makeup until I came up with a quick and easy routine.
14. Sennacot (I think that’s how you spell it) and Coalasce each night before you go to bed will really help with all that stuff you might not want to talk about.
15. Be wary of buying any new perfumes—the best bet is to have people get you little samples of stuff that are very light scents or use scented moisturizing creams from Bath and Body works. They’re cheap enough that if you wind up realizing you hate them, you can just throw them away and not feel too bad.
16. You're pretty much not supposed to take any supplements, except for a multi-vitamin. please ask before you take anything. Ask about any and all preventative antibiotics as well.
17. I walked around with my hand wipes at work and the Bath and Body Works Anti-bacterial hand thing. I hardly ever got a cold.
18. Ask the doc which items to always have on hand, in terms of over the counter meds whether it be Robitussin or tylenol or Claritin. No one wants to be running around late looking for all this stuff. Definately invest in a humidifier.