New caregiver questions about chemo safety precautions

Posted by munstn01 @munstn01, Jun 28 6:53am

Hi. I’m a 39 year old wife and mother of 3 small children. My husband was just diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with metastasis and starts chemo in 2 days. This all happened very quickly and I am unprepared for being a caregiver to a chemo patient. The education materials are overwhelming, the precautions for 48-72 hours, how am I supposed to handle this. Should we be sleeping in separate beds? Should the kids stay somewhere else after his treatment? Help.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 28 7:36pm

@munstn01, I can imagine that you are overwhelmed. You're a busy mom with three young children and now the world has thrown you a curve ball. Your husband has stage 4 colon cancer and he will be getting chemo. For some chemotherapy combinations, precautions should be followed in the first days after infusion.

Most of the chemo waste comes out in body fluids, such as urine and stool. The waste is also found in blood and sometimes in vomit, saliva, sweat, semen, and vaginal fluids. That is why they advise (if possible) that the person getting chemo uses a separate bathroom. If you only have one bathroom, then wipe the toilet seat after use. Also put the toilet seat down before flushing and flush twice.

- Chemotherapy Safety https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-safety.html

You and your children do not have to be separated (unless his oncologist tells you this is necessary). However, no kissing and stay away from body fluids.

Do you have more than one bathroom? What type of chemo regimen is your husband getting?