u/Tsukuba-Boffin

This post isn't meant to create an argument between anyone over what is "right" or "wrong" as I understand nothing is guaranteed and individual circumstances can vary greatly but I'm trying to get a feel for what is appropriate as someone who is sharing a home with someone on chemo. How many of you that share a living space with a chemo patient mask/masked all the time outside the home? My mom moved in late-April shortly before her first chemo treatment and getting her port put in. At the time I was wearing a mask because my office had a horrible, stubborn respiratory thing making its rounds in our office area that I caught. (Even after someone otherwise felt better it took at least 1-2 full weeks for the lingering cough and nasty stubborn phlegm (even clear stuff) to totally go away. I had to mask as I was the only one to be able to help her from the hospital the day she got her port and I was still sick then at the end of April but am fine now.) Since that respiratory ick needed to cycle through everyone in the office I've been wearing my mask but the past few days I haven't really noticed any coughing or sneezing in our office (of course I know someone can be contagious before they show symptoms). But I don't mask when out shopping and there's been a couple times I've noticed my mom didn't even wear hers into Target and she's the one on chemo (she just had her 2nd round the beginning of the week--it's once every 21 days). I also never see anyone (patients, visitors, staff) masking at the chemotherapy area so I'm really curious how other people have handled that part of it.

I'm looking to get my mother a new iPhone and add her to my plan at T-Mobile. Right now she has a Tracfone iPhone. It's technically a smart phone but she's having increasing problems with it, especially using the Inet on it. After researching her skills, needs, etc. I want to get her the iPhone 15 Plus 256GB. The issue is they are out of stock on that one so I'd have to buy it from apple or somewhere else then add it. So since I can't get the phone from them anyway my main issue is which would be cheaper or easier to activate it and add it as a line to my existing account: Bringing the phone to a local Tmobile, bringing it into my Costco since they have a tmobile there, or just doing it all on-line? Normally I'd do all the research myself but my mom just started chemo and I'm her sole helper and it's bad time for her to need a new phone but we want to get it done with ASAP before she feels more ill from the chemo so I can help her get it set up to her preferences. So it would be great to get some input-thanks in advance.

My mom had her first round of chemo last month and has the second next week. Today she came into my room and held out a thin bunch of hair that finally started coming out. I'm not sure when she's going to just buzz or shave it but regardless, what are your favorite shampoos to clean your hair and scalp during chemo? I was going to get Vanicream shampoo I read that some people said it irritated their skin. I also heard Aveeno as long as it's unscented? Has anyone tried it? I'm open to more specialized items but I might have to send away for them so I'm also looking for more common shampoo/scalp recs I can buy in bigger chain stores.

So I have some frozen containers of little raw tuna cubes meant for making your own poke bowls, etc. at home. The issue is shortly after I bought them my mom was diagnosed with cancer and is going through chemo. She can't have raw fish due to her immune system right now and once I thaw the tuna cubes in the fridge it's way too much for me to eat raw by myself before it goes bad. So does anyone have any unique recipes I can use to cook the leftovers so she can safely eat it? If all else fails I'll do some type of marinade and gently cook them in a non-stick pan and serve over rice or pasta with veggies.

I bought a refrigerated package of shrink sealed cooked, seasoned steak bites from Sam's Club. (From the time of buying these they usually have a shelf life in fridge, unopened, of 2 months.) I threw the whole container in the freezer. I put it in the fridge to thaw (still in it's original shrink wrap) 14 days ago. It's been in a cold fridge still sealed. I opened it and it smells fine and from a tiny bite the taste and texture seems fine. Do you think it's safe to eat?

My mom spent about five hours at her first chemo infusion appointment today. (She got one of those little automatic injection boxes that will activate tomorrow to help with her white blood count I believe.) Completely out of behavior for our indoor cat, she jumped up on the island and bit at my mom's hand when she was going through her purse. It was one small mark that doesn't seem deep but it did bleed. (She said it was more like one tooth managed to graze her skin.) My mom washed it with soap and hot water, used an alcohol prep pad wipe to disinfect it, then put pressure on it since they said you could bleed easier. Then she put a band aid on it. Has this happened to anyone else and did it lead to something serious?