Things I Wish We Had Known or Knew We Needed #1

I have a list of things I wish we had known or knew we needed when people asked how they could help.

This will be the first one.

I know many people are diagnosed with cancer, start treatments and live a modified life, that somewhat resembles their normal life and routine.

One of the things we learned and I had no idea though my sister and Mother had breast cancer and a family friend had throat cancer was that some types of cancer, this being one of them, are a series of scheduled medical procedures and doctors visits mixed in with emergency dashes to the hospital resulting in days inpatient, sometimes wondering if this was the end of the road.

With that in mind.

One of the caregiver tips I would recommend is get a bicycle basket, the kind you attach to handlebars. The kind that can attach with a simple over the bar hook. 

This is for the IV pole. 

Every time Mathew went to go to the restroom, he needed the IV unplugged (often quickly) and most times I had to help maneuver it into the room for him because he was using a walker or unsteady on his feet. Because the tumor impacted his abdomen, he liked to have his phone and a book available. Those things could have been slipped into the basket as the IV was unplugged.

A small thing, but it would have made a big difference.

Mathew spent more days inpatient then he did at home.

As soon as I have a chance I will take one of these baskets and see how it works.

*****You may be tempted to make your own pouch, but remember you want something that can easily be wiped down with sanitizer before, during and after the hospital stay.