John R., Caregiver Companion

John R., Caregiver Companion

John Razzano quickly slid into role of family caregiver when his wife, Mary, was diagnosed with our rare cancer in 2014. That meant playing head nurse, chief paperwork officer, cheerleader, and patient advocate. “During that time, I felt alone and isolated trying to navigate the physical, emotional, and psychological elements of Mary’s treatment. Mary succumbed to the disease in late 2015, and one year later my adult son was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. I shared caregiver duties with my future daughter-in-law and today, my son is healthy and in remission.”

During this time, John started a support group with Dr. Fran Baumgarten at UCSD for family caregivers of cancer patients to let people know a community exists willing to support and hold up its fellow caregivers. “We created the podcast, Caregiver Companion to let caregivers know they are not alone. We launched in December 2023, and we now have 10 episodes and publish every two weeks. I think it’s a very useful resource for caregivers. I hope you enjoy it and find it useful.”Caregiver Companion, A Guide to the Family Caregiver of Cancer Patients is available via Spotify and Apple Music. Add to your playlists and leave a review.
Your Pals on Nausea

Your Pals on Nausea

Anti-Nausea Suggestions from Your Pals

graffiti twins puking; image courtesy of Jon Tyson on unsplash.com The Technicolor Yawn, Praying to the Porcelain Goddess, Yodeling Groceries – call it what you want – Nausea and its close cousin, Vomit, are relentless foes when given space to flourish. Sometimes, we experience nausea during post-surgery recovery; it’s a natural by-product of a healing digestive system. Other times, anxiety provoked by upcoming scans or monitoring appointments gets us queasy. And then there are the side effects of chemotherapy or immunotherapy that leave us sick to our stomachs because, well, that’s what those treatments do.

Keeping the Waves at Bay

On a recent thread in the PMP Pals Facebook Group, Pals worldwide shared their personal non-medication favorites for keeping that “Call to Ralph” on hold. Our overall consensus? Get ahead of it. It’s much easier to quell a puking urge than a Tummy Riot. These suggestions below are just that – suggestions. If you need medication like Zofran (Ondansetron), Reglan (Metoclopramide), or Phenergan (Promethazine), work with your medical team to get those meds in your nausea toolbox now. Bottom line: don’t suffer and don’t wait. Nausea and vomiting can quickly turn into a medical emergency. Have what you need on hand.

Tips From Your Pals

Here are just a few of our over-the-counter solutions that you can find in the grocery store, pharmacy, or online:

  • Liquids: maraschino cherry syrup, pickle juice, decaf tea, Pepto-Bismol
  • Candies: GinGins ginger candy, lemon drops, mints, Werther’s, any hard candy that makes you feel good
  • Tablets & tinctures: apple cider vinegar tablets, smelling scents like lavender oil, peppermint oil, or isopropyl alcohol, Bonine or Dramamine tablets
  • Edibles: saltines & crackers, medical marijuana (smoked, vaped, eaten) like Wyld gummies with Indica, ginger ale, bitters & soda, anti-nausea lollipops
  • Physical: roller ball on solar plexus and neck muscles, counting breaths, Seabands acupressure wrist bands, walk outside in fresh air, cold compress on your forehead

Here’s what your Pals had to say about nausea:

“Not sure this will help at all as it is a very different approach. I get nauseous when my body gets tight, especially my neck which then travels to my solar plexus. I have a small ball that I roll on my tight neck muscles and do some gentle neck stretches. I then attempt to lightly roll the ball into my solar plexus to try and relax it. This all has to be gentle or it gets tighter. The other thing I do is counting my breath. I find focusing on my breath also helps relax me and therefore helps with my tightness. I hope you feel better.” ~ Lindsey W.

“I wore Seabands that go on your wrists so long I had indents. I took a multi-approach with using all these plus meds.” ~Nicole J.
“When I got hungry, I got nauseous. I ended up getting some gummies, Wyld brand with Indica. I took a 1/4 of the piece at bedtime and it helped. If I quit after about two days, I’d start feeling nauseous again. It took probably six months for that to go away. I didn’t feel woozy or anything. My doctor asked if I wanted more Zofran and I said no thanks and explained about the Indica gummies and she said good, better for your organs. 🙏🏼💪🏼🧡 They made all the difference to me. The biggest part was that the dose was small enough to relax me and kept the nausea away, but I didn’t feel any other side effects.” Molly C-P.

No Urge vs. Fighting Purge

Take measures to keep nausea at bay by
  • Eating smaller, more frequent meals
  • Avoiding spicy, greasy, or strong smelly foods
  • Opting for the blander menu (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast)
  • Waiting a few hours after eating before brushing your teeth

Do you have an anti-nausea suggestion? Email us and we’ll add it to this list. NOTE: This post is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician or medical team for more information and guidance.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash