What Do You Wear to Chemo?

The Orvis Catalog came and I am looking for a hat – perhaps the Orvis Snowy River Hat. The catalog says it is an authentic Panama straw hat, 3” brim, and traditional pinched front. It comes in a putty color. Or there is the packable Fedora. It has an adjustable nylon headband for a “perfect fit” and a tuck-away chin strap for windy days – or fast driving with the convertible top down. Women don’t find anything more attractive than a bald diabetic with cancer driving a convertible with the top down. I’m sure I am in demand. We were talking about this at dinner a while ago; what my “billboard” would be. The kids thought perhaps Eunice should give me some money too. I haven’t seen our checkbook in 25 years and I never seem to have any cash. They think that would be more impressive than hair.

The Orvis catalog also has a shirt that is ideal for chemotherapy. What do you wear to chemo? The short answer is whatever you want. It was hot and humid (over 90 and 90) on my first day of my second cycle and I wore shorts and a t-shirt. Today, starting my third cycle it is cool and raining so I wore jeans and a long sleeve pullover. The chemo room is cool and they are pumping fluids into you so it all chills you. Summer heat and chemo room cool are quite a contrast. The warm blanket and heated chair help but it made me think of chemo-wear. A shirt with an opening for the port is very handy. The Orvis shirt is the Havana Sunset Camp Shirt. It buttons up and would give good access to the port. Its two front pockets would also hide the bump from the port a little. Pure cotton and meant to go with the Panama hat that I’m already less enamored with than when I started writing this post. I need a garage sale special straw hat, a little floppy, worn on the edges of the brim, and maybe it sheds a little too. But the pre-revolutionary Cuban shirt is just right.

It would be interesting to see what someone with imagination and who knew what they were doing might create for a chemo-wear line. I think it would go beyond form and function and have a comforting tactile component as well.

Ingrid is having her last week of treatment – no need for chemo-wear.

Eat Good Food, Be Kind, Tell the Truth

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Collection of Recipes

Black Bean Corn Salsa