Hi John,

A very warm welcome to our forum, although I'm so sorry to hear why you're here.

You must be finding it difficult to cope with this diagnosis yourself - how are you coping?

It is hard to know what to expect, as how your lady friend reacts to treatment, will depend on the type of chemo that she has. Some of the stronger ones are more taxing to get through than others. Even once you know what type of chemo she is having, we can all have a different response to the same type of treatment. I have just looked at the Macmillan site for common side-efects. The main ones seem to be extreme fatigue, nausea,  loss of hair, skin and nail changes, changes in bone marrow and blood, numb or tingling hands and feet, nerve damage, changes in how your kidneys work, digestive problems, changes in hearing, blood clot risk. Your friend may get some of these side-effects, but she is unlikely to get them all. If she does suffer with any of these, encourage her to speak to her chemo nurses, as they can prescribe medication, or suggest what to do in such circumstances.

I suspect that she will find it difficult to carry out her usual household duties. Do you have any family or friends who could help out with cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, etc? The main thing is to be there to give her your support. Most women get very upset at the thought of losing their hair, although this doesn't happen to everyone. Be there for her if this happens, and let her know that you still think that she still looks beautiful. 

I expect that others will come along soon to give you more information. 

I sincerely hope that all goes well with her chemo treatment and that she gets through it with the minimum of complications.

Please keep in touch and let us know how she gets on. We are always here for both of you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx