Meal delivery service and other questions re Cancer Txmnt

[Deleted]

My Dad is starting Chemo this week and my younger sister lives with him and is taking on the brunt of things right now. I want to send some meals to the house that involve no preparation, just throw in the oven or microwave and eat. They don't live somewhere that has delivery, and even to go pick up food it's a hike, so I'm really trying to keep things as simple as possible. 

Also, any recommendations for other things that my Dad might need while he undergoes Chemo and Radiation? I was going to send him some ice booties because I've read that a lot of people get neuropathy when going through treatment, and also got him those Benecalorie supplements that were a godsend when my daughter was going through recovery for her ED. Any other suggestions?

[litasail]

For your first question: www.spoonfulofcomfort.com/ and/or www.freshly.com/ could be good!

[redheadk]

Do they have a local grocery store that does delivery? Our grocery stores all offer fresh entrees to heat & eat.

[af1212]

Where do they live if you are comfortable saying? I think meal delivery services tend to be fairly localized so maybe someone near there can recommend?

Where I live there are a few caterers that offer meal delivery on a certain day of the week.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2021 9:55:17 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Where do they live if you are comfortable saying? I think meal delivery services tend to be fairly localized so maybe someone near there can recommend?

Where I live there are a few caterers that offer meal delivery on a certain day of the week.

They are in South New Jersey in Atlantic County.

[dottyblue]

Only certain chemo drugs come with the risk of neuropathy. Are you sure he will get those drugs? His treatment center will set him up with ice packs if he needs them and requests them.

That said, I did purchase my booties and gloves on Amazon.
Gloves: Healthy Hands Hand Ice Pack Wrap... www.amazon.com/dp/B086VP9PQX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Booties: NatraCure Cold Therapy Socks -... www.amazon.com/dp/B003L4WONS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

If he wants to go this route he will need a cooler to transport them in. And they are heavy (my lightweight lunch bag and the gloves/boots totaled around 10lbs)

[jennistarr1]

can you search for local restaurants

Is there a panera near by...because bagels and soup sound perfect

I'm sorry about your dad

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2021 10:14:38 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

can you search for local restaurants

Is there a panera near by...because bagels and soup sound perfect

I'm sorry about your dad

The problem is that they live in the middle of nowhere. Literally they live on a dirt road off of another dirt road off of a barely paved road, so getting a restaurant to deliver to them is tough. They are within driving distance to do pick up if needed, but I don't want to burden my sister with that.

[whattheheck]

Maybe shop their grocery store or Walmart or sams/bjs/Costco for some frozen dinner/frozen entree options? I’m sorry - cancer sucks.

Maybe schwans? Or Omaha steaks? I think they both have heat and serve meals

[dirtyred]

Well, you don't know yet how chemo is going g to affect his sense of taste/appetite. Some things he might normally like may become abhorrent. I pretty much lived on chocolate milkshakes, while my best friend could only tolerate white food--she ate rice, mashed potatoes,and vanilla ice cream.

Does Schwann's deliver in there area? They have a lot of options.

[georgeglass]

My grandmother loved www.schwans.com/

[bee20]

Freshly is very good, a friend was going through a medical issue and ordered it for herself and asked for gift cards. She said the meals were large enough for her to split with her toddler and reheated well. They send them once per week and they go in the fridge to be microwaved.

There are coupon codes all over for it so make sure you order with one.

[Leeham Rimes]

I would send just a few meals b/c my family members were very, very, ill after their first few rounds of chemo. I'd hold of on big purchases until you see how the chemo affects him and his appetite. The nutritional shakes were a godsend, as were ice pops for my MIL, neighbor, aunt, and SIL who all went through lung cancer treatment.

[Leeham Rimes]

oh and here's the link to the miracle fruit, if you need it www.miraclefruitfarm.com/

[rubytue]

Sept 7, 2021 10:11:27 GMT -5 dottyblue said:

Only certain chemo drugs come with the risk of neuropathy. Are you sure he will get those drugs? His treatment center will set him up with ice packs if he needs them and requests them.

That said, I did purchase my booties and gloves on Amazon.
Gloves: Healthy Hands Hand Ice Pack Wrap... www.amazon.com/dp/B086VP9PQX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Booties: NatraCure Cold Therapy Socks -... www.amazon.com/dp/B003L4WONS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

If he wants to go this route he will need a cooler to transport them in. And they are heavy (my lightweight lunch bag and the gloves/boots totaled around 10lbs)

This! And ice only helps for some sorts of neuropathy.  And it depends on the type of cancer. Like, breast cancer can do cold caps to reduce hair loss, but it’s not recommended for a blood cancer (because you want the chemo to get everywhere). 

For me, the things I most used during chemo and radiation were blankets and warm things. I made myself a pair of sleeves for radiation, because I couldn’t put blankets over my arms. But that was very specific to when my radiation was and what I could and could not cover up. 

if he is getting a port, I would get a sheepskin seatbelt cover. My first port was right under the seat belt line and so uncomfortable to be a passenger. Second port, the surgeon listened to my complaints and put it well under the seat belt line. 

[rubytue]

My fun, always recommendation for chemo is a Hawaiian shirt. My theory was the fun shirt brings smiles to faces, and the button down part made port access super easy.

[foundmylazybum]

We were getting sun basket before I got sick and just continued it through my treatments. My treatments definitely had the side effect of nausea, constipation and mouth sores but I barely got any of that and took the anti nausea pills regularly and that worked really well for me.

I always recommend sunbasket. They have good meals, a large selection AND a grocery section full of everything from produce to precooked meats to snacks, treats, yogurts, protein drinks etc.


The other thing to consider is that this could be a great option for the caretaker as well as the patient.


I used cooling hands and feet for my treatment. My treatment center didn't set this up for me. I brought them myself. I knew that peripheral neuropathy was a potential SE from my chemo education then I bought them off Amazon.

I dont have any neuropathy. I'm not sure if it's bc of the cold hands/feet but I'm glad I used them.


Personally (and this is reflected by other survivors here) a lot of the chemo experience is very personal. I get that people want to buy you gifts..but honestly a lot of that stuff is junk imo and I didn't need to lug in a blanket (they give you warm blankets on demand), a "fun" inspirational cup (they give you drinks on demand), books or coloring books (you are hopped up on steroids and beny, you often are sleepy).

Chemo is your work. Your focus. Its punishing on your body and maybe I'm bare bones but it was more stressful trying to bring a bunch of things into my workspace. 🤷‍♀️

[rubytue]

Sept 7, 2021 13:09:01 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Personally (and this is reflected by other survivors here) a lot of the chemo experience is very personal. I get that people want to buy you gifts..but honestly a lot of that stuff is junk imo and I didn't need to lug in a blanket (they give you warm blankets on demand), a "fun" inspirational cup (they give you drinks on demand), books or coloring books (you are hopped up on steroids and beny, you often are sleepy).

This! So much! People always ask me what to get for people, and really, I’ve got nothing. It all depends on the person, their personality, their chemo, etc etc. Like, for me, fun blankets were cool. Even though I’d get blankets, I like my fun palm trees or mermaid blanket. And I always wore flamingo shirts. But that’s me. I would bury myself under 5 blankets and sleep off the Benadryl. 

the things I *needed* ain’t no one want to buy those. Adult diapers? Because only chemo can give you both constipation and uncontrollable diarrhea in the same week. Zofran? Ativan? That’s for the doctors. A hammock and a dart board? That’s clearly me stuff. But let me tell you, I really appreciated when I told me H I really needed to throw things and he built me a dart board set up. I pinned up my pet scan and threw things at it. 😂

anyway, sorry for digressing. Food is always good. But as for everything else, there isn’t really a one size fits all. I mean, not even every chemo makes you lose hair anymore. So even hats aren’t a sure bet. Plus, you need to know the person. My first time around, some friends knitted me a hat. And it made me cry, not for the sentiment of them doing it for me, but because it meant I would lose hair. 

[foundmylazybum]

I was going to say "gift cards for sennacot"

Bc laxatives are life during chemo. The anti nausea pills, plus treatment, plus steroids can screw you up!! 😭 but like Ruby said, ain't nobody want to buy that for you lol.

My aunt gave me an amethyst crystal, a hand knitted blanket and a hand carved cross.


I'm not religious but:

The kindness of the blanket and the spirituality behind both the crystal and the cross were exactly what I needed in that moment.

[mountaingirl]

I’m sorry your dad is going through this and I hope the treatments help. Everyone has said what I know of but
I recently was made aware of this site that delivers lasagna to people in need.
lasagnalove.org/

[MixedBerryJam]

I’m going to go the practical route And tell you he needs a brightly colored (so it’s easy to find when he’s not holding it) spiral-bound notebook with a pen attached to a string (hence the spiral recommendation, so he never has to remember one or search for one) with some business card holder pages (because he’ll get a LOT of business cards) for writing down all his questions and those of anyone accompanying hon to appointments. Having it all in one place was very helpful. And dating entries made finding information, even weeks later, easIER (tho still not always easy). Best wishes to your dad.