As with any community – there are phrases and and shorthand. Here’s a list of some of the most common phrases and what i mean when i use them. I’ll probably be updating this post regularly!
SE = Side Effects
WBC = White Blood Count
ANC = Absolute Neutrophil Count
PCP = Primary Care Physician
BRAT Diet = Bananas, Rice, Apples (or Applesauce) and Toast
this is a diet that is easier on the stomach when you are nauseous, etc.
Turn around time = The time between an infusions.
Port = When chemo starts, there is usually a port surgically implanted. This port has a long tube that is run through a vein in your chest area. The port has an “opening” that is covered by a thin layer of skin. That keeps the opening in a sterile format. The port is accessed by a special needle. There is a lidocaine cream that i put on the skin to reduce any pain of being accessed.
