What to Buy

Wigs, scarves and hats

  • Headcovers Unlimited: www.headcovers.com. They have a great selection of hats, turbans and wigs for hair loss, and they were very nice to YCS board member Karen when there was a mix-up in the order she placed with them for her husband Mark.

  • Hats from the Heart: (1-706-965-7696). They provide free hats to chemotherapy patients.

  • Local wig shop: Your insurance company may have a contract with a shop in your area, so speak with an insurance company representative first.

  • Local hospitals and charity groups: Some local groups make or collect hats for chemotherapy patients.

  • Get creative: Make your own scarves.
Drugstore items
Note: You will want to know where a 24-hour pharmacy is located before you need it. And not all pharmacies are stocked the same way. One closer to the hospital or medical center is more likely to be fully stocked and carry the rare, expensive pills and dressings you might need at 4 a.m.

Large pill boxes

  • Buy the large box with 4 slots for each day (the very large ones) some pills are very big! These can be purchased from your local pharmacy
    for $15-20.

  • Have some individual-dose pill boxes handy for day trips and for carrying around painkillers. You may even find that you need two large pill boxes. At one point, Mark was taking pills 7 times per day at specific hours, so Karen used masking tape to label the slots on the boxes with day and time of the pills.
  • Specialized bandages and dressings

    • Your local pharmacy should be able to fill most of your needs. If not, you will need to find a medical-supply store in your area. There are also medical-supply Web sites.

    • Ask the nurses about resources for specific bandaging needs if you can't easily get what you need.
    Other drugstore items
    • Milk of magnesia: for constipation

    • Imodium A-D (buy lots): for diarrhea

    • Tylenol or ibuprofen: for pain (Use as directed by your physician.)

    • Hand sanitizer