Help, my MIL just had chemo… and pee’d all over my furniture.

In all honesty, I would get rid of the furniture. Urine doesn't clean out well to begin with and if she peed on it towards the beginning of her stay the urine could have higher drug concentrations. I personally wouldn't risk it with a newborn especially.

@Susie Do you know if her doctor would have told her to stay away or be cautious? I didn’t know until I stumbled on an article about not sharing a bathroom with someone who it doing chemo.

I'm not sure, I've never been around this situation. But I do know that bodily fluids from someone after chemo is contaminated, hard to believe she wouldn't have been told. But there's no point in blaming anyone, have you talked to your partner? Maybe get a second hand couch for the interim?

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-safety-at-home There’s advice here. You could also call them if you’re worried what to do for the best. Can totally understand feeling freaked out or upset but angry doesn’t really feel fair. It’s just a horrible and unfortunate situation for everyone. You could try a local C.R.A.P site on Facebook if your need a quick free sofa replacement.

Agree with what’s been said above. It wouldn’t have been on purpose and I’m sure she was mortified. If it’s chemo there is nothing radioactive, still not healthy to be around the byproducts of the treatment but unless it was radiation therapy, you will be ok in that respect. I’d call her oncologist or where she received treatment, or the cancer UK hotline (if in the UK) and see their advice. So sorry you’re going through this.

It really depends on what medications she received and how recently. Unless she had radiation treatment her urine would not be radioactive from chemo. Drug levels in urine will again depend on which drugs she received and when, but most medications are undetectable in urine after 2-7 days after the last dose. I would ask your partner to ask his mom to get in touch with her oncologist to ask if there are any precautions you need to take, since they won't be able to talk to you about her treatment without her consent.

@MK She did have radiation treatment. How long do you think after she had treatment would she be expelling radiation? I’m putting all of our things she used in storage. But we have been sitting, playing and doing laundry on the things she used. I would call my doctor but I’m literally moving across states in a few days and getting a new provider. (I’m in the US)

My husband's grandfather just had chemo and we were told it leeches from pores as well as in urine. He was supposed to only use paper products, not towels that others could touch as well as his own bathroom that nobody else went into to limit possible exposure. We also were advised to keep the kids away (only visit outdoors and not let them touch grandpa) and my SIL who was pregnant stayed at a distance too. I would get rid of any furniture she urinated on asap and get new. There is a half life so it's hard to say how long you would be able to test for it in fabrics

I just can’t with this post. My dad died from bowel cancer last year. It was incredibly humiliating. His clothes were ruined as his cholestemy bag kept leaking as his body wasn’t retaining food or water. Just seriously??????

Incog Radiation doesn't usually leave the area that was irradiated so unless she has bowel/bladder/reproductive organ cancer the likelihood of her urine having radiation is extremely low.

Nothing to add except why would you be angry? 😢 Frustrated, sure, but chemo is so hard. I went through it four years ago and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Try to have compassion for your MIL. And use the resources above to determine protocol for cleaning or disposing of your furniture. It’s just stuff at the end of the day.

@Lara She has always hated me. Because I’m not Jewish. She doesn’t like me, and has demonstrated it on every occasion. Even on this trip she was trying to show my husband a nice Jewish girl he should have married. I can honest say I am unsure if she did it on purpose. This was the first time in 8 years this trip didn’t end up in a screaming and crying. (On her part) I thought she was finally being somewhat nice and now I’m unsure of her actual intentions.

@MK thank you for this information, I really appreciate it. It was a reproductive organ she has radiation done on.

@Lara I am also breastfeeding, have a new born and toddler at home. That’s who I’m really concerned about. They have been on the furniture for the last month. It’s also a 6k worth of damages. These are my husband and I worked hard for…

I'm confused on if she got chemo or radiation?

Incognito Yes, they are told to use a separate bathroom as everyone and everything. So, she would know how dangerous her urine is.

@Liv both, she said she is doing her last radiation on Jan 22.

Depending on the type of radiation you can touch them immediately or some they recommend not touching for a couple days. Chemo though takes 7-14 days usually to leave the body and if you're actively on chemo you get another treatment before that last one wears off. It's excreted in body fluids, so any sweat/urine/spit/etc and should be handled with gloves and immediate cleaning if come into contact with. Nobody should be sharing the bed she sleeps in or really even the bathroom she uses unless she's accurately cleaning every time she uses the toilet and drying with paper towels not cloth hand towels that are shared. This is all pretty standard info they go over. Honestly reach out to the office she goes to and explain that your mil is getting treatment and has had accidents and what the best way to clean or best option is going forward. They won't be breaching HIPPA and they will have the best advice

@Karen Sorry for your loss but I’m worried for my kids. Yes I’m very serious. My kids, husband and I have all been sick since she has left. My infant is vomiting, my 2 year old is vomiting, my body feels like it’s crumbling. So I came here looking for answers.

I would contact a doctor about this.