My primary question is ---

Since Chemo weakens the immune system, is there a guideline on how clean to make her living environment on return from hospital?

I presume "really clean" is in order, but I need a reference to support demanding that "extreme" measures be taken in making the house non-hazardous. (To the jokers involved, "extreme" means anything over and above vaccumming).

For instance... can / should cancer patients keep birds? I've heard that they are filthy, and at least one person has advised getting rid of parakeets. Certainly she can't handle them or clean the cage.

I'm thinking several 50 gallon aquariums might support too many kinds of bacterial life to be kept around, but I don't want to tell the kid he has to get rid of his pet fish if it isn't really necessary.

I'm thiniking steam cleaning the carpets and upgrading the filtration on the furnace is in order.

What about infection related restrictions? No fresh veggies I've been told... certainly she can't clean up after the dog. Presume the dog has to be groomed much more often too, if it will be allowed to be around her.

Her boyfriend collects all manner of crap --- can't seem to throw out a newspaper. I'm concerned about mildew. Should the basement be gone over with bleach?

-My 4 year old daughter (3 yrs at time of diagnosis) has leukemia (ALL) and was on several types of chemo including MTX that left her with almost no immune system at all. When we left for the home the first time we were given some instructions on going home.

We washed all the walls, cleaned the carpets/floors and added a few air cleaners. We have electric heat so we didn't have a furnace to worry about but it was suggested that we get the ducts cleaned if we had forced air heat.

We only have one cat as a pet and we told that it would be fine as long as any vaccines that the cat gets are not "live".

We had two aquariums but we told that any sitting water was a breeding ground for bateria so they had to go, fresh flowers wern't allowed either with the water in the vases.

Mold and mildew is a huge concern, we were told that we couldn't go anywhere where renovations were being done because mold is common behind drywall and when the demolision is done it stirs up to mold spores into the air.

We were very cafefull will food and drinks with cooking and storing.

These are by no means "rules" but it was either what we were told or what we did to prepare for going home.