One thing that you hear about when you start chemotherapy is Chemo Brain. Sounds like a joke, doesn’t it? But no, it is an actual condition.
Apparently as you get more chemo drugs in your system and more fatigue sets in, your brain gets in a bit of a fog. Multi-tasking gets harder and you get really forgetful. For example, if I am concentrating at my computer at work and someone comes in and asks me a question, I might look at them like they are speaking a foreign language. Or I might leave for work in the morning and get half way down my hallway and realize that I forgot to put on shoes. It is very unsettling.
On the upside, when I do some really dingbat thing, I have something that I can blame it on. But other than the hair loss, this is the symptom that I am most anxious to be done with. The oncologist promises that it does get better. Of course for things where I was a dingbat already, well there is no fixing that…..
One of my water aerobics pals is a breast cancer survivor who had chemo/radiation/surgery a number of years ago. She calls the chemo effect "mush brain." I know you'll be celebrating when all that's over with and you're feeling up to the next challenge. Did you ever meet Judy Armstrong, in our DAR chapter? She's another breast cancer survivor, for the last 10 years.
ReplyDeleteDebbie - I think of you every time I visit someone in the hospital or a nursing home who is cranky - not because you are cranky in any way, of course, but because I'm wishing they could channel their Inner Debbie.
ReplyDeleteI'd pick foggy over cranky any day. You are my hero. Jan