My chemo brain
I went to the local Pink ribbon event a couple of weeks ago. It's held at a lovely resort at Wrightsville Beach that has a three story parking deck. I parked on the first level and went inside. 90 minutes later I came out and couldn't find my car. It took me about 15 minutes to find it and honestly there weren't that many vehicles there.
I have chemo brain. At least that's what I think I have but I'll never be completely sure if that's what it is. You see, not only did I have chemo but I also had my ovaries removed, waking up in menopause. So depending on who you ask it's chemo brain or menopause.
I'm in good company though. Kylie Minogue complained that it made her forget everything and Susan Sontag compared hers to symptoms of a stroke. After years of being told it was nothing, or it was all in our heads or even "it's a natural part of aging" research is beginning to show us that it's not. The question then becomes how do you cope with it?
I think that depends on what your symptoms are. Me, I have verbal fluency issues, better known as stammering and stuttering
I'm not the only one and it's starting to be discussed more and more. Does that make it easier? On a day to day basis? No, not really but if you're out there and you think it's all in your head or you're feeling patronized or you think you're just plain losing your mind it is seriously important.
Oncologists are wonderful but their goal is to keep you alive if that is what you're aiming for. The side effects of the treatments you receive are viewed through a medical lens; does the drug damage your kidneys.
Luckily research is starting to be done about the long term effects of chemotherapy on the brain. If you are experiencing it, tell your physician and if you're talking to other survivors, talk to them. The last time I was at a gathering and the subject came up two women burst into tears of relief. They thought they were the only ones and that they were losing their minds and instead, well there were more of us with issues than we'd like to admit.
3 comments:
I have menopause memory, giggle. Wishing you happiness, Katherine
Verbal fluency issues? Fantastic, now I know I didn't have a stroke. Or Alzheimer's. Or too many drinks. Well, maybe! But apparently it is a real issue and I didn't know that. Now I've got an excuse LOL.
Hmmm menopause memory is one I hadn't yet seen, thanks for the heads up.
As for verbal fluency here's an example. I'll be talking to someone and remember I need to get something from my car for them but I can't remember the word car. I can describe it, "you know, that thing I use to get to work that has tires and lights and windshield wipers."
Then the person I'm walking to will say "A car?"
"Yeah my car" and we can move on from there. It's almost like the book that has a picture but not the word I need.
Anyway, that's me.
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