Chemo brain is one of the lovely side effects from cancer treatment, but sometimes not knowing what is going on can be a good thing!
Apparently, last week our great nation celebrated Independence Day!
I say apparently, because this chemo brain is working overtime, and my husband had to remind me this morning that last week was actually the 4th of July! I’d always heard the term “chemo brain” thrown around, and quite honestly thought is was a joke of sorts.
The medical term for chemo brain is cognitive impairment…..and it gradually dissipates over time after treatment. Mine has gotten SO much better in the past few weeks.
To tell you the truth, I remember very little about the months of April & May. The AC chemo was so strong! We had friends stop by for visits and according to my husband, I sat & chatted with them. I only vaguely recall any of this…..
In the weeks of AC chemo, my short term and long term memory were effected. I also had this very real but very odd side effect.
This is a struggle if you are bed-bound and wanting to binge shows on Netflix! I’d watch an episode (or 4!) in the morning. Then in the afternoon, I would start the upcoming episode and have no recollection of the plots from earlier in the day. Thus, I can’t tell you how many hours of My 600lb Life I ended up watched during this time period!
You can read all about my chemo sessions right here.
My chemo brain fog has changed since chemo treatment began:
- AT FIRST: Short & long term bouts of memory loss during AC chemo. This stayed with me for a few weeks into the Taxol chemo.
- NOW: Much better memory all around, but the conception of time is really skewed for me. Here’s an example: I recall enjoying visiting with my in-laws on the 4th of July, but it seems as if that holiday were weeks ago, not a few days ago.
Even now on Taxol, the first 24 hours are hit or miss. Some weeks, I am just fine and recall every moment of the first 24 hours after treatment. However, on occasion I will see a comment I made on a facebook post and I have very little recollection of typing the post!
Ditto with text messages.
UGH….I really struggle remembering what I said and to whom….thank heavens texting provides a historical point of reference for me!
In a nutshell, I’m glad I don’t remember too much of the weeks on AC.
The fevers, the thrush, the nausea.
There is always a reason for everything!
Do you remember My Upside Down Week Before Chemotherapy? I look back at that week with fondness. It was when I was feeling normal…scared…but normal.
If you are going thru treatment, how are you handling the memory lapses from chemo? I’d love to compare notes – leave a comment below!
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