On my daily internet tour of news, I uncovered this little
nugget. It shows that researchers have actually discovered the reality of "chemo-brain," the often experienced side effect of chemotherapy which results on loss of mental clarity/sharpness, short-term memory loss, and, for some, an emotional roller coaster of moods. While it doesn't really matter to me whether chemo brain is validated medically, I am just glad that for many who experience it there is science backing up their claims.
I know what I deal with as the side effects of my treatment, and am not too worried if others (non-medical practitioners) do not believe me or understand them. So, there you go, it IS real and not just the mass hysteria or psychological acceptance of rumored side effects we in treatment convince ourselves we are experiencing.
So very, very true. And no one is told ahead of time, at least no one I know has been; the fight is to live, not think. I have reached 3.5 years remission with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. My cancer was aggressive, chemo was intense - 8 hour treatments once per week for 6 months. My oncologist answered me honestly a year ago -- "Yes, by now the symptoms of chemo-brain that were going to abate have done so. What you are still experiencing can be considered permanent.
ReplyDeleteMy father died from Alzheimer's. My mother had Dementia with Lewey Bodies. I have residual chemo-brain and more compassion for what they suffered than ever before.