For many years cancer survivors have worried about, joked about, and been frustrated with the mental cloudiness they notice during, and after chemotherapy. Even though its exact cause isn't always known, this mental fog is commonly called "chemo brain." Patients have been aware of chemo brain for some time, but only recently have studies been done that could start to explain it. Stress, Low blood counts, Sleep problems, Infection, Depression, Tiredness (fatigue), Hormone changes or hormone treatments, Anxiety or other emotional distress. Most of these cause short-term problems, and get better as the underlying problem is treated or goes away.
So when I started reading about chemo brain it was well, kind of scary, no one wants to think that your brain may not be as sharp. When I was diagnosed back in September I had just registered for my last quarter of school. I had started attending GRCC the winter quarter of 2008/2009 when I discovered the world had been passing me by while I had worked for twenty plus years at an outdated company. I had my doubts when I started school and had to put everything I had into learning again, but I did it and was embracing the opportunity. I realized two weeks into my last quarter, after missing classes for appointments that school would have to be put on hold.
It has recently been brought to my attention that some of my blogs have some typos and other mistakes, some are even quite funny. After reading some of them over and over again I don’t see the mistakes until they are brought to my attention. Now I will be the first to admit that spelling is my biggest down fall and I have never been a writer by any means. When I started this blog it made life so much easier. I would get several calls a day from my caring family and friends wanting to know how I was doing or what was next. I found myself telling the same story several times a day, with the blog I could talk about my day and anyone that wanted to know would be up to date. (Don’t get me wrong I still love the phone calls and visitors).
I’m looking forward to finishing school and really thought I would be back by now but have decided to take it slow and not try to rush things. I’m not sure about the chemo brain but I think for now I’ll go with it.
So when I started reading about chemo brain it was well, kind of scary, no one wants to think that your brain may not be as sharp. When I was diagnosed back in September I had just registered for my last quarter of school. I had started attending GRCC the winter quarter of 2008/2009 when I discovered the world had been passing me by while I had worked for twenty plus years at an outdated company. I had my doubts when I started school and had to put everything I had into learning again, but I did it and was embracing the opportunity. I realized two weeks into my last quarter, after missing classes for appointments that school would have to be put on hold.
It has recently been brought to my attention that some of my blogs have some typos and other mistakes, some are even quite funny. After reading some of them over and over again I don’t see the mistakes until they are brought to my attention. Now I will be the first to admit that spelling is my biggest down fall and I have never been a writer by any means. When I started this blog it made life so much easier. I would get several calls a day from my caring family and friends wanting to know how I was doing or what was next. I found myself telling the same story several times a day, with the blog I could talk about my day and anyone that wanted to know would be up to date. (Don’t get me wrong I still love the phone calls and visitors).
I’m looking forward to finishing school and really thought I would be back by now but have decided to take it slow and not try to rush things. I’m not sure about the chemo brain but I think for now I’ll go with it.
