Do You Have Chemo Brain?

It has taken some time, but now science and medicine acknowledge that chemo brain is a real side effect of chemotherapy. It can last for a few months or can linger on for years. 
   
Chemo brain is characterized by mental confusion, inability to multi-task, memory problems, the inability to concentrate, and vocabulary problems – either the inability to think of a common word or the inability to say the word aloud and say a different word or words instead.

Chemo brain can be funny at times (particularly to one’s relatives and children) but mostly it is a frustrating and sometimes frightening state of affairs.  I have had chemotherapy twice and have gone through this experience both times. Even 3 years past the second chemo, it still strikes me when I am overly tired or stressed.

I composed a list of chemo brain incidents I personally experienced. If you can relate to these, you have probably experienced chemo brain too!

1. You lose your purse, cell phone and
     keys on a regular basis. You’ve been
     known to “misplace” your children
     from time to time but they always
     come back.

2.  You lose your ability to think of
      everyday words. To compensate,
      you speak in awkward descriptive
      sentences like, “can you pass me
      a…a…little round dead cow?” at the
      neighborhood barbecue when you
      want a hamburger.

3.   Your brain finally comes up with
       right word but your mouth
       has a mind of its own with random
       semi-related words coming out at
       unexpected times. Now that you
       have your burger, your brain thinks
       bun but your mouth asks for toast
       to put on your hamburger.
        
   4. You get used to your children
        thinking you are being funny
        while your friends, neighbors, and
        fellow co-workers think you are
        drunk, crazy, or suffering early
        stage dementia whenever you
        open your mouth to speak.

      5. It’s a good day at work when the
           only thing mismatched is your
           socks. Although your employer
           complains, at least they don’t
           know about the time you drove
           halfway to work in your pajamas
           before realizing you weren’t
           appropriately dressed.

       6.  You drive home from work and
             realize you have no memory of
             the ride home.
             

       7.  You find yourself at the
             grocery store or mall with no
             idea why you are there or what
             you came to buy.

 .       8.  You can listen to the same old
               gossip time and again as you                           have no memory of hearing
               the story the first time round.

          9.  You are cooking and the
                phone rings. You forget about
                making dinner until the
                smoke detector reminds you.

           10.  You decide to tackle chemo
                   brain head-on by making to-
                   do lists and putting them in
                   safe places. You
                   immediately forget where
                   those safe places are.

      
These are my personal top ten hits of chemo brain. I’m sure there are many more, but frankly I have forgotten them. Please let me know I’m not alone in my daze and confusion. I’d love to hear the funny and not so funny things chemo brain did to you in the comments below.    

            

       

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