Connect
← Return to Cognitive changes after chemo
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
I was 76 when I had 12 rounds of chemo and anesthesia for several endoscopic procedures, port placement and then 8 hrs of anesthesia for my Whipple surgery. I have been told by My oncologist that "chemo brain" is a real thing and that I should give myself some Grace. I feel awful complaining about memory loss because My cancer was caught as stage 1. I should be happy I'm still here instead of complaining about not being able to keep up with technology or having trouble scheduling appointments and getting test results on the clinic portal. Trying to print from the portal had me in tears I was so frustrated. I can't keep up with myself anymore! I have to check a calendar every night to remember where I'm supposed to be the next day. I had a cat scan and an MRI but no one explained the results to me. If they had I wouldn't remember anyway! Any suggestions for memory improvement would be appreciated!! BTW crossword puzzles do not help!!!!
Replies to "I was 76 when I had 12 rounds of chemo and anesthesia for several endoscopic procedures,..."
@baravelli
I am 74 and was diagnosed with ILC stage1 grade2 ER+ onco26. My MO wanted me to do chemo and I said no, but will do radiation starting next week and anastrozole for 5-10? Even though I did not do chemo I have a hard time keeping up with technology these days. Everything I do has to be on my phone as soon as I know I have to be somewhere. Sometimes I get so frustrated by trying to print I just give up until later and when I check “My Chart” I am
always looking up every term that’s not familiar again!
My husband and I check the weather and 2 hours later we check it again because for some reason we didn’t log into our brain what the high temperature is going to be today🤷♀️.
The world around us is not the world we grew up in (thank goodness) but it makes it so so difficult to deal with everything but especially new things.
I didn’t have chemo but I still am
concerned about the radiation and drugs and what that’s going to do to my brain and the whole body of me.
Just take the life we have left one day at a time and keep checking your calendar. Sending hugs and healing your way pink sister
Connect
@baravelli If its any consolation, trying to print from an online health portal will make geniuses cry! And technology is in warp speed with changes right now, just like when mobile devices and smart phones were new. The tech guys don’t even know who’s going to win the race with what technology.
Some research has shown that some brain games and puzzles just make our brains better at . . . brain games and puzzles.
From what I’ve read, if you want to remember info, like the week’s events, answering questions about it will help store it in memory. Just reading a list over and over isn’t as successful.
“Chunking” the info into bite size pieces helps.
A standard list of: what are the big events this week? What is on the calendar on Monday? What time and where?
Try to answer them, just to yourself.
When you can answer the questions without referring to your notes, you’re more likely to remember it tomorrow and beyond.
For myself, I know I need to just put these prep and review activities in my schedule. Like on Sunday. Then I’ll feel more confident and less flustered. If I’d only remember to do it . . .