Seeing through the fog!

I used to have an excellent memory! Now I struggle to remember what day it is and why I went from one room into the other to fetch something - but can't remember what!!!

I'd never heard of "chemo brain fog" - nobody mentioned anything about it before I endured my 4 rounds of chemotherapy for womb cancer back in 2010. There was nothing about it in the leaflet that the hospital gave me on the morning of my first session.

Even when,  a week or so after the second session, I noticed that I was getting a little forgetful, no one said "oh, that's chemo brain fog".

It must have been sometime during the 5 weeks of radiotherapy that followed the chemotherapy when I was sat in the waiting room talking to other patients that someone mentioned it! I had to ask what it was!! But of course, I already knew what it was! Loosing concentration; forgetting simple things like my phone number or postcode, even my date of birth that you had to tell the nurses every time you arrived at the radiotherapy unit on a daily basis!!
Then is progressed to not knowing what day of the week it was when I woke up in the morning; walking from one room to another and not remembering what you had gone for. Opening the fridge for something - but not knowing exactly what!!!!

Well, now there has been some research to prove that "chemo brain fog" is something very real!! http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/healthline-connects/chemotherapy-linked-to-decreased-brain-function-112612

Through the use of PET/CT scans researchers have been able to show that there are changes in brain function. It is hoped that by understanding these changes, treatments could be improved.

Other studies showed that cognitive deficits could last for some years after treatment has ended.

At least we now know that its not all in our head, and these problems are real. I guess we just have to learn to accept our new limitations and not get worked up about them.

Somethings are easier said than done though.