Forgetfulness, inability to put my thoughts into words..

2

Comments

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #22
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I expected it would go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be an insanity savior for me. I may even start realizing that Im not crazy after all. I literally knew nobody that had dealt with cancer and therefore had nobody I could talk to who was actually going through the same things I was.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #23
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I expected it would go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be an insanity savior for me. I may even start realizing that Im not crazy after all. I literally knew nobody that had dealt with cancer and therefore had nobody I could talk to who was actually going through the same things I was.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #24
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #25
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #26
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #27
    ketziah35 said:

    It is called chemobrain in
    It is called chemobrain in various places. My mom ended chemo in2010. Chemo brain is a mainstay now along with neurapothy. She has a reflexologist to help with that.

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #28
    cinreag said:

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.

    Just Yesterday
    My neighbor boy was at home as I came out of my house, and I saw he had been in the water and asked him he had fun going, "um, the, the, uh", and he asked are you okay? And I said, yes, I'm just trying to think of the word for that thing in your truck", and he said, "yes, I went surfing", I couldn't think of what a surfboard was called although I live in surf fun loving Santa Cruz, see my neighbor boy (he's like a second son)off to go surfing all the time, the word surfing and surf board just couldn't surface in my brain, and I know surfboarding well. It only happens occasionally with me now, but I do hate when it happens.
    Winter Marie
  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #29
    Cindy
    try doing crossword puzzles. And make sure you find the answers for the words you didn't know! This will improve your vocabulary. If you cannot say the word you want, perhaps a synonym for it will come out. I often need to do this since I cannot spell worth a damn. GOOD LUCK
  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #30
    Cindy
    try doing crossword puzzles. And make sure you find the answers for the words you didn't know! This will improve your vocabulary. If you cannot say the word you want, perhaps a synonym for it will come out. I often need to do this since I cannot spell worth a damn. GOOD LUCK
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #31
    cinreag said:

    Back door approach
    Hmmm.... will have to have "sneaking up on words by a back door approach" explained to me. My guess would be one of two possible meanings 1) talk very slowly or 2) try to talk very fast and get your words out before your brain has a chance to forget. But I would be interested in hearing what your meaning is.

    Back door
    The back door (as I call it) can be different methods to get at that elusive word. If it's a word that's easily rhymed, you can start with other words. For example, if I'm having trouble saying "I need to put my boots on" I might rely on what's known as Cockney market language in England. I'll start with something like whistle and flutes, Daisy roots, cowboy boots to get at it. Or if there's a synonym as in the case of boots, I can just say shoes. In my previous example of Boston, I might just settle for calling it Bean Town.

    And like Danker suggested, puzzles are a great help. I kick start my noggin every morning with a crossword puzzle, a Sudoku and a couple of games of Mahjongg to help get the mental juices flowing.

    After a while, your body can get used to chemo and the effect of chemo-brain may wear off a bit. It's been some time since I've "lost" a word. In the meantime, try to have a little bit of fun with it. A few months ago when my thinking would get a bit strange I started getting philosophical about Dr. Suess and had a great time with it and it helped to exercise the brain.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #32
    Doc_Hawk said:

    Howdy Cindy
    Salmon is one of my favorite fish especially for sashimi and sushi. When I do cook it, my preferred method is smoking. When I do that I get several large filets and smoke enough to last most people a month (me about three days!) I like hard smoke (what we grew up calling Indian Candy) as opposed to gravlax or soft smoked. I also make a pretty good salmon thermidor and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi salmon which is "cooked" by first curing with salt and then marinating in citrus juice.

    Ray/Doc

    hi Ray/doc
    Hawaiian lomi lomi salmon marinated in citrus juice. Sounds yummy.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #33
    Doc_Hawk said:

    Back door
    The back door (as I call it) can be different methods to get at that elusive word. If it's a word that's easily rhymed, you can start with other words. For example, if I'm having trouble saying "I need to put my boots on" I might rely on what's known as Cockney market language in England. I'll start with something like whistle and flutes, Daisy roots, cowboy boots to get at it. Or if there's a synonym as in the case of boots, I can just say shoes. In my previous example of Boston, I might just settle for calling it Bean Town.

    And like Danker suggested, puzzles are a great help. I kick start my noggin every morning with a crossword puzzle, a Sudoku and a couple of games of Mahjongg to help get the mental juices flowing.

    After a while, your body can get used to chemo and the effect of chemo-brain may wear off a bit. It's been some time since I've "lost" a word. In the meantime, try to have a little bit of fun with it. A few months ago when my thinking would get a bit strange I started getting philosophical about Dr. Suess and had a great time with it and it helped to exercise the brain.

    Guess you might as well try
    Guess you might as well try to have fun with it, if its something you are going to have to live with anyway.
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #34
    cinreag said:

    chemobrain
    I was told to expect it during treatment but I was expecting it to go away after stopping treatment. This site is going to be such a help to me. My family had never been touched by cancer. We knew next to nothing about it. I dint know anyone who has been through this so therefore I havent been able to talk to people who actually knew what I was going through. My family members are happy tgat I have found this site.

    Chemobrain still trying to figure out what to do when my phone is locked up and wont let me post my replies. Guess I have just learned that you dont keep hitting the post comment button!!!
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #35
    herdizziness said:

    Just Yesterday
    My neighbor boy was at home as I came out of my house, and I saw he had been in the water and asked him he had fun going, "um, the, the, uh", and he asked are you okay? And I said, yes, I'm just trying to think of the word for that thing in your truck", and he said, "yes, I went surfing", I couldn't think of what a surfboard was called although I live in surf fun loving Santa Cruz, see my neighbor boy (he's like a second son)off to go surfing all the time, the word surfing and surf board just couldn't surface in my brain, and I know surfboarding well. It only happens occasionally with me now, but I do hate when it happens.
    Winter Marie

    Winter Marie
    That sounds really familiar!!! I get frustrated and then badly embarrassed when people just quietly look at me and sit and wait for me to finally find the word Im searching for. Its like Im about ready to make me a flash card that I can hold up that says "help me out here cant think of my word"!!!!
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #36
    danker said:

    Cindy
    try doing crossword puzzles. And make sure you find the answers for the words you didn't know! This will improve your vocabulary. If you cannot say the word you want, perhaps a synonym for it will come out. I often need to do this since I cannot spell worth a damn. GOOD LUCK

    Danker
    Thanks for the tip!!
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #37
    One thing helpful is rest but you probably already know that. Chemo fog is so bad that I'm not sure anything helps and I'm sorry that you are experiencing this. You really don't point out what stage of the game you are in as far as treatment or post or pre so if you could give us a little bit more info we might be able to help more. Hope you are feeling better.

    Kim
  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    #38
    Cinreag
    I start talking and can't get out what I'm trying to say. Stammering, part words. So frustrating, makes me not want to talk in front of people.
    Sandy :)
  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #39
    Annabelle41415 said:

    One thing helpful is rest but you probably already know that. Chemo fog is so bad that I'm not sure anything helps and I'm sorry that you are experiencing this. You really don't point out what stage of the game you are in as far as treatment or post or pre so if you could give us a little bit more info we might be able to help more. Hope you are feeling better.

    Kim

    Post treatment 26 months
    Hi, Kim. My information is limited. I was very sick and hospitalized 3 different times from march-may 2010. I finally srarted doctoring with a colon dr. who was convinced I had crohns. The meds never made any difference. He finally ordered exploratory surgery, during which they found a tumor in my small intestine. This was removed. I was alone in the hospital when the Dr came in and told me it was malignant and I had a very rare form of cancer. Needless to say even being on morphine I was shocked. An onc was called in, he immediately ordered a port placement, which I refused. I told the docs and my family I needed to rhink some. Anyway the onc set me up for a 2nd opinion at a major hospital in Indianapolis. I was told I needed at least 6 months of chem. There was a 50/50 chance of this cancer coming back to liver or abdomen. The doc stated specifically that if it came back "there will be no cure".My two sisters who were with me started to cry. The doc said if I take this 6months of chemo my chances would improve 20%. I said ok to the treatment. Took the infusions at the infusion center, came home hooked on a pump which infused me 24hrs a day for 2(?) days. I stopped chemo after 1month. The 20% better chance wasnt worth the other things going wrong from the chemo. Got sick again in Feb 2011. Had a second expkoratory, nothing found. Thats been almost 2 years ago. Just came out of a rough couple of two months where,my digestive system was constantly in an uproar with awful bad stomach pain. Now the last week I couldnt feel any better. Feel fine except for my brain fog that just wont clear up. I stutter and stammer and I get very nervous easily. Thats my background. My next bloodwork is due in Nov. Even though I went against my onc suggestion, he still keeps an eye on me. I hope this comment isnt full of misspelled words. Im on a phone and its crazy!! Cant proofread this article because my husband is pacing the floir waiting on me to ride to town with him.
  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #40
    I'm trying the top 50 best
    I'm trying the top 50 best things to eat when you have cancer. There are whole websites that talk about foods to eat and foods to avoid and why. You can google what to eat during cancer. What to avoid during cancer. I haven't figured it all out myself but my plate has become very colorful lately and I've discovered the joy of crockpot cooking in the last two weeks. The brighter foods are supposed to be the best. The challenge is to figure out how to eat them without sabotaging the chemo progress.

    I've become a great source of entertainment for my kids since I've been mixing up words or saying okay wait a minute, the words in there . . . . .[play jeopardy music] . . . and then everyone pops out words and I say no not that one, no that's not it and finally I find the word. I don't really like fish which is an issue. I've increased my tuna fish intake to once a week. Canned salmon is actually recommended on the websites. It has to be wild. I bought the canned salmon but have yet to try it. I read that the canned salmon is just as good as fresh store bought for its nutritional value.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #41
    cinreag said:

    Post treatment 26 months
    Hi, Kim. My information is limited. I was very sick and hospitalized 3 different times from march-may 2010. I finally srarted doctoring with a colon dr. who was convinced I had crohns. The meds never made any difference. He finally ordered exploratory surgery, during which they found a tumor in my small intestine. This was removed. I was alone in the hospital when the Dr came in and told me it was malignant and I had a very rare form of cancer. Needless to say even being on morphine I was shocked. An onc was called in, he immediately ordered a port placement, which I refused. I told the docs and my family I needed to rhink some. Anyway the onc set me up for a 2nd opinion at a major hospital in Indianapolis. I was told I needed at least 6 months of chem. There was a 50/50 chance of this cancer coming back to liver or abdomen. The doc stated specifically that if it came back "there will be no cure".My two sisters who were with me started to cry. The doc said if I take this 6months of chemo my chances would improve 20%. I said ok to the treatment. Took the infusions at the infusion center, came home hooked on a pump which infused me 24hrs a day for 2(?) days. I stopped chemo after 1month. The 20% better chance wasnt worth the other things going wrong from the chemo. Got sick again in Feb 2011. Had a second expkoratory, nothing found. Thats been almost 2 years ago. Just came out of a rough couple of two months where,my digestive system was constantly in an uproar with awful bad stomach pain. Now the last week I couldnt feel any better. Feel fine except for my brain fog that just wont clear up. I stutter and stammer and I get very nervous easily. Thats my background. My next bloodwork is due in Nov. Even though I went against my onc suggestion, he still keeps an eye on me. I hope this comment isnt full of misspelled words. Im on a phone and its crazy!! Cant proofread this article because my husband is pacing the floir waiting on me to ride to town with him.

    Update
    Thanks for the information and it sure sounds like you have been through a lot. Ultimately the decision to have treatment or not is up to you and glad that your doctor is still seeing you. Glad that you are feeling better too. I'm still having problem forgetting things or the words not coming out right. Hope it gets better for you soon.

    Kim

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