Memory improvement/cognitive function after treatment/surgery

acs123

I am writing to help a dear friend who is experiencing memory problems. She is not able to recall what she did the previous day, what she ate for breakfast. She may know something in broad detail e.g. that she has received an invitation to a friend's party, but cannot tell you when it will take place or more information about it. She may also confuse aspects of the event that she is trying to relate. She can ask the same question several times and it is clear that she cannot hold on to the information.

My question is the following: has there been any improvement in memory function/cognitive abilities from any medication that has been prescribed for you or the person that you are caring for?

Please would you also share anything else that has helped with memory function or cognitive abilities.

I would really very much appreciate any information that you can share - I think that people in the same situation reaching out to each other is one of the richest sources of valuable information and help.

djwood84

Patience and Persistence

It can be so very frustrating to say "I'm sorry, I completely forgot what we were talking about..." and "Can you tell me a little more detail?  I know broadly what you're talking about but I can't find it in my mind."

Part of what she needs to do is cut herself some slack.  Blaming herself for not remembering, or getting frustrated is not only unproductive, it's destructive to her spirit.  Get a daily planner, write down the important stuff.  Get a calendar app on your phone and setup a lot of reminders.  Eat a well balanced diet with plenty of brain foods, vitamins and fish oil.  Take time to rest when you get tired, your brain won't run as long as it used to.  Immeidately following surgery I also used some brain training software, like Lumocity, to help improve cognitive function.

Sleep, exercise the body and mind, eat healthy, write down the big stuff and be patient with yourself.  What you can recover will come with time, what you've lost is less important than it might feel right now.

lthenderson

Only Time

I have found one of the hardest things for people to grasp is that brain cancer kills brain cells and they never come back. With time, sometime lots of time, the brain can be rewired to use other channels to pick up lost functions and lost memories. My mother's memory has never been the same since the original surgery and radiation. It has improved over time but I doubt it will ever be back to where it was. The rest of us have learned to adapt to this.