One survivor offers her suggestions to handle chemo brain as she copes with her almost-10-year-old chemo brain.
BY BARBARA TAKO
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor (2010), melanoma survivor (2014) and author of Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools–We'll Get You Through This. She is a cancer coping advocate, speaker and published writer for television, radio and other venues across the country. She lives, survives, and thrives in Minnesota with her husband, children and dog. See more at www.cancersurvivorshipcopingtools.com,or www.clutterclearingchoices.com.
The science now matches what people like me who had chemotherapy, and five years of an aromatase inhibitor, have actually been experiencing and talking about for years — chemo brain. Unfortunately, chemo brain lasts longer for some cancer survivors than for others.
I do not offer this as a reason not to have chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was an important part of my cancer treatment. Sometimes I just miss my old brain, and I do think things have improved for me over the years. Still, I am more forgetful, and I struggle more to form coherent sentences since my cancer treatment almost ten years ago. I struggle more with fatigue too. And yet, I am grateful, completely grateful and fortunate to still be here. Life is good, but it is still important to understand how to deal with this life-altering side effect.
I do not offer this as a reason not to have chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was an important part of my cancer treatment. Sometimes I just miss my old brain, and I do think things have improved for me over the years. Still, I am more forgetful, and I struggle more to form coherent sentences since my cancer treatment almost ten years ago. I struggle more with fatigue too. And yet, I am grateful, completely grateful and fortunate to still be here. Life is good, but it is still important to understand how to deal with this life-altering side effect.
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