Yesterday was a perfect, sunny, spring day and the weatherman promises the same for all next week. Yet, we are still in the winter season here in the Southern Hemisphere. Yesterday it was over 20C and it is expected to be up to 24C tomorrow. It's very welcome as I walk more and more to improve my physical strength. I try to walk every day when the weather is good and I am signing up for the gym next week if I remember to get a doctor's certificate to exercise.
Last week I forgot, what with all the things I had to discuss about my visit to the eye hospital. This coming week I have to have a blood test for diabetes, and then the only test remaining is an MRI to rule out vascular problems in the brain. I am pretty sure that will be clear too, as my brain is the only part of me that seems to function as well, if not better, than before this current visit from my cancer monster.
My brain. I think I may have mentioned before that I had post chemotherapy cognitive disfunction, or chemobrain, for at least three or four years after my first chemotherapy in 2006-7. It was a nightmare. This time I am foggy while I take the cyclophosphamide pills, but as soon as I stop the fog clears and I can think clearly. What joy!
Since I am chemo free for most of this month, I am focusing on my writing. This time I am thinking of entering the Calibre essay competition ran by the Australian Book Review. I started the research two weeks ago and am really fired up, as I know I have only until 28 August before the fog descends for another two weeks (if my blood test is OK, that is).
I find the chemo much more manageable now that I can plan my activities. I seem to take things in stride. I focus on seeing my friends and doing my research. I do my brain exercises every day and try to do creative writing exercises as often as I can as well for this month. I have to be careful not to overdo things, which I have a terrible tendency for. Tomorrow, I am starting an online course in Data Journalism. I am hoping it will help me with mining the data I am collecting for my essay.
So, there's method to my madness, but I still have to watch that I do only as much as my energy allows. And this is my challenge for now: to do what I love to do, but stay within the constraints dictated by my health. I think that's one of the hardest lessons to learn in this journey.
Showing posts with label chemobrain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chemobrain. Show all posts
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
When symptoms subside
One of the most important things to do during this cancer journey is to stay abreast of what goes on in the outside world. It is normal and natural, I think to focus inward at the beginning, when everything is scary and it feels like your whole world is falling apart. But, when the medications kick in and the physical pain and discomfort fall by the wayside, it's very important to reclaim one's normalcy. That's what I am trying to do right now.
Last Tudesday (4th June, 2013) I had my second dose of Methotrexate and 5FU. My cousin Anna came up from Melbourne for two days, to help me with any side effects, in case my reaction was as bad as the last time. It wasn't. This time, the Professor changed the treatment. I didn't have to take the Cyclophosphamide pills concurrently and everything was given intravenously, including the Prednisone. This way my stomach was spared.
The first day after the chemo, I felt positively well. I remembered the same effect seven years ago, when I was told that the Prednisone helps with the side effects of chemotherapy and can increase one's appetite. I also seem to have had more energy, so Anna and I went for a nice walk. The next day was diferent and I slept most of the time. Sleep was on the main agenda until today, when I drove with my friend Sue to get some errands done and get a coffee at our favourite cafe down the road.
Today, the fatigue is more manageable and tomorrow I hope to be able to get back to doing some work on my writing projects.
One of the proactive things I am doing to get back to normal and avoid 'chemobrain', is to do brain exercises specifically developed to help with this condition. The software I use is called BrainHQ, from Posit Science. A number of years ago I participated in a study that compared their Insight program to other, commercially available, brain training programs to see which one is more effective in helping overcome chemobrain. I happened to be in the Insight group and found it wonderful. My chemobrain, which plagued me for three years after the chemo treatment, 'lifted' after about 10 months of intense excercise. So, I was really happy to discover that it had been recently incorporated into BrainHQ.
Last Tudesday (4th June, 2013) I had my second dose of Methotrexate and 5FU. My cousin Anna came up from Melbourne for two days, to help me with any side effects, in case my reaction was as bad as the last time. It wasn't. This time, the Professor changed the treatment. I didn't have to take the Cyclophosphamide pills concurrently and everything was given intravenously, including the Prednisone. This way my stomach was spared.
The first day after the chemo, I felt positively well. I remembered the same effect seven years ago, when I was told that the Prednisone helps with the side effects of chemotherapy and can increase one's appetite. I also seem to have had more energy, so Anna and I went for a nice walk. The next day was diferent and I slept most of the time. Sleep was on the main agenda until today, when I drove with my friend Sue to get some errands done and get a coffee at our favourite cafe down the road.
Today, the fatigue is more manageable and tomorrow I hope to be able to get back to doing some work on my writing projects.
One of the proactive things I am doing to get back to normal and avoid 'chemobrain', is to do brain exercises specifically developed to help with this condition. The software I use is called BrainHQ, from Posit Science. A number of years ago I participated in a study that compared their Insight program to other, commercially available, brain training programs to see which one is more effective in helping overcome chemobrain. I happened to be in the Insight group and found it wonderful. My chemobrain, which plagued me for three years after the chemo treatment, 'lifted' after about 10 months of intense excercise. So, I was really happy to discover that it had been recently incorporated into BrainHQ.
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