Would a Neuropsychologist be of help to me? Two years after chemo for breast cancer, I am still dealing with cognitive changes. They were worse for a while, and only recently started to improve. What a relief to be able to do simple math again and not have to redo a whole page of my checkbook! But I am still not the same as before chemo. It isn't entirely explainable. It's partly word-finding, focus, speed, memory--all that stuff that is on chemo-brain lists in the articles I read. It's something else, though, too. I used to be a writer, and also enjoyed different types of projects at home. I had hobbies and interests, had driven myself from VA to NY and back again, went to college to the Master's level, knew how to organize and prepare for presentations, how to converse, defend a thesis...I just was "there" in a different way than I am now. Now I feel so much less present in mind. I don't drive too many places, not too far from home or in a lot of traffic. If I start to think of things I need to do, or projects I should be working on, it all seems to overwhelming to even make a dent in it all. To organize and prepare for a presentation, or to work on a writing project--same story. I am scattered now. I would like to go for a doctorate (not sure what in, too scattered to figure it out), but I can't even imagine sitting through a college lecture now. Just concentrating on this post is giving me a brain ache from the work it is taking. It is not depression. I go around the house singing and I generally enjoy life and feel gratitude for my many blessings. But I am not the same as before. I am just not the same. Been wondering if there is any help I can seek. I do not want drugs. But if there is a way to assess my cognitive function and some therapy to help bring me back to center, that would be nice, if it is affordable. Anyway, if you have thoughts on this, would like to know what they are (I think I would, anyway, LOL).
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Would a Neuropsychologist be of help to me? Two years after chemo for breast cancer, I am still dealing with cognitive changes. They were worse for a while, and only recently started to improve. What a relief to be able to do simple math again and not have to redo a whole page of my checkbook! But I am still not the same as before chemo. It isn't entirely explainable. It's partly word-finding, focus, speed, memory--all that stuff that is on chemo-brain lists in the articles I read. It's something else, though, too. I used to be a writer, and also enjoyed different types of projects at home. I had hobbies and interests, had driven myself from VA to NY and back again, went to college to the Master's level, knew how to organize and prepare for presentations, how to converse, defend a thesis...I just was "there" in a different way than I am now. Now I feel so much less present in mind. I don't drive too many places, not too far from home or in a lot of traffic. If I start to think of things I need to do, or projects I should be working on, it all seems to overwhelming to even make a dent in it all. To organize and prepare for a presentation, or to work on a writing project--same story. I am scattered now. I would like to go for a doctorate (not sure what in, too scattered to figure it out), but I can't even imagine sitting through a college lecture now. Just concentrating on this post is giving me a brain ache from the work it is taking. It is not depression. I go around the house singing and I generally enjoy life and feel gratitude for my many blessings. But I am not the same as before. I am just not the same. Been wondering if there is any help I can seek. I do not want drugs. But if there is a way to assess my cognitive function and some therapy to help bring me back to center, that would be nice, if it is affordable. Anyway, if you have thoughts on this, would like to know what they are (I think I would, anyway, LOL).
December 12, 2009 - 5:19pmThis Comment
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