Delayed Chemo Brain

Although I have felt pretty good lately, I still think I actually felt better during treatment!  I have had more asthma issues, tiredness and memory failure than ever before.  Now, part of that may be my return to a more aggressive work schedule, but I am beginning to wonder.  I never actually felt the effects of chemo-brain that everyone talks about, but recently it has reared it’s ugly head.  Is it possible to get a side-effect a year later??

It is so hard to tell after treatment for a disease, what to attribute to the cancer, and what is just part of normal aging/life.  I have become a bit more aware, and over-reacting a lot less.  However last week was atrocious.  I made several very critical errors at work that normally I never would have done.  I am very cautious and careful in my work, and thought I was then, yet found myself somehow really screwing up.  This time I can’t attribute it to learning curve, so I wonder what is going on.  It is very unlike me.  I also find I have occasional difficulty focusing as well.  Is it because I am pushing myself too much?  Or could it be due to the clinical trial?  Today when I went to shut down my computer, I actually couldn’t remember how!  I realize it was early in the morning, we were rushing to leave Cheryl’s, but still…..  I think I will be mentioning this to the clinical trial nurse and my oncologist.  It is very difficult to find yourself slipping and not know why. 

We did have a productive day at Cheryl’s though, and it felt good to do something I am good at (although I did still make a couple of miscalculations that are abnormal for me).  We went to help them clean out their storage area and laundry room.  Although it did take all of Saturday, the results were pretty impressive.

Organized Storage Room

Immaculate Laundry Room

We elevated things off the floor (using 4 X 4 supports and wood planks) just in time, as the next morning the pipes backed up and flooded the room!  We were exhausted, but satisfied by the evening.  Maggie was a great help and she looked like we all felt by 9 PM! 

Christmas 2010

Warren Family Christmas at Sugarloaf.

I know, it has been awhile, but the holidays were busy.  We felt a bit like National Lampoon’s Christmas, as we crammed 4 adults, 3 dogs, skis/boots, Christmas presents and luggage into a Subaru Forester for an 8-10 hour trip.  Believe me, a jelly bean would not have found room!This is a view of my foot space in the front seat – I had 3 bags and my purse sharing the room.  2 dogs, Maggie and Dakota (the chocolate lab) shared the back section with luggage, how comfortable does that look?:

Of course the ‘Captain’ of the car got his own prime space in the back seat, more room than any of the adults.  How did that dog get such special treatment?Actually it went pretty well – we dropped Kevin (and Maggie and Dakota)  in Portsmouth to meet up with his dad (he spent Christmas there with his sister).  The girls, Murphy and I headed first to my parents, and then up to Sugarloaf, Maine to spend the holiday with my brother’s family.  This was the view from our room:

And a view from the mountain taken by my talented nephew who is on ski patrol.  He also is one of the great folks that rescued 150 people from the chair lift at Sugarloaf recently when it broke down.  Took only 1 1/2 hours to get all the remaining skiers off the lift.  He happened to be on patrol that day.  It is a beautiful setting, they had a nice covering of snow, and decent ski conditions.  We had a nice time eating (a lot), drinking (also a lot) and catching up on the past year.  They did a wonderful job hosting all of us, and it is a picturesque place to spend Christmas. Exhausting though, as you can tell by my mom’s expression at the end of Christmas day!

Next we headed to NH to meet up with Kevin.  More snow was expected, and it came in full force – fortunately the day AFTER we arrived.  We were snowed in, played some dominos, read and relaxed.  And what would a holiday be without torturing the dogs with a costume or two?  (There were reindeer antlers as well, but I will spare you that)  My sister-in-law loves to make the animals in the family spoiled AND feel foolish The trip home was just as crowded, and we even left the skis in NH.  It became more exciting the last hour, when I was holding Maggie in the back seat.  She picked that time to decide to throw up – many times, and no bags could be found.  We made due with an empty cracker box (very ineffective) and my sweatshirt.  Needless to say I was in the shower within 1/2 hour of our return home.  She made a trip to the vet 2 days later, no idea what was wrong, but 2 shots and a bland diet kicked it.

It was nice to spend the extra time with the girls, and we are so grateful they make family a priority.  For Jan especially, it is a commitment, she must drive 5 hours first just to get to us.  For Cheryl, the vacation is precious and she saves enough every year.  Great memories to store away!