Chemo, Radiation Side-Effects

I haven't felt any serious side-effects from the whole-brain radiation I had earlier this month or the new chemo I've just started on. But there have been a few minor things I've been feeling since August 17, when I had seizures caused by the growing tumors in my brain. Some of these side-effects may be due to the medications I'm on, rather than the radiation or chemo.

1) Short-term memory loss. My radiation oncologist warned me that this was likely to happen. I didn't think it was happening to me, though, until yesterday. A friend told me that a mutual friend of ours was expecting a baby. I was so excited for our friend; the news made my day. Later during the day, I told Tony the exciting news. He told me that I had already heard that news when we went over to our friend's house for dinner a few weeks ago and she announced it to us herself. I was just as excited then as I was yesterday. So I guess I have indeed lost some of my short-term memory. The upside of this is that I can hear the same thing over and over again and be just as excited each time.

2) Insomnia. This is due to the anti-seizure medications and steroids I'm on, I think. Since my seizures, I think I've had an average of 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I had resisted taking sleeping pills because I already have so many drugs swirling around in my body, I was worried there might be some interaction and I could die in my sleep. But my sleeplessness was affecting my behavior with the kids so I finally gave in a few nights ago and took a sleeping pill. It didn't work. I slept for two hours straight then woke up and couldn't get back to sleep for another three hours.

3) Fuzzy buzz. I believe this is due to the anti-seizure medications I'm on. Since my seizures, I've been on a nice little drug-induced high. It feels a bit like I'm tipsy or on drugs - a nice, mellow state of mind. I'm usually an anal retentive, tightly-coiled, short-tempered control freak. But lately, I'm a relaxed, slow-moving, Big Lebowski. Petty little things that used to bother me don't seem to upset me anymore. I like this new me.

4) Dumb and dumber. I'm not sure if this is due to the radiation or the drugs I'm on, but I'm hoping it's only temporary. My mind is not as lucid or sharp as it used to be. I can actually feel myself struggling to follow a train of thought or figure something out logically. I can feel myself being dumber than I used to be. It's a bit scary to sense that your intellectual capacity is slipping away, especially when you think your brain is your best feature, as I always have. So now I've lost my breasts and my brain. Hmmm... which body part will go next?

5) Hair loss. My hair has fallen out again. This could be due to the radiation or the chemo or a combination of both.

Luckily, none of these side-effects are serious or debilitating, and for that, I'm grateful.