Hi - I am due to start chemo in a couple of weeks and have been reading up about side effects. Now I have found one that scares me way more than the rest of them put together - and apparently this can be permanent!!
I have read that ‘chemo brain’ is basically brain damage, which in some cases means that you are no longer able to do your job. This is NOT an option for me as I am the only breadwinner in our family and I have a little boy to support. I only have a small salary as it is and was relying on further study (I am doing a part time Masters on top of working fulltime) so that I can hopefully earn more one day. I am not a ‘selfish’ career obsessed woman - I just want to give my son all the opportunities he deserves.
Do any of you out there know more or have experience of this side-effect being permanent? Like more than a few months/a year after chemo? Or not - also I would love to hear from you if you have achieved new stuff after chemo/cancer - any silver linings to all this horrible stuff?
I am trying to weigh up all the risks against the benefits, apparently chemo will only increase my 10 year prognosis by about 8%. ?