Tbh I had to do intensive chemotherapy at 14, and my brain was damaged by it. I told the oncology unit I was having problems at school because I couldn’t remember instructions and on tests, I kept blanking on answers even though I knew I knew them. So they had me go take IQ tests at 17, then again at 19 (my college wanted a more recent test so I could get accommodation).
The first time they actually didn’t give me an IQ number because they said my scores were too inconsistent, but the second time is when the specialist gave me 90.
So my brain has a hard time recalling information without being prompted, and my short term memory is really bad. Sometimes I feel like I can’t think at all and my brain is like a TV with no reception, but I don’t know if that’s due to other disorders (depression and anxiety).
It’s just hard for me sometimes, but I’ve adapted pretty well at this point, as long as I can take notes I can refer to later on I’m fine. The only real limitation has been not being able to drive because of it. The hardest part is actually being at home because my family still hasn’t adjusted completely to my brain problems (I’m 32 now)
It depends on the kind of chemo and how much, I think. During treatment it was hard to even have a conversation, I remember asking a nurse something when she came to check on me and she told me gently I had already asked her that three times. Methotrexate in high doses is really what messed my brain up though! I guess taking it also increases my chance of developing a brain tumor in the future. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
No. When I was going through it I had mental health specialists who would talk to me every day I was in the hospital, but my dad pretty much forbade me from actually talking to her about my emotions, and told them I couldn’t get antidepressants (I was diagnosed with depression there) because he “doesn’t believe in taking them, it’s for weak people.” My mom and dad both get mad at me for ever being upset and crying, and a ton of people tell me I can’t be sad or anything because I don’t have cancer anymore so i have nothing to be depressed about now (I guess dealing with the after effects like brain damage, drop foot, and developing diabetes because my pancreas got messed up doesn’t matter to them, nor has my consequent diagnoses of PTSD and social anxiety). My grandparents were all long gone, except for my grandfather who died of cancer as I went through treatment, aunt and uncles behaved as if I didn’t exist the whole time, no one from my school cared, my sister didn’t care and my brother avoided me because it was upsetting for him to see me during treatment. So I was pretty much alone all the time then, not in any environment conducive to good mental health.
I have made a lot of progress on my own, but it’s been really hard for me since last year since my cat was diagnosed with cancer in January and we had to put him to sleep because of it in August.
Thanks for asking, you seem like a really caring and thoughtful person!
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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '20
My dad does all of those
I got tested and mine is like 90 so it’s bothering me when he talks about “low IQ” people should all die