Is It Chemo Brain?

I have been told by loving members of my family that I march to the beat of my own drum. It is also well known, by all those who know me, that when it comes to the joke department I often need it explained in picture form or I may get it hours later and laugh alone. So, ever since I started chemo, I have jokingly used "chemo brain" as my excuse for my crazy antics, forgetfulness, and punch-line silence.

However, this week during my third chemo treatment, I can't decide if this funny story was really due to chemo brain or not; so I thought I would share the story and let you decide.

If you read my last post, Fighting the Battle, you know about my quest to learn a different battle plan for this fight. I collaborated with my friend and radio co-host, Janie Ratzlaff, because she has fought in these kinds of battles herself; she is a General with battle experience. We decided to try a few new things during this third treatment to see if they would work for how my body was reacting to the chemo; one of those things being reflexology.

We were sitting in the Oncology waiting room when my IV beeped, but before going to get unhooked I needed to go to the restroom. Janie was gathering our things. The restroom in the waiting room had a nice big door with a metal frame and it was only a few steps way, but when I got to the door the wheels of my IV pole would not go further than the door frame. I tried again; I looked up to see if it was hooking on the top. I tried three more times only to be perplexed by the wheels being pulled toward the door frame but not allowing me to go into the restroom.

"Janie!" I yelled in desperation, "There is some sort of magnetic force field that is preventing me from going inside the restroom! Watch!" I exclaimed and demonstrated. Janie came up behind me and stepped ever so slightly to the side and unplugged my IV pump from the wall. We both burst out laughing. A practical explanation never crossed my mind. My IV pump still plugged in? No, a magnetic force field had to be the answer...lol. As if I had been transported to some other dimension or suddenly aboard The Starship Enterprise!

When I got to the chemo room I told the story to Becky, my nurse and the other patients in the room. After we all took a minute to laugh, Becky said, "Sharon, did you get the information on chemo brain? It's a real thing!"

Yes, I believe it is a real thing, but given my history, I'm not sure that I can really classify this as an excuse for me. Janie said, "The funniest part is that you were so serious." But, then she sweetly said, "It was kind of a electromagnetic force; it was electricity."

Well, whether it is chemo brain or my own natural drum beating, we left chemo number three laughing down the elevator, through the hospital, and all the way home. The Bible says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" Proverbs 17:22. I can say that the second treatment left me with a broken spirit, sitting in my old trench, focused on my pain.

The things we tried different with my third treatment worked for my pain level and the laughter was an added bonus. God uses all kinds of things to teach us lessons and bless our lives. I'm thankful for Janie's wisdom and her sacrifice to physically get in the battle and fight with me on this day. Now, I have minimal pain with a merry heart.

So, what do you think ~ is it chemo brain?