Posted January 11, 2009 By kerbear
hello, is there anyone dealing with a return to work? I have had my first 3 mornings of work after 3 1/2 year absence and didn't realize how difficult it would be.
Posted January 24, 2009 By rosa26
Good evening, I am a teacher who return to work after 1 1/2 years of absence. I started three days a week for a few hours. It is not easy. I am often dizzy and feel sensory overload. I still need so much sleep: 8-9 hours. Also since my absence many collegues retired and most are now the same age as my children!! I live in Northern Ontario.
Posted January 29, 2009 By mcasey89
I also am a teacher in NL and in Sept. 2008 returned to work after a 3 1/2 year absence. Our profession is very demanding and you have to pace yourself and listen to your body. It is only this year that I feel that I am returning to my old self but you are still very vulnerable. Take the odd mental health day, stay home and look after yourself. Like you, many on my staff are very much my junior. Take comfort in friends outside your workplace that understand your anxieties.
Posted May 20, 2009 By ebarnes48
I am one of the lucky ones, I was told I had breast cancer in oct2008 and was told Im cancer free early may 09 I will be returning to work in june, my work is in a rock yard so quite physical. I know I wont be able to do as much as I did before cancer, and my boss has already said as much and he said he will find something for me to do there (he's a great boss). I hope I wont find it to hard.
Posted November 30, 2009 By kimberly
I'm curious about your situation. I didn't think they would tell anyone they are cancer-free, at least for 5 years. I had a stage 1 tumour, no lymph nodes effected, and had 4 A/C followed by 4 taxol treatments, and 4 weeks of radiation. I wish someone would tell me that I am cancer-free!
How does your situation compare to mine?
Thanks for your response,
Kim
Posted June 28, 2009 By LivLovLaf
I have been returning to work several times now. Several operations required me to recoup at home. Even when I was at home I would log on and work as much as I could. I feared losing my job because absenteeism. It was hard to see people being promoted ahead of me and management not knowing that my little input was important. In March I had to have an emergency operation and when I returned from the hospital the next day my work called me and told me over the phone that I will be laid off this August. If I stay on and train others to do my job then they will give me a package. This is very hard to do.
To sum it up. Remember your health is more important than a job. So what you can but enjoy it.
Posted February 1, 2010 By Cat
Hi ladies..I've had ten years living through diagnosis and lumpectomies - full chemo and radiation for two separate breast cancers. I was able to come through the first episode and get back to work with far more emotional and physical ease than after the second time in 2007/08. I had lost my confidence and was still suffering with depression when I returned to my job in 2008. Shortly after I was genetically tested and found to be BRC1 positive. I have been off work again since Aug 2009 to undergo a full hysterectomy and a double mastectomy - now in the reconstruction stages. My depression has increased and I struggle to keep positive about many things.( But I see my doctor regularly and will soon be going for psychiatric counseling). I will have the final exchange surgery for silicone implants at the end of March and have told my employer that I may return to work sometime in April. But I am nearly 55 and have begun to wonder whether I really want to get back into the overly busy work environment. There have been many lay offs in the past two months as my employer ( a community hospital) struggles with trying to cut costs. After these most recent past three years of health crisis and treatment - I really wish I could finally just go slower and live without the daily anxiety of full time work. I hear your messages- health is more important than a job. I need to honestly think the whole thing through and decide what to do.
I wonder how many women affected by cancer- struggle with these issues...anyways...it's good to share and read all of your input....be well, Cat
Posted June 2, 2010 By caleblan3
Hi,
I underwent my Chemotherapy first for 6 months and then had my mastectomies followed by radiation for a month. After being off for 1 1/2 years I returned to work. I was fortunate enough to have a long term plan at my work that allowed me to return to work on a gradual basis. I work as a nurse and it was difficult to return to the long shifts. The lifting and moving people I found hard but thank goodness for my co-workers I was able to build up my strength and they were very protective of me. I have now been back to work for almost a year fulltime and am finding that it has improved greatly but I still find myself tired after busy days. It seems to get better every day and I guess the old saying fits...Everything gets better with time..
Good Luck Cathy
Posted August 8, 2010 By mudpie
I am hoping to be able to work through a lot of my treatment...somewhat recently single...still recovering from my partner of almost two decades leaving me and trying to cope alone...I figure this new event in my life cannot be as heartbreaking as the last year but maybe I am wrong. Time will tell...rose-coloured glasses are firmly in place. My cancer is 'only' 9mm in size and a lumpectomy is to be perfromed in two weeks...it does not look like lymph nodes are affected...am I an idiot to think I will be able to continue to work throughout much of the treatment? If you do not work, how do you pay the rent?
Posted August 19, 2010 By bailey
Hi:
I too am returning to work in September after being off for a year and 3 months. I am feeling a little nervous about it all. I work at at a retirement home as a PSW and hope I am able to continue all the duties of my job. I still get tired sometimes. I had double mastectomy, chemo treatments on study drug too. I had 25 radiation treatments and Herceptin for the year. Just finished herceptin aug. 4th. I feel a little overwhelmed with it all.
bailey thanks (:
Posted October 10, 2010 By mudpie
Hi Bailey...sorry for the absence after my initial posting...I had my surgery, moved two days later, had one week off when I proceeded to get sick with a sinus infection and ended up on antibiotics and returned to work the following week. I was indeed blessed. Below 1cm and no lymph nodes were cancerous .... meet the radiologist on the 18th of October ...had an MRi 12 days ago and no word yet so I am hoping that is a good thing....I old everyone at work the week before I went in for surgery and everyone has been great. In fact, they all showed up to move me and refused to allow me to lift anything until I went back to the gym ....offers of drives to radiation are coming in and while I am hoping not to need them, I have promised myself that I will take people up on it if i need to. I have decided to keep the rose-coloured glasses on and to assume I will feel tired but not completely whacked..you know? I have promised myself that I will go to the gym 2 or 3 times per week to stay strong and will shut myself in a room if I feel the urge cry..and to just let it out....or to sit at my desk and let the tears role but will simply warn people I am having a rough day... that is the plan anyhow...how has your return gone?
Posted August 21, 2010 By Michelle
Hi,
I'm returning to work also. I'm a elementary school teacher. I was off for a maternity leave for a year and I was gearing up to go back last summer and I was diagnosed with bc. So, in all I've been off for two years. I had a lumpectomy, six rounds of chemo, a bilateral mastectomy and 25 rounds of radiation (ended in May). I am also still fatigued. I'm also noticing my concentration and memory have been affected. I've read quite a few articles that call this "chemo fog". Are any of you experiencing this ?? I'm only going back a few mornings a week to start and I hopefully will be able to work up my endurance.
Thanks.
Posted August 23, 2010 By CC
I'm in the middle of treatment so I don't know when I'll be able to go back to work. Does anyone know?
Eventually, it would be great to be able to gradually get back to work but I was was also wondering how your experience has been? After starting back to work, how long did it take before one can be at full-time hours without being tired all the time? Any feedback is appreciated.
Posted October 18, 2010 By bailey
Hi ladies:
It's been a while since I've been on. I'm back to work part-time. I find people asking me if I'm ok all the time as if I might not be able to handle the work. I'm doing fine and tell them I'm good. I hope they realize I'm still able to do my job.
Posted November 19, 2010 By lhanley58
Hi all: I am new to this site....I will be starting a gradual return to work Dec 1st after being off for one year...I am excited about going back although overwhelmed at the thought of it...I am Director of Operations at a multi-site multi region mental health/developmental services agency...I don't want my "new normal" of busyness to be the same as the way it was, although I imagine that once i am back, people will assume that I can pick up where I left off....my memory and focus have been affected by treatments, and I am working hard to get it back!! I had an 8 treatment round of chemo first, modified radical masectomy next and then 25 radiation treatments...my treatments ended at the end of August and so have been recovering since. My employer, colleagues, friends and family have been extremely supportive which is so important.....I look forward to connecting with folks on how return to work is looking for people....
Posted November 20, 2010 By bailey
Hi mudpie
my return to work has been fine. People still ask how I'm doing almost as if they expect me to not be ok after coming back to work. I work at a retirement home and it's busy but work parttime. I do pick up more shifts and get tired. I am glad to be back though. hope you are well
bailey
