can we have a survey.......how many of us work (after chemo, etc) but may be on arimidex, etc.?
Loving my job isn't enough for me anymore.
I long to have less stress, and more flexibility with doctor's appts.-- and some plain, old, "me" time. Repeated UTIs, fevers, antibiotics, that they are still trying new approaches, a kidney stone that can be painful at times, and now something on my lower abdomen.....a large boil ??? IDK.
Is working keeping me healthier, or holding me down?
Just welcome your thoughts. Thanks. (This wasn't supposed to be my pity party)
Comments
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I understand where you are
I understand where you are coming from. I kept working through my treatments. I did it to keep myself otherwise engaged and not constantly thinking about my having bc. I made myself get up out of bed and go. However, I watch my co-workers frantically run about and worry about things and I don't find myself in that big of a hurry anymore. I want to enjoy living. My priorities are changing a bit. If I don't take care of myself I won't be here to see my children/grandchildren grow up. There lies the dilema. So, I am trying to work to live and not live to work.0 -
I didn't work through
I didn't work through treatments. I went back to work a month after the end of rads. The blisters made it hard to wear regular clothes. I was off work 9 months and I am glad I took the time to fight the cancer with out having the added physical stress of work.
I too wish I could retire so I could do things like visit my grand kids in colorado, work with my grand daughter that has autism and maybe hike more for my self. Unfortunately, I need the medical insurance my work provides. I also feel my job is a perfect way to fight the beast, I do mammograms. I can help women through the exam, encourage them to return, and get the best images I can to enable the docs to find the ca early.
Once you are faced with your own mortality, you wonder how to best spend the rest of the time. Years, decades or hours, it doesn't matter. You just want to have the quality of life that maybe wasn't as important before. Unfortunately, we all need money and medical insurance, so we find a balance. That is all we can do.
Not sure that helped, but I just want you to know you are not alone......
Cindy0 -
I can tell the story from
I can tell the story from both sides...After my original dx in Aug 2010 I went on medical leave. At that time my job was very stressful (bank manager and we had just completed a merger. I had a new team, new bosses, new company for which I had little respect). I took a year off. But during that year I did lots of volunteer work at my daughter's school. I was able to schedule volunteer stuff around my treatments.
Finally, my doctor said I had to go back to work. So I interviewed with other companies and was hired for a new job. Literally, the Friday before I started training I had a biopsy for possible recurrence. And the first Wednesday of training I got the call that said the results were positive. Additional tests at that time found cancer in some lymph nodes between my lungs, and I was officially dx'd as stage IV.
So now I am working, (we need the medical coverage and the $$$) but I am working for a wonderful company and with wonderful people that have been very supportive. That is making a huge difference. I also really like my work, and I feel like I can make a difference.
Yes, sometimes I wish the recurrence and stage IV had been found before I accepted the new job and that I could still be on leave. And I know that my health will determine how much longer I can continue. But I am a very practical person and try to stay focused on what is, rather than what could be. I also know that even if I weren't working now, I would be back to volunteering.
Now back to you and your story....I am so sorry to hear that you are still having trouble with UTI's. And a boil? What the heck?? Please let us know about that as you get news.
Can you take a short term medical leave? That would give you a chance to test the waters and see how you feel about not working, or if it makes a difference to your health.
I hope this helps.
Hugs,
Linda0 -
Enjoy Working
I have always worked through treatment (chemo, radiation). Surgeries, I had 20 and non are reconstruction, I do try to return as soon as possible. I do take the time to heal but, never the extra that many of my colleagues have taken. It isn't that I overly stoic but, for me it's my way of coping.
There has been times, that the extra, I had to give up, it was to much. I have many medical issues beside bc stage IV and many have qualified me for disability. I just like working and look forward to going. The insurance coverage is great, so I have stayed.
Best,
Doris0 -
I was stressed to the gills
for 3 solid years previous to my dx 2 yrs ago. I did not have chemo, but I took off 3 months & a week from work to recover from surgery and rads. I have been on Arimidex since June last year. I cannot imagine how anyone can work through this - anyone who does amazes me.
I have a new set of outside stressors, but a much better handle on it. I like my job (but the company - ugh!) and my coworkers are the best. Need the $$$ and the insurance. Have 4 years til early retirement, 7 til full - can I make it? Hmmm....
I hope you start feeling better and that work & your health balance out.
Sue0 -
One year!!sbmly53 said:I was stressed to the gills
for 3 solid years previous to my dx 2 yrs ago. I did not have chemo, but I took off 3 months & a week from work to recover from surgery and rads. I have been on Arimidex since June last year. I cannot imagine how anyone can work through this - anyone who does amazes me.
I have a new set of outside stressors, but a much better handle on it. I like my job (but the company - ugh!) and my coworkers are the best. Need the $$$ and the insurance. Have 4 years til early retirement, 7 til full - can I make it? Hmmm....
I hope you start feeling better and that work & your health balance out.
Sue
I took a year off,I didn't need to have to worry about that i needed to worry about me and my husband carried the insurance anyway,and with God's help we made it with his salary for a year and now that I'm back working(5 months) i work only part time,this is serious and i took it that way,I'm the only one that's going to take care of me.~~MollyZ~~0 -
I am self employed...so....
I worked before, during, and after treatment....
BUT...I also looked at other income sources..."What do I want to be when I grow up?"....
I have now written 2 books, registered an invention, and only write and maintain databases, which I have set up to do from anywhere in the world...no more hardware or network support.
I'm very happy. Because I was self employed, I had more flex time when I needed it the most, but also found it was a great distraction to work when things on the personal side got too real....
I hope you find the happy medium like I have!
Hugs, Kathi0 -
Working
I'm a teacher and single. I took off 5 weeks after surgery and reconstruction. I begin radiation tomorrow. Teachers don't get paid if they don't work once they've used their sick days. We get 7 sick days a year. I used those up just getting diagnosed. Thankfully I had Aflac cancer policy and disability 1500 a month. I must work. I'm still uncomfortable from the surgery and soreness and tiredness. Now I begin rads tomorrow. I just don't know how it will all work out. I'm so stressed out. It is difficult because as a teacher you can't just rest during the day. Other teachers at our school have gone through this also. I just want someone to take care of something for me. I've hired a housekeeper because my house is just terrible. People seem to just think I'm lazy. I'm so tired by the end of the day I just want to cry.
I'm sure it will be better after radiation.0 -
For MellieMellieMc said:Working
I'm a teacher and single. I took off 5 weeks after surgery and reconstruction. I begin radiation tomorrow. Teachers don't get paid if they don't work once they've used their sick days. We get 7 sick days a year. I used those up just getting diagnosed. Thankfully I had Aflac cancer policy and disability 1500 a month. I must work. I'm still uncomfortable from the surgery and soreness and tiredness. Now I begin rads tomorrow. I just don't know how it will all work out. I'm so stressed out. It is difficult because as a teacher you can't just rest during the day. Other teachers at our school have gone through this also. I just want someone to take care of something for me. I've hired a housekeeper because my house is just terrible. People seem to just think I'm lazy. I'm so tired by the end of the day I just want to cry.
I'm sure it will be better after radiation.
I hope some of your colleagues help you out a little. Radiation is tiring, I drove myself every day (1 hour away from my home/work place) and at the end of the treatment, I was very tired. The place I had radiation, the team was very punctual. I would time them daily, on good days, it was 20 minutes tops. I hated the days, I had to wait to speak to the radiologist. I would have preferred they skip them, or else sent me an email with questions.
Hopefully, during the Christmas holiday break, you will be able to rest.
Best,
Doris0 -
For Mellie alsoMellieMc said:Working
I'm a teacher and single. I took off 5 weeks after surgery and reconstruction. I begin radiation tomorrow. Teachers don't get paid if they don't work once they've used their sick days. We get 7 sick days a year. I used those up just getting diagnosed. Thankfully I had Aflac cancer policy and disability 1500 a month. I must work. I'm still uncomfortable from the surgery and soreness and tiredness. Now I begin rads tomorrow. I just don't know how it will all work out. I'm so stressed out. It is difficult because as a teacher you can't just rest during the day. Other teachers at our school have gone through this also. I just want someone to take care of something for me. I've hired a housekeeper because my house is just terrible. People seem to just think I'm lazy. I'm so tired by the end of the day I just want to cry.
I'm sure it will be better after radiation.
Mellie, I was a middle school math teacher in a very challenging school when dx'ed
2 1/2 years ago. My docs were great in getting things moving, since it was at the end of July & I had to go back to school in mid-August. My school admins were pretty great, too, with switching my schedule to involve teaching 5 classes straight through & then leaving for rads. I then came back after rads in the evening to get prepped for the next day. My collegues were pretty supportive, also. I tried to pull my weight whenever possible, but I did have to beg off on supervising a class trip (strenuous walking).
All I did was work & go to rads; no other activities. I ate lunch in my room; used the time to rest & work on schoolwork; tried to get as much done in class as I could (sometimes impossible); I brought in a barstool to sit on occasionally in class. (This is not acceptable in our school except for temporary medical reasons.) I was so glad when it was over!
I wish you the best; try to rest whenever you can. Ask for help if needed.
Let us know how everything goes!0 -
Working
I worked during chemo, surgery (took 4 weeks off) and radiation and retired a year later. I would like to have worked longer, but my co-worker was causing me too much stress and I just couldn't handle it any longer. I now work 20 hrs a week at home doing medical transcription and love it, but I do miss the paid insurance. Medicare is useless and the additional policies to cover what Medicare doesn't pay are very expensive. I am on Femara.0 -
ThanksTux said:For Mellie also
Mellie, I was a middle school math teacher in a very challenging school when dx'ed
2 1/2 years ago. My docs were great in getting things moving, since it was at the end of July & I had to go back to school in mid-August. My school admins were pretty great, too, with switching my schedule to involve teaching 5 classes straight through & then leaving for rads. I then came back after rads in the evening to get prepped for the next day. My collegues were pretty supportive, also. I tried to pull my weight whenever possible, but I did have to beg off on supervising a class trip (strenuous walking).
All I did was work & go to rads; no other activities. I ate lunch in my room; used the time to rest & work on schoolwork; tried to get as much done in class as I could (sometimes impossible); I brought in a barstool to sit on occasionally in class. (This is not acceptable in our school except for temporary medical reasons.) I was so glad when it was over!
I wish you the best; try to rest whenever you can. Ask for help if needed.
Let us know how everything goes!
Doris and Tux,
My colleagues have been wonderful. I am able to sit down too. This will be a pretty easy week and then the Christmas break. When I come back it will just be a few more weeks.
Again thanks so much for your comments.0 -
I worked
through the first diagnosis and treatments in 2002. I was only off long enough for surgeries, then back to work. I took Fridays off for treatments and Dr. appointments. With my recurrence in 2010, I went out and am on permanent disability. I sometimes miss working, the social aspects as well as the money, but I am physically unable to work. I think that working the first time through kept me mentally healthy.0 -
I don't work, but, I knowGabe N Abby Mom said:I can tell the story from
I can tell the story from both sides...After my original dx in Aug 2010 I went on medical leave. At that time my job was very stressful (bank manager and we had just completed a merger. I had a new team, new bosses, new company for which I had little respect). I took a year off. But during that year I did lots of volunteer work at my daughter's school. I was able to schedule volunteer stuff around my treatments.
Finally, my doctor said I had to go back to work. So I interviewed with other companies and was hired for a new job. Literally, the Friday before I started training I had a biopsy for possible recurrence. And the first Wednesday of training I got the call that said the results were positive. Additional tests at that time found cancer in some lymph nodes between my lungs, and I was officially dx'd as stage IV.
So now I am working, (we need the medical coverage and the $$$) but I am working for a wonderful company and with wonderful people that have been very supportive. That is making a huge difference. I also really like my work, and I feel like I can make a difference.
Yes, sometimes I wish the recurrence and stage IV had been found before I accepted the new job and that I could still be on leave. And I know that my health will determine how much longer I can continue. But I am a very practical person and try to stay focused on what is, rather than what could be. I also know that even if I weren't working now, I would be back to volunteering.
Now back to you and your story....I am so sorry to hear that you are still having trouble with UTI's. And a boil? What the heck?? Please let us know about that as you get news.
Can you take a short term medical leave? That would give you a chance to test the waters and see how you feel about not working, or if it makes a difference to your health.
I hope this helps.
Hugs,
Linda
I don't work, but, I know that by my keeping busy at times, it does keep my mind off of bc and treatments. I think if you feel like it, it is good to work. But, if you feel you can't do it, I would hope you could at least take a medical leave.
Hugs, Jan0 -
I am still working and have
I am still working and have never stopped. For me it is a necssity for health care, money and sanity. Danny had to take early retirement last year after 30+ years of working for the space program. Health care is much more affordable if I work and get my health insurance with my employer.
I have been very, very lucky to have done very well--in spite of being Stage 4. And I think it really helps that I love my job and coworkers.
When I am very tired and achey (and I guess we all have those days), I wonder if it is worth it. But, for me (right now), I think it is--as working helps me to focus on something other than my disease, my anxiety about my disease and allows me the luxury of worrying about the health of others (my sweet babies)for a change.
But I am taking each day of working as a gift, because I realize so many of my dear sisters do not have that option. And not knowing if I will physically be able to work in the future makes me appreciate doing it much more.0
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