Hi ladies I finished chemo on May 6th, had my CT scan results in June and was told that I still have small spots around the clingfilm of my organs, these have reduced by half and are not active. My onc has told me I will always need treatment now, after being very disappointed have got my positive head on and have just come back from a lovely holiday with my family.
I have returned to work and love being back although I do wonder what the future holds with working, I work with children aged 2yrs to 4year olds and if I am always going to need treatment periodically I wonder if I can continue to do this job, I love my job and would hate to leave, has anybody else had this problem or has any advise for me.
Hello. While not in the same work area as you, my working career is over...on retirement now.
I do understand the shock that being told you will be on treatment for the rest of your life is upsetting and is a blow to our own view of always being the one who will never get sick and/or be the one person everyone will and can depend on.
This is your time now, and I know you will be able to continue to work for a long time....remember the good holiday you have just returned from., great memories and many more of those will follow.
Enjoy the love of your family and if you feel vulnerable at times...open the door and tell your family and let them in. I have had to accept help....tough for me, but it has helped me be a little more tolerant.
I did not work with children but in retail on shop floor 9 to 5 and my onc said when on treatment was too risky getting infected in contact daily with customers unfortunately due to job being very physical unloading deliveries etc had to give work up but while on treatment would have thought constant contact with young children bit risky what does the oncologist think x know what you mean about loving your job missing mine loads hope you get the answers you want x
Thank you ladies, I will have a chat to my onc about it.
Thank you for your best wishes to xx
I would imagine you can return to work in between treatments but not during a chickpox outbreak as you could be vunerable to shingles. You can live with OC as a chronic illness, many of us on this forum actually do. It is good to work and take your mind from dwelling too much and in addition the money adds to the holiday fund and you can take a break when you are able. You do sound spirited and positive and that does help you. We all get our down days from time to time so if things are getting on top of you, do let the family help out and also get some support from the Macmillan support or whatever support there is where you live. Your gynae liason nurse is a good start as well, Wishing you the best
On first diagnosis I was advised not to work at all and stayed off but I missed it so much.
This time around the oncologist was happy ( well ish happy as long as it was only part time) for me to work and so far ( touch wood) I have been ok. I'm just about to have chemo number 5. I don't know if it was because I started chemo in the Spring, so less bugs around or because I was on a different protocol. I have been lucky with side effects and you do have to be led by what your body can deal with.
I do get tired, but then so was everyone else in the school! I felt much more in control this time around, rather than having time to sit and think!
Good luck, listen to what your body tells you, only you know what you are capable of...
( PS your employer can't ask you to leave/retire, you are covered by law with that. Don't feel guilty for not being there and pulling your weight, this has to be taken as you looking after number 1, but I know that that's easier said than done, says she who is hoping that next surgery coincides with the second half of autumn term as it's easier for school then!)
Hi, I ended JP taking medical retirement. I didn't work in a school, I worked as a med sec in a hospital. I loved my job too and until I got this illness in the 30 years I had worked there you could count the number of sick days I'd had on both hands. Try yo remember though that you need time for you and at the end of the day, you are only a number in your work. You must come first from now on. Ann xo
Hi Km.I too was working in a school and have had great support from the staff etc.I have stage 4 o.c and have been off sick since last September.I miss work a lot but have now decided to retire on ill health grounds as you know,life is unpredictable and each person is different.I had to ask myself "Do I need the stress from work in my daily life? The answer was No! Am I willing to put my health at risk by working in an environment that is often full of some illness or other,the answer was No.Will I miss my financial independence,the answer to that one was Yes.
For me I know I made the right decision,I'll have a modest pension and also invalidity pension.Ill have plenty to keep me occupied,and even going out for a cup of coffee in nice surroundings,with a loved one ,is a daily treat ,costing just €5,A walk with family or friend in a beautiful park or beach "no charge".
Hi there, , I was diagnosed early June with stage 4 and just completed 2nd round of chemo. On taxo/carbo plus Avastin , hopefully debulk then 3more rounds. Other than popping in for a couple of hours here and there I haven't worked since end may. I , like you work with young children (18-30mths) and miss it terribly, i do hope and aim to return but I am worried about the risk of germs and constant runny noses etc. Sending you my best wishes, going to follow this post x
I feel really well at the moment and I am not on any treatment either so I am working part time at the moment, it's just difficult to plan as not sure what treatment I will be on in the future, until it happens I'm going to carry on with working, as long as I'm well enough to do so.
It's very obvious that you love your work. I went back to work after my first line chemo. 3months after I had to restart chemo and stopped work. I was never able to work during chemo. I had low white cells and red and suffered badly with fatigue. I was after my second line told it was likely I would need treatment every year. I unfortunately had been made redundant six months before my diagnosis and was therefore working agency at the time. After my second line chemo I was quite ill and did not seem to get going like after my first and have not gone back to work as I have limited levels of energy and try and use them to enjoy life. However I have now not needed treatment for two years not at all what I was expecting. In hindsight I perhaps should have tried to do part time work as now it would be difficult to go back. My advice is see how you feel. I would look to reduce your hours during treatment but if you feel well enough to work go for it, but make sure you have the energy to spend quality time with your family, as unfortunately with this disease you never know what's around the corner.
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