any tips?

[Jayniiee]

I'm returning to self employed work after a year's absence after my diagnosis of primary peritoneal cancer (all ned now thankfully and just beginning to feel more normal again, after chemo, surgery and final lot of chemo in april). When I was ill I told myself I wouldn't go back at all because the work can be quite stressful and I didn't want to be dealing with it especially when I'd felt the full blow of how short life can be. I've since come to my senses and remembered how much I also enjoyed it. It'd be ironic to hide away from a little bit of stress and not embrace life when I've learned how bloody precious it is! BUT after finding a way to start back up again and feeling excited about it, I've been having anxiety dreams and I wake up feeling eurgh! In the day I feel really positive about getting my life back on track, financially and emotionally. Do any of you lovely ladies have any ideas/tips/thoughts about how I could feel less nuts and get a good quality night's sleep again?

[JR1MF]

Hi I went back to work part time after surgery and 2 chemo cycles . I am working and having chemo and there’s nothing like work to give you a distraction . Spoke about with some colleagues when I returned . Sone of them are really young graduates and we don’t discuss it anymore which is good to put it out of your mind for a while. My employer has been very supportive about going into the office and finishing early when I’m at home . We talk about work and normal boring everyday stuff so you can put it all to the back if your mind and feel like one if the team . If you’re self employed it’s even better to work as you’re in control! Good luck you’ll enjoy it .

[Jayniiee in reply to JR1MF]

Thanks for your message. It's good to hear your experience. I think going back is the right thing to do. It would be really good to be getting on with life and get out of the cancer rut! x

[Lyndy]

Well done on getting yourself ready to work again! I still work pt freelance and find it is really good for my mental health. Going back to it is stressful, you get tired easily, you won't have had to concentrate so much for a while...dont forget that most people with contracts get a gradual reintroduction and support...I would give yourself a big margin of slack, extend deadlines, take more time, don't agree to front presentations etc, tell the people you work for that you may have to work more slowly to begin with.

Like coming back to work after having a baby, you will have lost confidence, you may have a bit of chemo brain going on but you are still a valuable member of the team with lots of experience to offer.

Sleep may take a dive to begin with but you've gotten through so much, you can get through this too xx

[Jayniiee in reply to Lyndy]

Thank you Lyndy, i think it will be absolutely good for my mental health. With living alone i can go days without seeing anyone, otherwise, which is sending me a little bonkers. I'm a health care professional so I'll have lots of scope to book patients in while giving myself regular breaks and ease myself back into it, gradually. It's been a year since I've practised, which makes it a bit daunting. I am hoping things will come back to me and I'll remember what to do! 😊

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team]

Hi there Jayniiee

Thank you for your post. I can see some members of the forum community have shared their thoughts and experiences which I hope have been helpful.

I just wanted to provide some resources with you which may be of interest:

- ovacome.org.uk/going-back-t... - I’m aware that our booklet on going back to work focuses mainly on those who are employed rather than self-employed like yourself, so you may find Macmillan’s resource about self-employment and cancer more relevant: macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf... .

- I was sorry to hear that you’ve been having some anxiety dreams; these sound really difficult. I hope that you may find our information booklet about anxiety helpful as this suggests a range of ways to manage anxious feelings: ovacome.org.uk/coping-with-... .

- You asked about ideas for getting a good quality night’s sleep again and I wanted to let you know about an Ovacome webinar with Dr Sarah Gilchrist who talked about the science of sleep and some strategies that can help those who are struggling. This can be found here on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/watch?v=6rIFVs8...(Not working as expected?) .

- In addition, our Staying Connected programme consists of a range of workshops, support groups and events, with more details available here: ovacome.org.uk/staying-conn... . Our support groups provide a safe space to connect with others who may have been through similar experiences, so please do let us know if you have any questions about getting involved. We also run regular sessions on relaxation and self-care, with more information available through this page on our website: ovacome.org.uk/Event/relaxa.... The next session is taking place tomorrow and you would be really welcome to join us.

I hope this information is useful. We are here to support you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to talk anything through. You can reply directly through this forum, email us via [e-mail] or call our support line on 0800 008 7054. We’re here Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm, to assist with questions, provide relevant resources, or just have a friendly chat.

Best wishes

Annie - Ovacome support

[Jayniiee in reply to OvacomeSupport]

Thank you Annie, that is really helpfu