Working through treatment for breast cancer.

Sher7

I am newly diagnosed and not yet sure what my treatment plan will be. I find myself thinking about work more then anything and wonder how I will handle it. My job is stressful, lot's of deadlines and expectations. I just want to be able to take care of me and not worry about my job. Looking for input from others as to how they handled this-truth is, I want to take time off but am unclear if this is what the majority of people do.

Cindyl

It's really going to depend on what your treatment plan is, and what your job is like.  I have a desk job and am in a management position, so I don't have a lot of heavy lifting (or any lifting if I don't feel like it) I'm able to work a flexible schedule of my own devising and able to work from home if need be.  There are plenty of demands and a certain amount of stress, but it's nothing I can't juggle if need be. I had an lx and rads, and now am doing an endless round of pt and follow up appointments.

I took the day of surgery and the day following surgery off.  I took one day off the next week.  My rads were late in the day so I left work 1/2 hour early. I take an hour here and there for other appointments. And that's it.  I was lucky enough to work all the way through, and I think I was better off for doing so.  That's just me though.  Your situation, like your cancer is unique and what worked for one of us may not work for another. 

I will say work is much less stressful for me than home.  So your mileage may very.

CSMommy

I also have a desk job, with lots of deadlines and it's fair share of stress. When I was first diagnosed, and first started treatment, I had every intention of continuing to work full days with only treatment days off. I lasted 2 weeks with that plan. I battled a lot of infections at the beginning, and it knocked me down. I blew through all my sick and vacation days.



I sat down with my oncologist, and we talked about what kind of work schedule would work best for me. So I am now on a 5-hour day, 3 days a week, with infusion days and the day after off. My biggest SE is fatigue, and most days after I get home I go straight to bed for a nap.



My work has been incredible with me, and are bending over backwards to help me out. I actually have a temp worker starting in next week to help me out.



I was talking to a fellow patient today during my infusion, and she is still working 40 hours a week. My hats & scarves are off to her.

CSMommy

I do have to add that I find one benefit of continuing working is that, not only does it help take my mind off of the bad things, but I think it helps my chemo brain by keeping it active.

mdg

I think it is a personal decision based on your situation and finances.  I had a stressful job and I chose not to work through treatment.  I went off on work right before BMX in late January of 2011 and then I started chemo the first week of March.  I ended chemo the first weekend of May and was not cleared to go back to work until late May.  I then had to go back out in late June for my exchange surgery.  My job is a bit physical so it was best I did not work.  I felt like emotionally it was good for me not to work so I could just focus on being healthy.