Working during treatment

aMtn4me

I'm an LPN currently with a job in a nursing home that I love and am just wondering how others managed to work during treatments.

Were you able to continue working and still do a good job? I'm worried cause I have to be able to give the care my patients need, not be sick myself. 

I'm not financially able to stay home. I have decent insurance but this is still incredibly expensive! 

I asked for clearance from my BS to return to work at my follow up the other day and he gave it. We went on to discuss tx that he thinks is necessary and when he got through I informed him I have to work and he says "Well you gotta take care of yourself too".

How do you do it? I'm thinking further tx may not be an option for me. 

pajim

Hi!  Some women work, some don't.  I personally worked all the way through treatment.  Took off a week for each surgery and three days for each chemo treatment.  I felt perfectly good so it wasn't an issue.  I've talked with women who took an entire year off.

BUT.  I have an office job.  If you're on your feet all the time it might be harder for you.  I also had a very understanding workplace.  Do you feel well enough to work?

Some strategies include: (a) trying working and see how it feels; (b) ask if you can work fewer hours until you feel up to full-time; (c) ask if they can make some small accommodations for you like allowing you to rest more frequently, or give you more of the paperwork.

Other pluses to working include getting your mind off [other] things. 

I wish you the very best.

 

BrooksideVT

As Pajim indicated, everyone is different.  I asked my RO to put me on disability from the first day of rads until two months afterwards.   I currently have a "reasonable accomodation" that allows me to work half time and keep my benefits.  I happen to be a commissioned salesperson, so my income has taken quite a dive (as would the income of a salaried or hourly worker). 

As an LPN, you have (I hope) options that many do not, as a per diem can be called in should you not be quite up to working.  I'd think your first step is to discuss with your onc and/or RO exactly what treatment you will be having, and how they might affect you.  Next step is to speak with your HR department about your options.  How many hours must you work to keep your health insurance?  Is short term disability one of your benefits?  How does family and medical leave work in your workplace?  What schedule accomodations can they offer you (schedule days off around chemo, switch from nights to day, 12 to 8 hours, or 8 to 12 hours, or occasionally split with another nurse so you work only four hours?  If you are not the one providing your health insurance, could you temporarily switch to per diem and maybe make more/hour?

I guess, in short, you have many, many options.  You also have rights, which lots of us can discuss if necessary.    You have your medical team, and you have their wisdom.  Most importantly, you have you.

aMtn4me

Very grateful for the replies and very helpful! Ever since my diagnosis I've been walking around in a daze and seem to be having trouble just making simple decisions! I hope this will eventually subside. I seem to need hand holding for everything these days and I don't normally. Don't know what the "new normal" will be for me but I'm not really liking it so far. I just feel so stupid. Thank you ladies once again!