Newly diagnosed and freaking about telling work

Kahnartist

i've only been at my job for three months. They are an amazing group of people in the small office. But I'm very worried since I don't know my treatment plan. I am single I need to work I don't want to take any extra time off that I don't need to take. I'm hopeful that I just need surgery and no other treatment but obviously I don't know that at this point. My biggest stress outside of having cancer is informing my employer and worrying about the long term work and money situations. I would say I think about this more than anything else right now. So sad that we have to even worry about this at a time we should be focused on health.

I know I have one invasive 5mm er+/pr+ HER2- stage 1. No idea about anything else. I was diagnosed Monday after a biopsy, MRI yesterday and genetic testing the day before. I meet with bs Monday.

Leatherette

I'm sorry you were just diagnosed. My work has been great with all of the uncertainties. Even when you have a clearer treatment plan, there are no guarantees. It was, of course, hard to tell everyone. You are right-we shouldn't have to think about money at a time like this. I recovered quickly from my mastectomy and if I did not have to have chemo, work disruption would have been a mere blip. I'm hormone negative, so I don't know about that intimately, but sometimes hormones/hormone suppressantshappen instead of chemo. Hope it all works out.

Kahnartist

thank you. I'm scared to tell them. Only been there for a few months and scared about money as well. I will have to tell them when I have a plan. Until then I don't really have anything to tell them.

TarheelMichelle

I don't know when your insurance takes effect but if there is any way to increase or enroll in short-term disability, do it! Knowing you will be paid a full salary can help your stress level.

I def agree holding off telling anyone at work for now. Sometimes that's difficult in a small office, or when you have to fit appointments in your day. It COULD help if you have lots of appointments to tell your supervisor that your time away is temporary and that you are making up all missed time. It helped me to make a list of hours I missed and whether I worked through lunch to make up the hour, or came in early, and gave this to my boss. You don't want anyone wondering aloud why the new employee is always taking long lunches. I am pretty private and wouldn't feel comfortable discussing my breasts with people who barely knew me. Don't be SCARED to talk. You are in control of information flow. It may be best to not reveal any details, even though anything goes these days in office revelations. You need acceptance not sympathy. 😊 GOod luck