Leave of absence even during 'easy' times - teacher

Salamandra

Hi all,

I'm post-lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy, waiting for the pathology results. It's been over a week and I'm going kind of crazy. This cancer thing has hit all my emotional/mental buttons (just lost one parent this year, lost my biological mother to breast cancer when I was 20. I have struggled with depression/anxiety in the past and also just diagnosed with ADHD.

I'm 39 and working as a high school teacher. I like it when I'm there because it sucks up all my attention and I can't worry, but I have been completely unable to do any planning. The mental focus just isn't there. Going in to work unprepared feels like shit and scary too, because of observations/career consequences (I'm not tenured yet). I'm exhausted too because my sleep is missed up.

I really want to try to take a leave of absence starting tomorrow (my post surgery check up). If the surgeon was right in her optimism and it really is early stages and hasn't spread, I'll start radiation in a couple of weeks and it i'll be every day for a month. The hospital is about 1h15 on subway from work, and I'd have to miss a decent chunk of each work day anyway, no matter when I schedule it. I was thinking leave until after that's done. So that would be two relatively healthy weeks out and four weeks out for radiation.

If the surgeon was too optimistic and it's more tests and scans and waiting and chemo and I think that will mess with my head even more.

The leave is unpaid though I get to keep my health insurance (vital). It would be a major hit on my 'emergency fund' savings but do able. Am I being crazy?

Anybody can relate? Have experiences to share?

Peregrinelady

I ended up taking a year’s leave of absence with my sick leave and asking for days from the sick leave bank. Do you have sick days that you can use? Can you talk to someone in HR? My district was very helpful and I think you can use the Family leave medical act to get needed time off.

Salamandra

I have sick days but not that many, enough to take off most of radiation. I can use unpaid after, or FMLA instead. I'll probably use some combination.

Taking time off the days after surgery was obvious. I'm struggling with taking time off for when my body can more or less handle things but my mind can't.

Peregrinelady

My time off was for anxiety and depression (I was misdiagnosed for over a year and a half), so in my opinion, the psychological aspect is just as important as the physical. Do whatever is best for you. You could use the 2 weeks before radiation to prepare, mentally and physically. After my initial depression lifted, I felt a little guilty not working, but then I decided to do reconstruction and hiked every day to get in shape. Take this time to be the healthiest you can before surgery. Good luck and keep us posted.