Working during Radiation?

B-A-P

Hi Everyone,

I start 16 rounds of Rads on Monday and I've considered going back to work. Our finances cannot carry us much further and I do have a young family to consider. I was planning on doing an ease back, like 12-15 hours a week, so it won't bring in a whole lot of money, but perhaps enough to pay a bill or two and get groceries. I was wondering if anyone was able to work and be okay. I don't want to hinder my progress or healing but I have been pretty stressed about finances. My husband works rotations so he can't get out to his workplace until mid June, and honestly I need him to watch our son while I have rads. It's a crappy position to be in . In Canada, the government gives you 15 weeks of sick leave which I used up in January, and then you are on your own. To qualify for disability , even at stage 4 breast cancer, I have to prove that I can't do any meaningful work at all, I'd likely not get approved .I feel fine at the moment, but not sure how rads is going to affect me.

Thanks!

ElaineTherese

Hi!

I worked through chemo and rads, and it was easier to work during rads. I had a flexible schedule, so I was able to get in and out of rads in about 20 minutes. A lot of working people like to do rads either before or after work; mine was scheduled for 3:25 in the afternoon -- after I'd finished teaching my 1:30-2:45 pm class. If you can make your daily rads appointment during a slow time, you'll be able to get through faster.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about rads was feeling like I had a bad sunburn. During the last four weeks, I just stopped wearing a bra. I would pick out outfits that were layered so my lack of bra was less noticeable.

Good luck!

Elephant

B-A-P: I had 16 rounds of rads and 5 boosts and I worked during the whole time; I did not have any side effects from the rads so it was easy for me to continue working. I think that with rads it affects people very differently because you read so many comments about the side effects that people are having, however I don't think that I would have been the only one that sailed through rads. Hopefully you will feel just fine and be able to work through the sessions.

B-A-P

ElaineTherese and Elephant,

Thank you, this is helpful I Plan on working in a minimal capacity to begin with so I hope that I can sail through. I don't imagine I'll be making much, but at least it's something and I feel like I'm not digging as far into debt than I already am.

gb2115

I worked through 6 weeks of radiation. It was exhausting and sometimes uncomfortable, but it was ok. You will probably be ok. I found I would get tired more later in the week and then would feel better come Monday.