Working During Treatment

I worked during treatment. I had around 2 weeks off after lumpectomy. Then during chemo I took the day off for chemo, and the following two days and then the weekend. I was more and more tired as chemo went on, but I was fine. I worked half days for a month during radiotherapy, then had the last two weeks off, then went back to work part time.

I had to work as Im single and had no other source of income. I had to work to pay the bills. I would have liked to take a year off work, but I couldnt and physically I coped fine. Emotionally though the stress that shitty people at work was the last thing I needed. I will never forgive certain work colleagues for what they put me thru during this year of my life, on top of what I was already dealing with. Looking back, it's almost as is they were jealous that due to my BC diagnosis and treatment certain people my have been giving me 'special treatment' so to speak and they wanted to 'right that' and even the score and treat me badly...it's really quite bizarre the way other women who havent had breast cancer can treat you when you go thru this. I hope for you that working thru treatment and the year following sees you surrounded by really nice work mates.

I took one week off after my lumpectomy; worked all through chemo only missing for infusion days (which I had on Fridays so I could have the weekend to recover). I teach & it so happened that my radiation was in the summer, which was good because I had to drive 100 miles each way every day to get to where my radiation center is! (finished up four days before I started back to school!). I wanted to work because I would have gone crazy if I had just sat home thinking about what a crappy, scary situation I was in, and at work you HAVE to concentrate on other things, plus you get to interact with other people in a normal setting and think and talk about other people's lives, joys, problems instead of just sitting and dwelling on your own.  I would see how it goes; if you feel you need to cut back, do so, but I wouldn't quit all together; keep doing as many normal, usual things as you can. Best of Luck! Ruth

I'm on 3/6 TCH and I am working through treatment.  I do miss 3-4 days every three weeks but I have an understanding boss and I my STD is picking up those days I am out (as long as the dr. submits the forms).  I would like to have the summer off but I think emotionally and physically it is probably better that I work--or attempt to!

I had a mastectomy so I had to take 3 months off for that.  I came back in the middle of chemo. The hardest part was getting dressed each day and trying to figure out which scarf matched which outfit.

I was tired but I shortened my day - I have a commute so I worked 6/7 hours a day instead of 9.  It was fine.  I had a bit of chemo brain so I had to write stuff down to remember it but it's gone now. You can do it!  

But, if you really don't want to, then you can consider staying home.  I think the body heals best when you are resting and sleeping and if you can manage to do that, you should.  But, that is up to you and your feelings about work - you should be able to work if you do chemo. 

I've finished surgery (lumpectomy) and still haven't gone back to work 4 weeks later. This is the case b/c I still don't know what my treatment will be and the anxiety is killing me. Having said that if I'm only Rads then I think I'll work through that but if it's chemo then I think I'll take the time to heal, rest, recuperate and not have to be "on" at work. I too do a lot of consulting type work in my career and while I really, really love my job my mental health is fragile right now.

 Maybe some other ladies will know this, does that change once you start to undergo treatment? Did you feel differently once you started treatment as opposed to when you were in limbo? Quite honestly I feel a little like an "underperformer" at cancer right now!:)

I took 3 weeks off for my masctomy. Then 2 day off when I had my port put in . Worked a reduced work schedule, mening I took off on Thrusday afternoons for chemo. Had CMF and  Taxol for 6 months. Then I worked thru 36 radiation treatments. I suffered thru cellulitis thru the  whole time-THAT was hard 103.5 fevers, had a few days off here and there for that. I WISH I had the option of Disability, after the first 20 or so rad treatments it was very hard. They used a bolus towel on me and the skin seared off my chest. I still worked though, just used a wash cloth to stop seepage. Dressing for work was tricky. I wore a cami instead of a bra, and large over sized shirts. The first time I had cancer I stayed in bed for 5 years, so I was blessed to have a reason to get out of bed this time, and also was amazed at my ability to keep up my job performance thruout the illness. Forgetfullness, a little bit,  use stickies and lists.  GOOD LUCK!

Sweeny, one word for that Xanax. You can pop one whenever you need it, and it doesnt take "weks" to kick in. Take control. I had freinds join me for treatment,couldnt drive home after Taxol chemo (I got pretty high on teh Benedryl IV drip). I HATED every minute of teh chemo, but dealt with it by being "sassy" at the chemo office. I would play volleyball with teh rubber gloves, etc.  TRY and relax and "enjoy teh journey. My 1st time thru this adventure, I didnt realize this is PART of my life's work, it was my kids childhood, it was day after day of extra days to my life.  Dont dwell too much on it, it will suck the life and joy out of you. jmho,  HUGS t

I am nanny to twin girls - who just turned a year old.     Thankfully their parents have been very compassionate and understanding since I was diagnosed.    Though I was willing to give it a try (through treatment)   they decided to look for temporary care for the girls.    I was SO relieved when this decision was made!    It took a load off my mind.    Yes,  unfortunately it also lightened my pocketbook each week   but the peace of mind in being able to put myself first,  is priceless.    I don't feel the pressure to push myself beyond what I'm comfortable with.   I feel for those of you who aren't in such a position.   It is incredibly difficult and trying.   In the end it is your health  (both physical and mental)   that needs  TLC   the most right now.   

I worked straight through surgery/chemo/rads/herceptin also. i work from home, doing sales, account mgmt and project mgmt and I have to say that it was a pleasure to have an area of my life where I could just be 'ME' and not the 'cancer-me'.  I was in a support group with a woman who had the exact same tx as I did at the same time, and she took a full leave from work. She said she sat aruond the house and worried/thought about cancer all day and wished she had kept working.

Now that being said, there were some days I did less, and I really did like being home to be near my own kitchen and my own bathroom, and not have to put 'real' clothes on and wig/makeup.  But I did go to client meetings in my wig (never toldl clients until afterwards and they never had a clue) and it went fine. I figured out quickly which were my good days and scheduled stuff for that time. 

Work was really a great escape from cancer.  This is a LONG HAUL - esp if you have herceptin which takes a year - and I really thrived on having cancer pushed off of center stage at times during the process.  Oh - also, I did arrange some back up help if I needed it - had coworkers who agreed to back me up, but I never did need them. 
One time my stomach hurt and my husband drove with me to my local warehouse but that was only once.

Overall, i was glad to have flexibility with my work, BUT it was a huge benefit to be working. I also experienced no chemo brain and I wonder how much that had to do withthe fact that I pushed myself mentally and kept myself alert. I don't know if there is any connection or if I was just fortunate.

Hope my info is helpful.

Amy