You know you're a cancer patient when....

YKYACPW.....you work in a health care place & have taken care of cancer patients. Now that I have cancer & these patients know it. We have this silent code that only our eyes convey! My co-workers don't know it! Although we are nurses aides, nurses & have seen much cancer. They still don't REALLY know! Only I do now!

YKYACPW the internet satellite tech comes to work on connection and every book on the table and every single page open on your screen is breast cancer related. no more secrets.

YKYACP when you'd rather write out the word California than use the abbreviation CA.

Funny badger, I'm from British Columbia and the abbreviation makes me cringe!!! Same idea....

I live in Canada and they cannot ask a question like that here -- so if you answer yes, what does that mean?

That's like a credit card application that asks if you've EVER been bankrupt!!! It's only kept 7 years on the Credit Bureau, but they are asking if EVER. Do you really think you'll get the credit card????

Native, it may work in your favour if they don't consider that a physical disability like a wheelchair would be. You may even be their "token" disabled person. Do companies have to hire a certain number?

sas, doesn't mean anything to Joan and I as it can't be asked here. Of course, in a face-to-face interview, they'd see a wheelchair, or only one arm. I made a BIG mistake earlier this Spring when I got an interview with a company I really wanted to work for..finally!!! Did GREAT in the interview but they only offered me part-time (35-38 hours/wk) at $30 an hour. That means I wouldn't get benefits like prescriptions paid for. I was SO stupid and said I really NEEDED the benefits. What an idiot I was!! Who would hire me after that????? 

OOh, 20 hours gets full benefits!!! Awesome. Not. Here....sigh.

I've been using the handicapped washrooms for years and just DARE someone to question me on it. If I come out and someone in a wheelchair is waiting, tough! We have to wait for 'normal' booths too. 

The ADA defines   disbility as

"Disability means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.

(1) The phrase physical or mental impairment means -
(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine;"

 Lumpectomy is considered a partial amputation of the breast, Lymphedema is a disorder of the lymphatic system.  Thus the rat ba$#ard is a condition creating disability.  

Any cancer diagnosis or history of a cancer diagnosis is considered a disability for ADA purposes.  

The ADA requires employers to make "reasonable" adaptations to allow a disabled worker to perform the job.  Reasonable adapatation include allowing time off for medical appointments/treatment appointments.  

 While there aren't "quotas" businesses are required to show compliance with the ADA (non-discrimination in hiring, making reasonable adaptations) and the only way they can really do this is to show that some employees are disabled as defined by the ADA.  I guess I'm hoping for getting a leg up by identifiying myself as a disabled worker.  It may bite me in the a$$, but then again, if it helps at all it's about time I got something useful out of this whole thing. 

gardegumby--if you are having any treatment side effects or after effects, like fatigue, allowing for telecommuting once or twice a week would be a reasonable adaptation, if the work you do can be done that way.  Can't hurt to ask!

Yeah, the benefits of telecommuting will be completely offset by the attitude and poor treatment.  Hang in there!

Ossa - hahahahahahaha

Too funny Ossa! Did ya give him a wink? lol

if I only smoked...hahahaha

Have caught myself do this a few times..

YKYABreastCPW..... more Men & Women have seen, touched, & talked about your breast/s in 5 months than my ENTIRE 45 years of life! And no Blushing about it either!