Working during rads?
Comments
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I am just curious on how you balance work schedules, travel time, fatigue (and for me, stinky armpit!) with radiation txs. I clean houses and today will be my first time trying to do both. I am going to work at 8.30, leave for tx at 9.30, hope to be back to work by 11.15, then another 2 hours of cleaning. The sound of it alone makes me tired I also have Late stage lyme and am on IV abx and have to squeeze in 2 infusion sessions a day.
I need some words of encouragement and advice if you have any. I started my rads yesterday, and I see my Lyme dr on Thurs and will talk to her as well.
Thanks so much for any advice you have.
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My advice is to get your rads treatments scheduled for a time after you finish work. I did that based on comments I read on this board that many felt tired for an hour or two after rads before getting a second wind. I did work through rads. The fatigue was not overwhelming but rather a feeling of lower energy than usual and it does get worse toward the end of treatment.
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Maybe line up an on-call substitute cleaner just in case there is a day when you just don't feel up to a particular job? Scheduling rads between two cleaning whirlwinds (as you've already done) might give you a welcome break, or might just add to travel time stress. Pay attention to how that's working out. And drink lots and lots of water.
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Well, my Lyme dr pretty much shot me down for continuing to work.Totally not surprised, since she had been wanted me to stop working for a long time. We debated a bit and compromised that I can clean 1 house a week. I have to say that when I went home after rads on Friday and didn't have to work for 4 hours, my body was *very* happy.
Thanks for the hints. And the water! Between the rads and the abx, I am so thirsty, all of the time! <~ That is me, having to pee non-stop!
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I had radiation after the first DCIS, back in 2005. I went every day for five weeks. My appt was always at 3:30. I worked in an office, developing conferences...recruiting speakers, negotiating with hotels, writing marketing materials, blah, blah, blah...I would come in at 7:30 and leave at 2:30 to drive into Boston and my employer was cool with that.
I don't mind mornings. Before the cancer, I had been getting up even earlier to get to the gym. I totally abandoned the gym during rads. Most nights I slept from 9:30 or 10 until 6:00 or 6:30am. I may not have been 100% put together when I got to work, fashion-wise, but I got there. Every single day.
Good luck...I cannot imagine juggling both Lyme and radiation. I salute your strength!
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Wow. You sound like a very hard working women. Maybe the more physically demanding the job the harder it is to maintain at the same pace during rads. I've got a desk job -- with lots of computer, web meetings and teleconferences so I haven't missed a day at work. I have had to leave a few web meetings a few minutes early and joined some a bit late but overall managing to squeeze it all in. Today at my rads appointments there were several folks in the patient lounge waiting for their appointments when I arrived. I've got regular teleconferences on Thursdays so I finish that in the waiting room. I hope the others don't mind. No one says anything. The machine had to be reset and so they got backed up. It was the first appointment where I had to wait more than a minute or two and where there was more than one other person waiting. So far I've been pleasantly surprised with how smoothly the appointments go - even when I see the doctor it was quick. Even with the little wait today it only took an additional 15 minutes. I cannot complain! I have cut back on my exercise intensity and duration since starting rads, though my docs did say to keep exercising as it helps a lot. I try to do something everyday but am happy if I move for 30 minutes --- even just gentle stretching. I don't know if I could manage the cleaning job but you are accustomed to it so I'll bet you'll be fine. You do have an excuse (in your case two with the Lyme) to back off a bit! Best of luck juggling it all. Sounds like maybe a nap is in order after you get done with work though.
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thanks mz! I am so happy to hear that you have been doing so well! I have been trying to walk when possible but I really need to so more in the way of stretching. I keep saying that I am going to pull out my yoga mat but.... yup, it hasn't happened yet.
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