Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

LTF, that's horrid that your union rep is not supporting you. I don't get it. At least you DO have some support in your corner. For your rads most of your time will be travel time. Rads themselves about 10 minutes, getting undressed, waiting until your turn and getting dressed maybe 10 minutes each max. Of course the days you see the RO will be longer. Some places will be able to schedule you very early or after work.

Let us know what we can do to help you. I understand about feeling alone and depressed when you need to stay home because of the chemo. It's rough. But we are here for you and sometimes that's enough of a connection to help you stay sane.

Good luck with your meeting with the union rep.

HUGS!

thank you for all the support! I really can't believe my union person is putting up barriers when administration is completely happy to have me come on the kind of accommodations I want.

Going to add our text message exchange from yesterday, notice she did not respond to my last message, Joanne is human resources and Ruth is my branch manager. She's trying to make it seem like the accommodations I want are the unreasonable, but if administration doesn't have a problem why the heck should she? And it's not like I'm not taking advantage of sick time, I'm using it it's just much more broken up. I'm not that worried about not getting what I want, I'm more worried about it being difficult and stressful and hard and my relationship with her, because I want to have a good relationship with the union and want to feel supported by them. I don't want to feel like I cannot go to her if I have a problem in a few years or something. I think I'm going to be very honest with he on the phone tomorrow, that I understand that she does not feel it's in my best interest to continue to work, but since I do and my MO agrees, I really want to work with her cooperatively to get the right working conditions

Italychick I totally agree with you, work definitely plays into me staying active. The offices I work I'm are all quite large, so there's lots of opportunity for me to walk around and be on my feet, of course I can sit when I need to, but it helps me get my fit bit steps every day which is good for me physically and emotionally.

MLP I hope things work out for you at the club!

LTF- you go girl! Is date night a wig night or full Monty night? Also... Forgot to ask why they switched up your chemo meds...

LTFly- it's so strange that she is being so assertive in her approach to you. I hope that everything can get worked out to your satisfaction. I have a coworker that can be a little pushy about my work level, but she's always glad to see me when I'm there, and is really just making sure I don't overdue it. My job is typically physically demanding and it's hard to sit at a computer when everyone else is busting their butts. Especially when help is needed and all I can do is try to find an available set of hands. Sometimes it's just as hard to be at work as it is to stay home for me.

MLP- you're a rock, go get 'rm and set them straight!

My DH and I were talking about my eventual return to BJJ the other night. He was being so sweet and supportive, and he made the comment that I'd be kicking everyone's butt when I got back, of course, I know I'll be struggling against people I helped train up with all this lost time, and said so. He told me I was wrong, everyone will know that I kicked cancer's ass, so they'll all know what an unbeatable warrior I am. They'll know that I never give up, and they will be intimidated by that. I thought of his words today, reading what you both (MLP and LTFLy) are going through. You, too, are warriors

614 - Dont you have a partner with Fibromyalgia, I saw this article http://guardianlv.com/2013/06/fibromyalgia-mystery... super interesting!!!!

LTF - Interesting situation, as sounds reminiscent to me, my Principal was soooo supportive, I basically chose the days I worked as was my right in my contract position. As treatment wore on it became alot harder to work as was so sick, I still pushed for many reasons, normality being one..until one day I came into work and she came and saw me...she was so kind but then urged me to take time off to put into me, which made me angry as it was my choice. She said it was easier for her to replace me for a long time than a day here and there. Through Chemo I was forced to reapply for my contract at that School, the paperwork, and even attend an interview. I got shafted!!!! I had impeccable credentials, performance review was top notch, adored by leadership. But as you said being home I too was lonely and depressed...unfortunately the decision was made for me and I had to stop working, but I realized for me...that was the whole point. My struggle for normality versus what the universe obviously thought best for me. For the first time in my life, I put me above my work...it wasnt important anymore... Of course it is now and its wonderful to be back working...but Im not there now. I was a liability to them not that they would say. I was so angry through the whole process too...but when I let go of it as sick as I was, it gave me a chance to really be with me...yes in the sadness, lonliness, but I will never put work above me again. Just do what YOU want to do, what works for you! You wont always get the support by Management, Union Reps anyone all the time. Nobody can tell you not to work!!! Its a personal choice. Hope it all works out, one thing I know is, it will work out exactly as it is meant to, and it will be the best thing no matter what that suits you and is best for you.

BTW, for any of you having joint pain - does it help to push through the pain and keep moving? I have terrible hip pain right now, but keep thinking that I read the more I move, the better it is?

LTF: I am astounded at the union reps response. It isn't like this is a permanent thing and the fact that you are willing to work when you could essentially take off at 100% pay speaks volumes about your commitment and how you know what is best for you during treatment and recovery.

MLP: Give that committee h*ll.

thanks Mel!

Ltf- have a great date night!! You deserve it;)

Ayr- they say it's better to push through the pain. Even a short walk helps.

I just had the best 5 mile walk! Looked over 10k steps and did it with great friends in the NH hills. It felt soooo great!!

LTF - I hear you! in some ways employers think they are helping you, instead of being educated and listening to what is best for you. My Principal was caring and supportive to my face...her actions behind my back showed ignorance and that I was a liability to her. A good work place will make accomodatons for you...period!!! Its actually important that they support you, its all part of your progress and healing with what you are going through. I so agree about the depressed feeling of being at home and alone with your thoughts. It something I chose too keep busy and want to work. I remember being so angry with all of them...now I look back and know for me everything worked out exactly as it should. I couldnt see it at the time. Hang tight, am sure it will all work out.

But the weird thing it's it's not my employers...they are being very supportive...but the union pres. I don't really know what her motivation is.

I guess, but I have been very clear with her that it is important for me to work if I can, and that I'm doing great at working and very happy that I've chosen to do it this far. It's just really stressful and upsetting to feel so unsupported by my union. I would expect management to maybe put up some roadblocks to the kind of accommodations I want, because yes it's probably easier for them to just replace me than pay me to do an accommodated job ( however either way they would be paying me because I've got loads of sick time) and have to have someone else cover my caseload. They have been amazingly supportive and positive about my intention to work, she is the one putting up roadblocks and it's very strange.

I think she is underestimating me. She doesn't know me very well and obviously whenever I have had to contact her it's because I've been vulnerable about something, when I was struggling with the driving anxiety, and again when I first got diagnosed. I'm not generally a very vulnerable person, I am very motivated, and I'm a bad ass cancer fighter!

Well, I know ultimately I will get what I want, there is no way I'm going to let her railroad me into leaving work if I don't want to. Somebody who's working with me feels like I am struggling on what they see day by day, then I would definitely take that into consideration. But that's not the case with her! She hasn't seen me in months. My branch manager and human resources person who are both supportive see me regularly! (I don't normally see human resources very often, but there's a lot of HR related stuff going on with the team I am on in my contact position because we do training, so she sees me at least once a week when we have our meetings downtown where her office Is). The HR person and branch manager were the ones that interviewed me for the supervisor position a couple weeks ago, I did not get the position however they both gave me extremely positive feedback about my interview and said they hope that I continue to seek supervisor positions

maybe, but I'm not the first one to work through chemo. Colleague of mine did a couple years ago, that was really what got in into my head that I could too! Had the same union president so she was involved. Did not have a front line worker position but a desk job, but so what? There's no reason I can't get accommodations to have the same. I know loads of frontline workers that had accommodations that kept them in the office away from thier caseloads for various reasons.

That said, the person who did it before me has a very strong and argumentative personality, even if the union president didn't agree with it she probably wouldn't even have try to fight her on it.

I'm tough, but not until I have to be. People who don't know me very wellwould have no idea how motivated I can be unless there's a reason! I generally present as very pleasant and easy-going.

thanks!! Like I said if somebody that was actually working with me or spending time with me regularly was concerned about it, I would totally consider that because maybe they were seeing something that I was too close to realize. But I'm not going to have somebody who hasn't even seen me in months tell me whether not I should be working!

I'm really sorry you had that experience at your work too! There is so much that is out of our control right now, it really bothers me that people try to take away what should be in our control. I am in a union and pay my dues, I expect themto support my best interest and respect that I know what is in my best interest

LTF- hate that you are having this issue with the union pres. Keep at it BUT- tonight- enjoy DATE NIGHT!! You can fight the work battle another day. De-stress and enjoy your fierce outfit, make up and hair with DH- you are a badass and this will all work out!

MLP- sorry the board is giving you a fit but you will show them! SO happy about your walk. Also, found a site with some yummy looking vegan dishes- was looking for some burger recipes and they had a yummy looking black bean and beet one as well as cauliflower steaks. Also, can be modified for those not vegan as well. Think it's Love and Lemons. Might want to check it out.

Sloan- happy, happy that the immune system won out! Awesome.

AYR and Mel- dang- am wondering if the lower back pain I have been having past 2 days and joint pain in hips and ankles is Arimidex related? Feel like I'm slogging through quicksand, too. Have been on it about a month now.

AYR- I do think moving is key but dang- hard to do it when it hurts! Fitbit challenges are helping me to get up and move, though!

Sloan, so happy you are feeling better! LTFly, sorry about your Union president ugh. My fitbit fell off my wrist, fortunately I found it in the car. I am thankful for the sync up with my phone so I knew when it was close! Hugs everyone. Poodles I hope you are doing better. Peggy, good luck ramping up to showing the house.