working during TC

Hi Smudge,

I've done both AC-Tand TC, and worked both times. First time was AC-T, I worked 30 hours and was in grad school. Had a few days each cycle that really set me back on my heels with flu like symptoms, but I persevered. Second time was 6 cycles of TC, just last year. Worked full-time, took one day off each cycle when I felt at my worst. I had a flexible work schedule, and was able to work at home on those days when I just couldn't drag myself to the office.

Not sure where you heard that TC is "chemo light" - frankly, TC was just as difficult for me as a AC-T. I have strong reactions to the taxanes (Taxol in AC-T and Taxotere in TC), so both regimens were tough on me. Everyone is different, and it can be hard to predict just how you'll do during chemo, but for most of us chemo is tough but doable.

I wish you well in your journey

*edited for typos

I am a college professor, and was able to work part time during 4 rounds of TCHP. I taught an online course, worked on some research projects, and went to occassional meetings on campus. Frequent and unpredictable diarrhea (even with Imodium) and significant fatigue made being in my office and in the classroom very difficult. Do you have the option to teach online or in a hybrid format

TCHP had limited effect in shrinking my tumor, so I've now switched to dose dense AC. The side effects are more manageable, although I do have several days of substantial fatigue each cycle. That may be a result of extended treatment. I started back in November as a participant in an HP-only study, then moved to TCHP in January, then to AC in May. Throughout, I've had a number of unexpected delays and adfitional medical appointments due to low blood counts, even while on Neulasta throughout chemo, and the need for electrolyte infusion and fluids. All this to say, I think it would have been impossible for me to truly work full-time on a regular schedule during this period. Happily, my work allowed me to take intermittent medical leave, rather than having to be out entirely. That has helped me conserve serve my sick leave and feel connected to my work, which I love, without compromising my medical care. For me, it was important to be realistic with my employer about the possible limits I will be facing, even though they were not easily predictable ahead of time.

Hope that helps you plan, as best we can when navigating the unknowns of treatment.

Another possibility that occurs to me, depending on the schools' policies and your discipline and the size of the classes, is that you could use a flipped classroom approach that would allow you to record lectures for students to view before the class meeting. Best practices usually recommend short lectures. I try to keep mine between 15 and 30 minutes. I don't really have to sacrifice any content, because I do not have to do the repetition and notetaking pauses that in person lectures require. Students can simply rewind.

Classtime is then largely a workspace for application of the ideas and skills bystudents, either individually or in groups. You can incorporate a lot of peer review that checks their comprehension without you having to do individual feedback. That kind of format allows you to lecture when you're at your best, and gives you some flexibility during class sessions when you're dealing with fatigue or other side effects. If you're not familiar with the terminology flipped classroom, googling it will give you all sorts of information. It's a kind of trendy name for a style of teaching that many disciplines in the humanities have used for a long time, but math and sciences are starting to adopt particularly with the availability of online instruction.