Strategies for Working Teachers During Chemo

I'm also in higher ed. I taught through both chemo and radiation. I told my colleagues and my chair that I was going to do chemo. My chair reduced my committee assignments, and appointed a teaching assistant (TA) to help with my courses. That way, if I "went down" or had to be hospitalized for any reason, a Ph.D. student could step in to teach the class. I never "went down," though I did cancel class once because of intestinal flu.

I taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and did chemo on Wednesdays. It was a good schedule because the side effects would hit on Friday, a non-teaching day.

I didn't wear a mask, or do anything differently than I normally do. I didn't tell my students, though several complimented me on my new "hair," which was a wig and looked better than my real hair.

One of my colleagues set up a page for me on "Lots-a-Helping Hands," where I could make specific requests for help. It was very useful, especially when it came to finding someone to pick up my daughter from games and sports practices.

I scheduled radiation so that it would occur after I was finished teaching for the day. It was boring, but doable.

Good luck to all educators, getting treatment!

I had chemo for colon cancer and taught middle school during the entire 6 months of treatment. I dealt with severe neutropenia, hand/foot syndrome, etc. Here are the things I did to make life more manageable.

1. I told my students' parents. I asked them to remind their children to be good for subs.

2. I kept tons of emergency sub plans and set up a reward system for good behavior for the sub.

3. I have a sink in my classroom and would instruct the kids to wash their hands before sitting down. This was easier with small classes. I also demonstrated how to wash hands.

4. I cleaned the desks every day.

5. I kept Zofran in my purse.

6. I made the school nurse aware of what was going on. She was incredibly helpful.

7. I kept a huge container of hand sanitizer on my desk.

8. Every time a student sneezed or coughed, I had him wash his hands.

9. If something was going around school, I called in sick.

I did not get sick that year, well except for the cancer... My white blood count has still not rebounded.

I am about to start chemo right before I return to teaching preschool. The oncologist was non-committal, just said to wash hands well, but we do that anyways . My husband thinks I should not return to work. I know it shouldn't matter, but I also feel bad about leaving then in the lirch last minute...

Happy back to school for those starting the new school year. My classroom? 35% ready 😱

Ironically, I retired from teaching preschool right before my diagnosis. Out of curiosity, I asked my MO, if I was still teaching would I be able to continue during chemo. He said, "between a four year old's hygiene habits and it being it was winter (when I had chemo), the answer is absolutely no". He had also said, if I was to go to a movie during chemo, go to the first show of the day, the seats are very germy.

I'm probably the exception to the rule, but I did teach during AC chemo. I was so wired from steroids that I would have literally climbed the walls if I had had to stay home and do nothing but think about cancer, cancer, cancer. My doctor raised his eyebrows, but I would have tried it no matter what he said. Some things that helped to make it work:

*I had neulasta shots so didn't worry that much about germs, although I washed my hands a lot (with soap I brought from home, I couldn't stand the smell of the generic school soap, or hand sanitizer either).

*I kept my principal in the loop. I got off any committees, left a couple staff meetings early etc. With his permission, I sent out periodic updates to the rest of the staff. We were a pretty close group, so I knew they cared, but I just couldn't talk about it. A group of teachers got together and brought meals over a couple days a week, which I REALLY appreciated as I still had a teenager in the house who needed to eat! (If anyone asks you how they can help, that is one way.)

*I told my parents (I was teaching middle school special education), and told my kids a simplified version of about what was going on. I let kids know ahead of time when I was going on and had the same sub each time to keep things going as smoothly as possible.

*I had chemo in the spring of the year, before I started I went in and ran off as much stuff that I knew I'd be needing for the rest of the year as possible, plus did as many of my spring meeting and paperwork as I could squeeze in too.

*I had chemo on Friday, vegged out over the weekend, and planned a lighter day on Monday (my last day of the strong anti-nausea drugs).

*I got a really good wig, so I looked normal; which was very helpful to keeping things normal for the kids in the classroom.

*I hired a housekeeper and did just about zero around the house (frozen pizza supplemented the food brought by others).

* I didn't feel good, but being out & about, concentrating on other things (which you have to do when you are dealing with kids) helped me get through the experience emotionally. So......my advice is to try to keep your life as normal as possible, and adjust as needed.

I work as a K-5 elementary paraeducator specializing in reading, but also doing recess duty, so I was with every student on campus at some point in the day, often in small group settings. My first oncologist told me I would not be able to work during the four month TCHP chemo schedule. He was fired. My second oncologist said we would work out a timeline and I was mandated the Nuelasta shot.

I had chemo on Tuesdays every three weeks. For the first three I took off Tuesday through Friday and was back to work Monday. The 4th chemo was Spring Break, which we used to see how things were accumulating. The 5th chemo I was scheduled to take Tuesday-Tuesday off, but I got bored and went back a day early. The 6th was Tuesday-Tuesday and I needed it.

I had the same (wonderful) sub each time. She got my schedule down pat and was very flexible.

The entire staff knew I was undergoing chemo and had my treatment schedule always updated. Teachers knew not to send me students into small group if they were sick. I never wore a mask, but probably would have had the kids wear the mask because it would have fascinated them. I was also that person that, three years ago, joked with kids, "Don't sneeze on me!" so me saying it when I was immune deficient was no big deal to them. The custodian went ahead of me throughout my day and cleaned doorknobs and wiped down small group tables I would work at.

Teachers knew to get me the answer key to whatever we were working on. If I need to know the turning point in Weeping Werewolf, you need to tell me because I can't think it out. Other staff handed me stuff I needed as I walked out the door to recess because I couldn't be trusted to remember - walkie talkie, vest, whistle, bandaids, coat. If I had something in my hand, they knew not to talk to me because I would forget what I was supposed to do with the thing in my hand, ie taking paperwork from the classroom to the office. I had awesome staff support!

I left my ginger-tea-filled travel mug in more classrooms than I can count, and kids would always follow me to my next classroom/recess and bring it to me.

I cold capped so I never lost my hair. I told the oncology nurse I didn't want the kids to know I had cancer because, in a little kid's mind, they see grandma or grandpa dying of cancer. The nurse looked at me and said, "Or you could be the one they see live." Ew, ouch. Still, there was no announcement, really, that I had cancer.

I had two lumpectomies during school, took 3-4 days off for each, and had kids open doors for me. Not that I couldn't, but because the fireproof doors are heavy, and they love doing stuff for you. Plus it taught them manners. Plus I didn't have to pull the stitches.

I taught summer school during radiation 1) it was on the way to the radiation center 2) it gave me a diversion 3) it was only four hours a day and it kept me in routine rather than be pissed my summer was ruined by stupid radiation.

Teaching, for me, during cancer, I had to do for myself. I needed the diversion. I needed to be busy. Kids are a great diversion. I wasn't 100% for six months. I felt like crap some days. I was very foggy and "stupid". But, boy, did it put things into perspective about letting go of the little things. Once I finished treatment and got more into routine, I started slipping back into everything being a big thing. Everyone once in a while I (stupidly) wished I could go back to my chemo-self where I didn't have the energy to do that.

It's often referred to as a catastrophic leave bank. I was out, without chemo, for 3 1/2 months (darned pneumothorax!) but had almost enough sick days banked to cover it.

I have to go help one of first grade teammates move classrooms today because my district made some huge changes at the last minute 🙄. She had her classroom about 90% ready and, as you can imagine, is very unhappy

I know this is not the same thing as a regular teaching gig. However, I volunteer once a week with a class of foreign-born adults learning English. They are amazing, wonderful lovely people, funny and smart and hard-working. I love them so much.

Anyway, I believe that regardless of age or background, the students will help to the extent they are able, if asked. Whether that is holding doors or following with the tea mug or writing terms on the white board, I think they will do what they can. They can pass out papers and collect them and help lead discussions if they are old enough. Obviously don't always call on the same people to do these tasks, or it becomes a punishment to them instead of a help to you.

In my class, I told them in May about my diagnosis and treatment. We had an amazing class discussion about it. They understood I would lose my hair and start coming to class with hats or scarves. (Several of the women always have covered head, whether Muslim or other tradition, so no one cared about that.) This week I was presenting and got overheated. I have avoided being bald in public but I'm just so sick of the hats and scarves! I asked if anyone would be bothered if I took off my hat. They all shook their heads, so I did. My husband (who volunteers, too) said they all applauded when I did. I didn't hear them! But I took off my hat and felt self-conscious for a good 10 seconds and then went on with things.

I am a speech pathologist (and in my 60s) at a large elementary school and worked through all treatments. I took off on Thursdays every three weeks for chemo and half a day the next day to go back for Neulasta. I had quite a bit of fatigue, especially in the afternoon, but had a graduate intern for several months to help out.

I had my lumpectomy and a bilateral reduction the first week of the school year but was back the second week, About six weeks later I started radiation and went everyday after school for six weeks. So grueling but did not miss work except for the simulation.

Everyone is different, of course, so don’t beat yourself up if this is not your experience. I am only posting this to show that for some this is possible. I did not take any extra precautions as I always wash hands frequently and use Chlorox wipes on the table several times a day. I had one episode where I felt bad, had a cough, and a low grade fever. I went in to work but then decided that I felt too bad to stay and went home. Was better the next day.

Just do what you need to do to get through these months because it won’t last forever. I had surgery four years ago this month and except for some mild side effects from letrozole am doing well.

Hi - I am not a teacher but I face a lot of similar "hazards" in my job. I'm a geriatric social worker at a skilled nursing facility. We of course have residents with all types of medical conditions including those that put me (I typically run a low WBC) at risk like MRSA or C-dif. I have my nursing staff let me know if I need a mask to speak to a resident or if I need to get someone else to do an face to face interview or assessment

I have managed to work full time through my chemo (Taxol) treatments (10 so far). My work (administrator and coworkers) has been very supportive. What I do can be very interactive with residents and families but I also have a lot of work on the computer that I can do at home. my typical work week has been Monday through Wednesday, I am a teacher work doing resident assessments, meetings with staff and resident/family care conferences. Thursday is my treatment day and I usually do not work but I bring my computer home just in case. Fridays I am back at work.

I try to work longer hours the days I a month there so I don't have to take as much PTO. So far so good with everything. It can be a bit scary though when I have a really low WBC. I know though that teachers have a bit more hands on with their students than I do with my residents. Kudos to all of you managing to work through treatment

Scrafgal- thanks so much for bumping this! It’s the exact type of thread I’ve been looking for. It didn’t come up when I searched the site! What a great resource. Thanks!