Am I immunocompromised enough to ask to work from home?

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catsnroses
catsnroses Member Posts: 14
edited March 2020 in Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts

hi all,

I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts. I finished active treatment for breast cancer in May 2019 (abraxane and herceptin following double mastectomy). I am a social worker at a medical clinic. A lot of our admin staff are working from home and we were told it’s being considered for us, but I’m thinking of asking my manager tomorrow. I don’t have any other diseases that put me at risk, but Ihave read that we stay immunocompromised for quite some time and don’t want to be unnecessarily risky.


thanks!!

cat

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2020

    I also work in a medical clinic, and was just told from the corporate level that working from home is absolutely out of the question. In fact, we are being mandated to continue interacting with other staff and patients, regardless of whether or not our work is caught up. I'm so angry about this. I found out about this a few minutes ago, and I think it's horrible. I don't want to identify myself too much online, but I'm medical but not hands-on patient care. I talk to patients--many of whom are most definitely immunocompromised. My work is things that can really truly wait, and is actually caught up to where I could take some time off.

    I've never felt so un-cared about in my entire life.

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  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited March 2020

    I asked my medical oncologist via the online communications portal. She responded within twelve hours. She said that based on my last few CBC tests my white blood cell count was normal and she would expect me to not be at any greater risk than the average population.

    Ask your medical oncologist guidance. But also take into consideration whether you're living with/in close contact with anyone else who is immune-compromised.

    I hear you so loud and clear gb2115. I'm a teacher and our union finally got them to shut down schools for the kids but for reasons that appear to be... personal pride? they're requiring staff to come in this week for 'training' on how to educate remotely. Which they had nothing prepared for and basically meant us giving each other google classroom tutorials and absolutely nothing that couldn't have been done remotely.

    I'm going in because I can bicycle so don't have to take transit, don't share close space with anyone immunocompromised, am not responsible for children of my own, and already used up my paid sick leave on my cancer. But the whole thing feels like stupid unnecessary recklessness.

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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited March 2020

    I know the guideline is under active rads and chemo right now but I have seen that any nodes out can reduce a little bit which we all have done even if it is only a few. Do you have any other underlying conditions? Does anyone you live with have them? That is a big issue too. I live with a transplant patient on immuno-suppression for the rest of his life. We are on lock down at our house basically right now. He was told to not be in any clinics at all right now even with me or for him. He is doing a phone appointment with one of his doctors next week he has never seen before because they won't let him go into the clinic even. Look at your whole family.....not just yourself either since you are in a clinic setting.

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