Keeping Children and working

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Estepp
Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

For those of you with BM and expanders and chemo... this question is for you.

I keep my grandchildren so my d-i-l can work two days a week. The kiddos are 2 and 1.

Can I still keep them as I go through treatments and surgery .. moms out there that do this, maybe you can tell me how I can do it too.

And.. can I work ? I am a hairstylist and use my arms and armpits if you will... three days a week.

Thank you, any advice or info I would apperciate!

Laura

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited June 2008

    Bump

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  • RIV54
    RIV54 Member Posts: 359
    edited June 2008

    Hi, Laura, I'm a grandmom myself and had a left breast mastectomy. I know that after surgery you wont be able to do any heavy lifting for about 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how you are healing. If you have to go through chemo, you'll probably be very tired, the same for radiation. You'll need to rest when you need to. Talk to your drs. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

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  • mbpetit
    mbpetit Member Posts: 66
    edited June 2008

    I have a 5 year old and found I needed help, especially right after my mast. surgery.  I had help for a good 2 weeks after surgery.  Luckily my mom and mother-in-law are nearby.  I also needed help for a day or two after my chemo treatments...there are different treatments out there so I am not sure what SE's you may experience. I had 4 DD AC and 4 Taxols treatments...I definitley needed help after the AC treatments. 

    On days I did not have help I bought her either a special toy or DVD and would save them for when I just wasn't feeling good.  I woulod then give it to her and it would keep her busy a bit while I rested on the couch while she played or watched a DVD...I know it is not the best parenting technique, but it got me through some times when I had no help.

     I wish the best of luck to you and let us know how you make out.

    MB 

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  • marylawson
    marylawson Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2008

    I have a 8, 4 and 1 yr old. I had BM w/ expanders. I am in the process of chemo currently. I also had 16 nodes removed on the left side. I did find that I needed help for 4 weeks after surgery with lifting. I was in good shape prior to the surgery (ran a marathon 2 weeks before) and still found that lifting children and household responsibilities were difficult for weeks after surgery. As a general guideline, I felt better and was able to do more after having the drains removed (I had 3). That seemed to be an indication of significant healing for me. All chemo is different and people have varrying side effects to chemo. I had AC for 3 mos (every 3 weeks) and found that I needed help for the week after that due to extreme nausea. I am now doing Taxol and Herceptin weekly. That is tons better and I am only out the day of the tx.   You must be a blessing to your DIL. I pray that you will have many blessings during your surgery, tx, and recovery.

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  • artsee
    artsee Member Posts: 1,576
    edited June 2008

    Estepp....I received a PM from AnnNY to notify me of your post.(thanks Ann)

    I am also a hairdresser who went through chemo and today finished me 24th rad treatment.I have 9 to go...yeah!

    For the most part I felt pretty good except for days 3,4,5,6, after chemo. I have 5 grandchildren under the age of 6. My kids did not bother me with B-sitting while on chemo. I'm glad they didn't because I felt I needed all the energy for the three days I worked during the week.Things happen, and I bowed out for three months.

    I had chemo on Fridays (every three weeks) and I do not work until Tues. of the following week. I took Tues off after the Fri. chemo. I needed that day to feel up to snuff. After that I did hair 10 hours a day and I was just fine. My onco said that it was ok because the arm exercise is good for me and would make me stronger. So Laura, if you want to B-sit, work or what ever, you can do it if you feel up to it. You need to feel your way around....but I knew with active little ones I just did not want to deal with it. There is plenty of time where we can help out. When I felt sick it wansn't in the cards and neither did my kids expect it of me.Never had a problem at work, but when I got a little tired I'd sit. I didn't book myself during a perm or a color either during this time.

    If you have any more question please ask. I'll try and help as much as I can.

    Take care and God Bless, Artsee

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited June 2008

    WOW, Thank you everyone!

    Artsee... I kinda figured I might have to tell my kids they will have to find another way to have the babies watched. They take so much energy.. and I usually have a ton to give them! But I will back off that after all this starts.

    I am glad to hear that I might work some. I own the salon so I will still draw my salary.. but wow.. I still will loose that 800-1000 a month in tips ya know... If I could work during Chemo even after Mast and rec... that would help a lot!

    Even it it was two weeks out of a month.. that could still keep me visual in the Salon ( so customers don't think I am dying right now) and keep maybe 400-500 of that extra money coming in. I would HATE to take so much of our savings.. ( we also have our youngest son having surgery on a hand soon.. 3000.00 or so there... ugggggggg)... anyway.. you all know this can be a financial strain and/or burden...

    Thank you ladies... and Artsee.. I am sure I will PM you over the next yr if that is ok.. since you can tell me things about being in the salon!

    Love and Peace

    Laura

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  • artsee
    artsee Member Posts: 1,576
    edited July 2008

    Laura, that is o.k. I owned my own salon for 16 years and that was good money. Have a year a round home on a beautiful lake up in the north woods to show for it.Laughing But it got to be a lot of work and now when I leave work I don't have to think about it , till i go back to work,

    Artsee

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