Hi everyone,
Just a bit of background first.
In February, I found a lump in my right breast. The Doctor thought it was a cyst but referred me to our local breast clinic. They too thought it was a cyst but sent me round for an ultrasound scan where the sonographer said that it definitely wasn’t a cyst and they didn’t know what it was, so needed to do biopsies. A few weeks later the results came back inconclusive so they decided to operate to remove the lump so they could put it under the microscope and find out what it was. Eventually it was found to be a DCIS low/intermediate grade. They operated again to shave around the area where the lump was removed to check for clear margins. Once I was given the all clear, I was then given radiotherapy over 5 days in August as a preventative treatment.
I’m a teacher and have been off work since the middle of April and am looking at doing a phased return to work at the start of November. I’m due to see my Oncologist on Thursday but wanted to ask, how do you know when you are ready to go back to work? I still tire easily and find concentrating on anything for a spell of time tiring. I have other health issues: fibromyalgia, anxiety and IBS which don’t help the cause either. I’m getting very apprehensive about going back and taking on all the additional pressure that comes with the job and the evening and weekend work that comes with it as well.
I’m also finding that at the moment dealing with anything above and beyond normal daily routines, stresses me out and I just want to cry. Everyone keeps telling me how well I look but just wish I felt that inside. All I feel is tired and low most of the time.
Any advice/guidance would be fab. Thank you.
Hi Melly,
Sorry to hear you’re still struggling, I do hope things start improving for you soon.
As for returning to work, it’s such a personal thing, with no right or wrong answer. I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of phased returns in the past 18 months (4 surgeries!), and almost always feel I’ve gone back too soon. It’s that guilt factor - my counsellor put it brilliantly, when she said “you find yourself well enough to start doing something again, have a little bit of fun, and bang: guilt that you should be at work.”
My plan this time was to reach the point where I started feeling that twinge of guilt, and then take another week! I wanted to try having a more focused routine before I went back, so maybe some learning kind of things, and use that to gauge my ability to concentrate and be on the go, without having gone back and struggling.
Take care of yourself xx
@Melly85
Ive been thinking about this too. I’m a primary school teacher and am still in active treatment. I’m due to finish chemo in early Feb, then I have radiotherapy for 5 days in March. Im thinking of returning to work after the Easter holidays which would be April 25th on a phased return. Im hoping my head will let me work with booster groups initially as I think I would struggle teaching a class. My confidence has taken a battering I don’t know about you?
Ive had 3 EC chemos and my mind is terrible, I say the wrong things and can’t get my words in order. I write things on posts and read them back and realise there are spelling mistakes and words missed out.
Pre-cancer/chemo I was confident, efficient, very organised and extremely good at my job. Im not that person anymore. Im hoping she comes back. I can access counselling through my school so im going to apply to do that in the new year. Have you accessed any counselling at all?
Please let me know how you go on. Teaching is such an immensely stressful job.
Lou x