Running a business whilst undrgoing chemo?

Public Archive
1

Hiya,
Had my WLE & sentinal node on 2nd July, all clear so far but as I am 41 am waiting to see onc to see what lovely chemo/rad regime I have to have! I run my own business and was wondering if there was anybody else who worked through chemo. I make chocolates for a living and obviously are coming up to our busiest times(Xmas etc). I’m finding it awfully difficult to get planning anything. Would love to hear from anybody else in the same position, I certainly can’t take 7-9 months off.
Cheers Allie

2

Hi Allie,

I was dx 17 years ago and all thru several ops, chemos and rads thru the years I was running my own business. My husband and I have a thriving bonsai nursery and live on site. I continued working most of the time - but i did get to pick and choose what jobs I did (we do employ staff as well). My main responsibility was to see that the accounts were kept up to date but that i was able to fit in on the good days. Other days I could work outside when I felt like it and did manage quite a lot of the time. There have obviously been times when I couldnt cope - and the beauty of the business was that my OH was around to keep an eye on me all the time. I think you could find it difficult if you dont have anyone to stand in for you on the bad days. If you can set up a contingency plan for those times I dont see why you cant continue.

Dawnhc

3

Thanks for that, I feel a bit better that I’ll be able to cope now. I am very lucky that I have very good staff, but there are some jobs they can’t/won’t do, especially sales, paperwork etc. But should be able to do most of that stuff over the phone &/or at home. Will just have to rethink some of the big plans I had for this year, moving premises etc, I just don’t have time for this cancer at the moment!

4

Hi Allie,

I work from home with my own business in publishing. I worked throughout chemo and rads and there was no one to stand in for me. I think that the fact that I had to work to maintain the business and that I had printer deadlines to meet meant that I had little time to think about BC, no bad thing at all! I never felt worse than if I had flu at times so was lucky. Also the time having treatment flew by.

Margaret

5

Hi all of you!

I am so refreshed to hear of ladies who were able to work through treatment - I too was well throughout and worked all my non chemo weeks, I felt fine and always felt that if I were not being paid by work or like you worked for myself I would have easily been able to continue working. My advice is to make sure the anti sickness tablets are the best for you and get plenty of constipation tablets!!! I was neither sick, tired or depressed.

Obviously some time off after surgery is inevitable and I certainly would not push that aspect as the better you recover the better the resultant treatment will be.

Breast Cancer certainly is an interruption I could have lived without!!!

Best wishes Janxxxx

6

Thanks for the encouragement girls,
I am popping in & out of work this week catching up on the dreaded but I must admit I was pretty tired today. I do what I can manage and the girls who work for me are really supportive. It is nice to be back in the thick of things, its better than staring at the cat all day or daytime TV! Won’t be in everyday though as was the case before the op. Still waiting for my onc appointment so will try and get things in reasonable order before the chemo. Thanks for the nausea/ constipation advice.