Hi Jackie,
I wear a uniform at work too, although it’s not particularly figure hugging. I rarely ever wear my prosthesis when I’m out and about – work or otherwise. Again, my casual clothes are fairly baggy, but I refuse to wear my prosthesis just cos of what other people may think. I’m sure if they only see one boob sticking out in front, then it’s fairly obvious I’ve had a mastectomy. I am proud of myself for getting this far!
Jacki x
Hi All
I have just returned to work in a phased return have done 13 hours a week for four weeks and I know have a weeks holiday and then back to my normal hours. I found it very difficult at first and was quite tearful, (I work in a pub) but I now am finding it great again, the customers have been great, I think thinking about the return is worse than it actually is.
Heather
Hello everyone,
Sorry you had such a rough couple of days Magsi, hope it gets better.
I went in to work for an hour today. Everybody was really lovely and i had lots of hugs, My phased return is going to be better than i thought . 2 hours 3 days a week for 2 weeks and then 3 hours for 3 days and so on for 6 weeks, Also I had about 4 weeks of holidays that I did not take last year and they have honoured them for this year on top of my 5 weeks from the start of April. I was brave and took my hat off while I was there. My newly dyed chestnut crop went down well.
Love to all
Andrea xx
Really pleased for you Andrea, glad your work colleagues were so welcoming and and the reaction to your hair was positive, I think you were worried about that.
The phased return seems to have been well thought out - when do you actually start back?
Good to know that you have been able to carry holidays over from last year, any plans for them?
Magsi
Hi all,
Well done Andrea, Magsi and Heather.
Well done to Andrea for facing your fears, glad to hear it wasnt as awful as you were expecting and that everyone was lovely. I think sometimes because we have changed so much, physically and mentally since we were in work we think everyone else has too but its always the same old same old. Your phased return sounds great. I decided to go back for the whole shifts but less days, mainly because I have an hour comute each way. I have my first 3 monthly appointment with the breast clinic on Monday and then Tuesday its D day.GULP!!!
Magsi…OMG!!! Talk about back in the deep end but on a brighter note at least you didnt have time to think about things too much. Can I ask does going back to work make you sleep at night. I have had a terrible time with sleeping and am currently trying to wean myself off sleeping tablets. Its not so much I cant get to sleep but I wake up after a couple of hours and then navel gaze all night so am hoping that the extra activity will make me knackered.
Heather… thanks so much for posting, I know in my head its the thought of going back but actually hearing it from the horses mouth so to speak makes it so much better. Working in a pub too that must have been daunting so big pat on the back for you. Well done!!!
Be good to yourselves ladies you deserve it. Love Shonagh xx
Hi Again,
I start back on 7 th April 11am-1pm.
My Husband has a Friend in Bermuda who has invited us for a holiday with the kids. I work for B.A so get really good travel deals. I have worked for them for 14 years and you get 1 free trip every year for you and your family after 10 years of service. Its not as Glamourous as it sounds as I live in Durham and flight goes from Gatwick, also you only get a seat if there is one spare (standby) . So its something to look forward to. Hope we manage to go.
best wishes to you, I,m of to my Dads in Cambridge for a couple of days for his birthday, so 3 hour drive about to start.
Love Andrea xx
Hi everyone,
Having read about Andrea’s phased return and thought and reviewed mine I rang my Head this afternoon and have put into place different plans for next week!
Job share partner will be working my days as well as his own next week and I am going in as an extra to observe, make notes on children and generally ‘get my head around things’ which had been the plan for this week. Will also be able to leave early or arrive late and in that way should be able to get a seat on the tube for one leg of the journey.
After the holidays I have suggested that I work until 1p.m. (my lunch hour) then go home rather than returning to the classroom at 2p.m. and then review the situation.
I have had to be proactive which I have found a little difficult at a time when I was already feeling vulnerable. However reading the various comments on this thread has been so encouraging and has helped me to think things thro - so thanks.
Yes Shonagh I certainly slept after a day with 23 little ones! but did wake up several times the night before my return. Hope your nights improve.
lots of love
Magsi
Good for you Magsi,
Hope it goes well.
love Andrea x
Well girls, this is it! After 16 months, I am going back to work tomorrow. The nerves are kicking in now and even a glass of wine hasn’t helped (don’t want another as don’t want to go to work with a hangover lol). Still, this time tomorrow it’ll all be over.
Wish me luck.
Julie x
Good luck Julie.
It must feel like starting a new job!!!
Jx
HI Jez,
I know you will already be at work by now but just wanted to say thinking of you and hope its goes/has gone well. Be looking out for you coz its back to work for me too tomorrow, If you have a rubbish time just tell us dont feel like youve got to have to put a brave face on.
Be good to yourself hun, Love Shonagh xx
Best of luck to you both,
I,ve got Onc Appointment on Wed, this is the first after my chemo and rads finished. Do you think it will be a chat or examination. Just wondering.
love Andrea xx
Hiya girls
Well I did it and it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. I’m on a phased return and only doing 9am till 1pm, Monday to Wednesday for 4 weeks. The time flew by and once I had got all the ‘how are you’ out of the way, it was as if I’d never been away lol!
Shonagh, hope it went ok today. You’ll be absolutely fine tomorrow, don’t know why I was making such a fuss - drama queen!
Thanks for the good wishes.
Julie x
I’ve emailed the boss to tell him I’m now facing 7 months chemo and the 4 months post-surgery absence I’d originally predicted was a bit optimistic… wish mine was a job I could do from home, but it isn’t. It’s a small team and colleagues have been amazing, texting and dropping in, more supportive than I could possibly have expected. A long absence is still going to be hard to get over, though.
Andrea, hope you enjoyed being down here in Cambridge - busier than usual as the new shopping arcade just opened! Glad you’re happy with the chestnut hair, I’m colouring mine one last time before chemo hits it next week and may try to get the kind you used - do they do a range of colours? Lyn x
Shonagh
Hope your appointment went well today and that your first day back at work tomorrow goes ok, will be thinking about you.
Be good to yourself
Debra
Hello Ladies,
Just a quick one to say hello and thanks for the lovely wishes. I have only just got in (long story and even longer search for trainers my other half likes…dont ask!!!)
and have to have an early night ready for my 5.30am start tomorrow, I’ll catch up tomorrow but everything went well today, they seem happy with everything and I had a word with my oncologist about the mini meltdown issues too so feel better about that too.
Will report in full tomorrow. Love Shonagh xx
Hi Palomino,
My trip was very nice, My Dad lives in Papworth so did not visit Cambridge itself but have been lots of times before,
Its very nice a bit like Durham (oldy worldy). It was my Dads birthday but hes just had a knee replacement and hes in a lot of pain, its awful seeing someone like that. He was always such a strong fit man.
I bought Naturtint from my small local health food shop but I am told that Holland and Barratt do it and may have a bigger range. You may have your hair for a few more weeks yet, mine started to come out just before my 2nd Chemo but some people last longer. You,ll know when it about to start as your hair roots ache like you,ve had a ponytail pulled too tight.
Best of luck with your Chemo, I hope like me your Chemo isnt as bad as you expected.
Bye Bye for now
love Andrea x
Hi all,
Well today went ok, got to work on time (7am) and after I had picked up 3 months of e mails!!! (they obviously chose to ignore the out of office message) back on the tread mill I went, same old same old. My supervisor (who I have had an up and down relationship with) gave me a massive hug when she came in, I thought she was going to cry Bless. My manager is a sweetheart and at 11.30 asked me to come into his office, asked me if I was tired (I answered I’m always tired on an early) and told me to go home. I declined as thought it a bit cheeky considering I was off to the pub for lunch but thanked him anyway. Double bless.
Lunch was lovely too, really nice to catch up with the gossip
Hope everyone else is doing well. Love Shonagh xx
well done for surviving especially the early start as clocks have only recently changed
Mole
Shonagh
So glad your first day back went well, catching up with all the gossip is good and what I miss most about work is the people not the job, out celebrating my birthday this weekend, Friday at the arena to see skating on ice and Saturday of to the comedy club, I have my planning day on Monday 7 April so will be starting my radiotherapy soon will be glad to get this bit is over with.
Take care
Debra x