Good luck bluebird. I bet it’s a bit scary but must feel good at the same time.
I’m a head in a primary school and just finished rads after chemo. I phoned our authority occupational health who surprisingly weren’t that interested even though I’ve been off since the beginning of September. Told to negociate my phased return with the governors so I might use your experience as a model.
Reeb
Hi
I did a phased return over six weeks. Although I was originally full time, it has been agreed that I can work part time for the next two years and then renegotiate. Week one I just id a morning, then stayed til two the next week and just gradually built up. I know it’s not always possible, but as the sen teacher I could be flexible. I have been back now since March and now even do a days playground duty- boooo. : ) so far it is working well. Am aware of tiredness as I am still on herceptin, but have my fingers crossed that I don’t crash and burn.
Good luck.
Debx
Hi ,
I’m a specialist learning Mentor in a PRU and have just started a very long phased return. Work are being absolutely brilliant regarding my return and are phasing it over 13 weeks in total (holidays included). By mid June I will have built up to more or less full time and I do worry about how I will cope.
My business manager is carrying out regular reviews so make sure I am ok, I don’t have to do any duties yet so they are being very considerate (possibly because of the nature of some of the pupils in a PRU as it’s a bit different to main stream).
Like bluebird I am concerened about how I will be in September, I suppose we will only know when we get there!!
Good luck everyone
hugs Suze x
Hello
I’m back at work full time. I did a 2 week phased return as it was my head that needed to be sorted at this stage rather than my body. (see previous post). I’m back in class but I’m not expected to do anything else until September. Because of lymphadema I’m now classified as disabled. This means I am not expected to do any displays, mounting of work or anything that may aggrivate my arm and back. I have extra time allocated to me for my class displays.
I am according to my boss back to the real me. Last week given 5 year all clear and celebrated with friends at work.
Friday before Easter hols I was escorted off the school premises!!! I wanted to change a display so I thought I’d hang back till everyone had gone and I’d recover over the holidays. Trouble was some other staff knew what I was thinking and wouldn’t leave until I had. Display was done for me on the Tuesday we got back.
In training at the moment to do the Jane Tomlinson 10k to raise funds for The Haven in Leeds.
My advice, take it very slowly or it will come back to bit you in the bum.
Chinook
Hi
I am due to start my nqt year tomorrow.However, I was diagnosed with dcis on the 7th August. Due to having it throughout my breast, with the possibilty of invasive cancer.I will be having a mastectomy in a few weeks.Thankfully, my new school is very supportive…I am hoping to continue with my nqt year after the operation. However, if chemo is involved, Ill do nqt next year. This is going to be a challenging year! More biopsi results this Thursday.
Hi, Im a FULL-time primary school teacher and I’m new to the forum. I’ve had breast cancer, a double mastectomy and both ovaries removed. My lovely sister has secondary breast cancer and is a regular on the forum. My chemo is now finished and I’m about to start letrozole. I want to return to work PART time. My Head isn’t thrilled about this saying it’ll be detrimental to pupils. Anyone got any useful counter arguments?
Hi All,
Am not a teacher - but have you seen the EMPLOY document on this site? Wish I had had it to hand when attempting to discuss my return to work. Also the macmillan return to work book. Good luck to us all.
LL xx
Thanks to all for your sound advice. I’ve been offered (and have accepted) 5 x afternoons per week. Not quite what I wanted - more full days off to recover - but Head was having none of that. Have bills to pay though and needs must…
I’m a secondary Food Technology teacher and I was diagnosed in March, had my operation in April and have been off work since then. I really miss work but also understand that the nature of condition and certain side affects will make it difficult for me to do so. Having gone to Occupational Health, I’ve been told that my main priority should be ME, getting through treatment and recovery. I have 6 cycles of FEC-T and then 3 weeks of Radio Therapy to go through. There seems to be a total lack of understanding on the part of my employers, they are following their procedures and seem not to realise that I now have a disability and how it is affecting me mentally, physically and emotionally. This illness is not of my own choosing.
I went one day before my chemo started and was told that “I looked really well considering”, I’d made a huge effort to look okay and this seems to have counted against me. I have good days and bad days, on my bad days I really don’t want to go back into work even though I love my job. I sit crying, shaking about what will happen when I go back.
In this day and age when Education has, in some ways become a business, the mealy mouth platitudes surrounding veiled threats is wearing me down.