Hello,
I am a secondary teacher, Head of Department and member of SLT. I have been off school since my diagnosis in November. I have had a mastectomy, chemotherapy and am now on Herceptin and Tamoxifen. Tomorrow I have a meeting with my Head and HR Dept for an absence review. I am just posting to see if anyone else has been in a similar position or meeting?
I phoned a helpline today to see about what ‘reasonable adjustments’ would look like at school. I am still on ‘active treatment’ until April and am hoping to ask for part time until I have finished. I feel really worried about the meeting as there are so many unknowns.
Before my diagnosis I threw myself into work and worked long hours and took on lots of extra responsibility. I am not sure if I have the energy to work at that pace anymore - what if I start back and I can’t cope? I want to spend more time with my 7 year old son and try to get more of a work life balance.
There has also been a lot of changes, in terms of staffing, whilst I have been off - am I still needed? Do I have a role anymore? Where do I fit in?
The thought of seeing 1000s of pupils and nearly 100 staff makes me feel extremely anxious. Prior to breast cancer I was confident and outgoing but now I feel I have lost all of that.
Physically I have changed and feel rubbish about myself - I have put on weight and my hair is starting to grow back. Do I wear a wig? Turban? Or wear my hair short?
I am sure my school will be supportive but I am not sure if I am ready to go back. Part of me thinks that I must pull my self together and get out there but the other part is scared, which is not like the ‘old’ me. I will be down to zero pay in November, therefore financially I need to go back to work.
Has anyone else experienced similar? I would love to talk to someone who understands.
Nicky
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Hi
we are in a very similar position. I have had a mammoplasty and lymph node removal, 10 chemo (and an unfortunate allergic reaction) 20 radiotherapy and am currently taking Tamoxifen. I developed neuropathy in my hands and feet too and have been having some acupuncture treatment to try and help with that. I have also been absent from work, as a FE lecturer, since November. Next week I have a meeting with my workplace management and HR and I’m dreading it. My pay runs out in November but luckily I have also been receiving some contributions based ESA payments. I find it very hard to imagine going back into the stressful environment I remember. I have a 9 year old child and I don’t want to be the parent hunched over a laptop on Sunday afternoons any longer. I have been seeing a counsellor who has suggested for the work meeting to put together a list of my concerns under the headings of ‘physical’ ‘environmental’ and ‘emotional’ and to consider some possible solutions to any issues as I see it. Since I have been away, work contracts have changed giving staff more responsibility and many of my colleagues have had enough and left. I fluctuate between feeling positive and wanting to run and hide away. I’m wondering if I’d be better off with a fresh start. Hope the meeting goes well for you 
it’s much harder than I thought it would be
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Hi,
Ive not been on the forums for a while but saw your posts and thought I would respond.
Im 53 and a primary school teacher - been teaching for 26 years and was diagnosed in June 2021. I was off sick from September 2021- April 2022. Surgery, chemo and radiotherapy and on going Herceptin (I have 4 left).
I teach fulltime in a small church school. I returned to school the week before the Easter holidays. I did 3 short days that week and didn’t do any teaching just planned and got my head around logging onto my laptop , couldn’t even remember how to do that.
I went back after Easter on a very slow 6 week phased return. It gradually built up so that just before May half term I did four full days. After half term I was fulltime but did have extra PPA built into my weeks. I covered a lot of classes PPA, which meant I wasn’t completely responsible for a class as such, which helped. My headteacher was amazing and very supportive.
I initially went back wearing a wig but after May half term I ditched it and went in with very short hair. I had an odd comment from some of the kids but after that first Monday no one said anything.
I went back into my own classroom teaching Year 2 in September. I’ve found it hard adjusting and getting back into the routine of having my own class but I was determined to get back to some normality.it’s made me feel myself.
I do get very tired and I’ve had 3 days off sick as I caught a really nasty bug.
My advice would be to speak to Occupational health who can liaise with SLT to arrange a phased return. I think 6-8 weeks would be best. If you have a supportive head that’s half the battle.
Im enjoying being back in the classroom and am trying to slow down and not being unnecessary work home with me.
Good luck with what ever you decide to do.
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