Hi everyone
I’ve decided that its time I got my life back. I was diagnosed in Jan 05 (age 35) and have not worked since due to a number of reasons. Problems with mobility in the arm on my affected side, debilitating panic attacks, wanting to spend time with the children, etc. Anyway, I have now decided that as the girls are at school, I should find something else to do with my time other than dwell on what has happened and worry about the future ( which I am very good at!). Hopefully if I have something else to occupy my mind, the panic attacks etc might not be so bad. Only problem is, I have no idea what I want to do. I was previously employed as a Senior PA, but that really does not appeal any more. I don’t mind going to college or university or starting at the bottom somewhere and trying to work my way up but would really like to do something interesting. Does anyone out there have a job that they enjoy and that they could recommend. I know different roles suit different people but I thought by finding out what you do, it might give me some ideas.
Thanks.
Karen x
Hi Karen,
i’m 34 have have recently been dx so am on sick leave at moment. Prior to dx I worked as a buyer and plan to go back to work as a buyer. The role is very interesting as you learn alot about different commodities, and get to put contracts in place with successful vendors. It interesting, challenging and you do get occasional perks as well as suppliers trying to buy their way in with good lunches/dinners. You also get job satisfaction when you negotate a good deal and save money. I know this isn’t everyones cup of tea but I personally really enjoy my job. If you want more info just comment back and I can go into more detail if you wish.
good luck
Sukes
Hi, Karen
Great to hear that you want to get back in the saddle again, and equally glad that you’re feeling up to work again.
Back in the mid 90s when I was a slip of a lass of 46, I was made redundant from my PA job. So I decided to go back to college and retrain to become a court reporter, which is what I wanted to do when I left school but didn’t know how to go about it. To bring in some money while at college, I took on an evening job working at a firm of criminal defence lawyers. Then as time went on and it became clear I didn’t need to go to college every day as college loaned us the steno machines and it was a case of just practising at home, I worked in the Crown Court as a logger (keeping a log of events in the courtroom as they unfolded, and operating the tape machine.) Not many courts actually use stenos now as they’re mainly tape-recorded.
This may fit in with your girls, as the courts rarely begin before 10:30, and finish at 4:30 at the latest, and many days they either don’t kick off at all or are finished by lunch or just after. The money isn’t great (it was about £29 per day but may have gone up now). Plus, if you’re booked to go into a court, turn up and the case is adjourned for whatever reason, you still get paid and can be back home by 11 o’clock 
And there’s no pressure whatsoever in this job.
Good luck.
xx
Hi Karen
I really do not believe that anyone can recommend a job for you which you will enjoy - only you know deep within you what will bring enjoyment into your life. In any case, I do not know what your skills and interests may be.
I was lucky enough to be able to work through chemo (I found it far preferable to staying at home and feeling nauseous - I was going to feel nauseous anyway, so I might as well be achieving something in the process!). In any case, I had no option because I am a single mother with a 17-year old daughter (not cheap to run!). I then went on to have a mastectomy and am now having rads (12 to go out of 25) - both a doddle compared to chemo and I am sure of lots of you ladies out there will agree.
After going through all this s!?t with bc, I think we owe it to ourselves to go out there and do something we actually enjoy, if you are not lucky enough to be doing what you enjoy already, as I am.
Write down on a piece of paper all the things you are good at AND enjoy, and see if between the two lists there is a job opportunity. There is truly nothing worse than spending 35-40 hours a week in a job you hate. And look up courses on offer at your local college to may be re-train, if fund permit.
The chances are that life has not been the same for you since you were dx, so why go back to where you were? This is your new chance, and not many people get that, do they? (ok, those people probably don’t get cancer either, but something will get them one day). This is the wake-up call.
Hope this helps.
Bubs X
Hi Karen,
I was jobhunting when I was diagnosed in Oct 2006 and had to put everything on hold for my treatment. I started a new job at the beginning of the year working for a director of a college, but I couldn’t cope due to the lack of training and left abruptly (was easy to do this as it was temp to perm). It really made me decide I no longer want anything to do with admin or secretarial work. OH started a small web design co from home 6 weeks before my diagnosis which he put on hold for a bit until we found out how I was going to fare with chemo etc. In the interim he did loads of tutorials and stuff onlin whilst he was looking after me (at one point I needed f/t care as I could barely get out of bed). As I was so unhappy in the recent job I had I have now decided to retrain in Web Design and also copywriting. I have started a course for the copywriting and have a 1 day course in HTML to go to next month, followed by a 10 week p/t course through Edinburgh Uni.
I’d been thinking about following another route for ages and being ill has given me the push - also OH is so busy at the moment he needs help otherwise he will be turning work away. Hope you find what you want to do.
I was a teacher for many years, but couldn’t stand all the paper-work that is now involved. Three years ago I left teaching and got a job as a receptionist in a veterinary surgery. I love animals and like working with people so it’s perfect for me. I get paid tiddly-winks, but at least I’m happier!
I agree with Bubs that it’s important to do something you enjoy doing. Perhaps you could check on the internet to see what jobs correspond with your interests.
Keep us posted!
Jacki x
I too was a teacher but never went back full time after treatment.
I had for years yearned for a straightforward 9-5 existence with no hassle and luckily found a job that fit the bill. I’m a civil servant now and love it. Its a sit down job in an air conditioned office (no freezing playground duties) with access to a computer .Thee are daft targets and initiatives but overall its a good job. The pay is rubbish but I dont have that sinking feeling when Im driving toward work every morning and thats what counts .
Hi
I was diagnosed with triple negative, stage 3 aggresive cancer in April 05. Went through the usual lumpectomy, lymph node removal, chemo and radiotherapy. I returned to work 11 months ago. It’s a very demanding job and keeps me occupied.
After the treatment I was glad just to have survived it all and looked forward to getting back to my normal busy life. But as time has gone on, my mind has started to play tricks on me. I just can’t get escape the feelings of dread that keep washing over me. I’m terrified of it coming back. I’m not afraid of cancer, it’s the treatment. It’s just getting worse instead of better. I can’t even escape it in sleep, I’m plagued by nightmares. Has anyone with my type of diagnosis had a preventative double mastectomy? If I had that would it it prevent the cancer coming back?
With love
Pandora
Hi Karen
I just wanted to say that I am a careers Adviser (now off 8 months on sick). Why don’t you make an appointment and go and talk to them about your options - lots of skills to offer - You should be able to locate a Career Adviser at your local Jobs and Benefits or some towns have stand alone offices. Staff should be trained - it’s free and confidential.
Godd luck
Muddy
Hi, i am currently on incapacity benefit and am still signed off, i have had to attend the jobcenter (which i found extremely embarrassing as i had never been in one before!) but they have referred me to this “Condition Management Programme” which sounds quite good, and hopefully will help to ease me back into the workforce when i am both physically and mentally able, so i start that on the 14th of March, the people that have dealt with me so far have been very understanding and supportive so i am quite looking forward to this, its only been 9 months since dx, but i do feel lacking in confidence. hope this helps
Alisonxxx
Hi, I am curently in employment but am hoping to have my recon in July, I do not get sick pay (sorry off subject) Any how my job is quite demanding and physical, I run a kitchen and it is very hands on. I feel that if I cant negociate with my boss to change my job slightly (more office based eg) then I will have to make a change, I would like to design a web site, I have a couple of domain names. Though my best bet would be to try for a job easy and well paid within the public sector then at least I would get sick pay. I was about to get some help from the job centre, but I found the job Im currently in, this was a year ago, 6 months after my final chemo and 4 months after they stopped my incapacity. I do feel that I have to make a change but need to get over the hopefully final hurdle of recon.