Work

Living with secondary breast cancer Triple negative secondary breast cancer
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I was wondering who here is retired vs still working?

Anyone working, are you managing it ok?

Lisa x

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Hi Lisa

Fortunately I was already retired when breast cancer chose me! I have complete admiration for anyone who can continue to work but I couldn’t have done so myself. You can only do so much when you’re under constant treatment. Quality of life really matters. Macmillan offers an excellent support service to make sure you don’t suffer financially.

Hope you get more helpful responses than this xx

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Thanks for your reply Jan. I’m still working albeit part time now, and struggling quite a bit; even though treatment (pembro) is only every 3 weeks and no bad side effects, I still feel exhausted. I don’t think I really recovered from the chemo. I’m considering early retirement at age 53 but really not sure what to do…

Lisa x

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Hi Lisa

i am retired but have a number of non-Exec board positions, plus voluntary roles. I had 24 weeks of chemo last year (EC followed by Paclitaxel) and managed to continue with all of the above. I think if I had still been working, I would have been able to manage reduced hours provided I could have also worked from home some of the time. On my current treatment for metastatic TNBC (Pembrolizumab plus NAB-Paclitaxel), I am managing really well, andI think I would have been ok to work full time, other than the issue of weekly treatment appointments. 

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@lisa49 

Hi Lisa,

In the last year, I have had about five weeks off work, which covered two operations, 6 rounds of chemotherapy and 15 rounds of radiotherapy.

It hasn’t always been easy but the distraction has been good. I worked my hours over the week to fit round treatment/how I felt. I found 8 to 4 when working on site hard so have moved hours to 10-6 to give me a bit longer to get my head together in the morning. Sometimes I’ll do extra at weekends or bank holidays then cut back in the week. I did home working through chemotherapy when susceptible to infection. I liked that because I didn’t feel I needed to wear my bra and could let wounds heal and went a walk every lunchtime to build up strength. I have just done 8 weeks solid physically at work and am now looking to go back to maybe 1-2 per week shifts at home. The distractions are less at home which is helpful with my fuzzy brain and just things like wearing a uniform 5 days a week then spending the weekend washing them then ironing them ready for Monday morning is hard. Only needing 3 uniforms a week spreads out the turnaround time.

I will see how it goes, adapt to try and make it work better and if it doesn’t, consider Ill health retirement. I only had 2 sick days in 26 years before this and had wanted to work until 60 (another 2 years) or even 65. Another change to my life due to breast cancer.

I think you just need to look at the job you do, try it, see what works or doesn’t and can any changes be made… and then decide if you want to do it at all ? going through this makes us think differently.

hope this helps

laura

1 Like
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Thanks for your replies Laura and Coddfish. I think I need to think about what I want a bit more x

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I am 55 and have worked through everything, except for a six week stop after the mastectomy, I milk cows, it’s hugely physical but I know my limits, for me personally it’s an escape, it’s me and the cows , no cancer, no time to think about it, also being physical helps I think, but I am tired a lot of the time, so nap when I can and do a lot less hours than I used to , luckily have a very supportive boss. I think we are all different, just know your body and do what you feel best. Xx

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I think I am clear now, but I did work all through my chemo treatment because it kept me focused on anything but the cancer. I had lumpectomy in July last year and took time off to recover, then had 4 weeks of radiotherapy in September. I still suffer from lymphoma and recurring infections in my breast and surrounding area. Other than that, trying my very hardest to be the best version of me, both physically and mentally as I can. Don’t get me wrong, I still have wobbles and did just before I had my annual mammogram last week. Apparently, it may take 8 weeks to get results. Good luck on your treatment and recovery. Exercise also helped me.

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Hi Lisa

Have you made your decision?
I took 7 months off when first diagnosed and knew that there was no way not working would help me mentally or physically. I reduced my days to fit in with treatment. When I’m at work I don’t think about my health, I have energy, my tingling toes don’t bother me and I’m focussed on anything and everything NOT cancer related. Even my BC nurse wants me to stop working :flushed:!

I hope you try to reduce your working week and see if that helps before leaving, for me once I leave - there’s no going back! It’s a personal choice, this has been my experience only you know you! Hope to hear from you soon.

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I’m still working, albeit from home and a lot fewer hours. At 34 we didn’t think to get the life insurance until we had kids and now I need the money to pay the mortgage.
I do enjoy it though but it’s definitely more admin based than before

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Two years of treatment, still in chemo but still working although part time as at work I don’t have cancer! It’s like a break from this life and a step I to the old life, mind you I am slower and get tired si stop when I need to, without work it would be depressing