Anyone else trying to run a business after diagnosis/surgery?

[Fuffs123]

Hi Keepmumsane (love the name!)

Sending virtual hugs to you. I went thro very difficult times getting my business off the ground and now it's starting to do well, i get BC and can't keep up with it. Sods law or what! It's worse for you because it's such a physical job, no way could I imagine gardening after a mastectomy and chemo. At least I work from home and from a desk., so I can do stuff when I can. Sadly, my drive has evaporated so even when I feel OK to do some work, I don't want to. Normally quite a driven person, I've just lost any desire to run the business. Good job my husband is holding the fort for me, or at least 'firefighting'. I worry continually about money, things like the VAT bill and Corporation Tax (i'm a limited company) HMRC don't care if I have BC or not! As you say? It's an added load we could do without but it is what it is, as they say. I'm waiting to see the onc to discuss a treatment plan, after initial surgery. Looks like chemo etc and genetic counselling and I worry about my daughter if it turns out to be a gene mutation. He ho, life can be a b***** ! Sending virtual hugs fom one lady business owner to another. X Francine💕

[keepmumsane]

Hi, I have a gardening business,  and I was studying all last year.  I found the mastectomy knocked me flat, and I thougt I might work through chemo but seriously its proved impossible.  Ive told my clients im out for 6 months at least and organised a stand in for weeding emergenies. My clients are all seniors who are very understanding, but as I was just getting going its been a hit to the chest really. 

My brain isnt working for study either. 

I think if you can work through it then its probably really good for your sanity, but if its really hard the nurtuting is more important.  Of course financially its a total disaster.

I really love my little business but im not even glancing at seed catalogues, I think this bc stuff just needs me to slow down and focus on the little stuff. Feels so odd to be really passionate and now its like that part of my life is in a differant room for now.

Hugs ladies, you're strong,  just carrying a big load xxxx

[keepmumsane]

Hi, I have a gardening business,  and I was studying all last year.  I found the mastectomy knocked me flat, and I thougt I might work through chemo but seriously its proved impossible.  Ive told my clients im out for 6 months at least and organised a stand in for weeding emergenies. My clients are all seniors who are very understanding, but as I was just getting going its been a hit to the chest really. 

My brain isnt working for study either. 

I think if you can work through it then its probably really good for your sanity, but if its really hard the nurtuting is more important.  Of course financially its a total disaster.

I really love my little business but im not even glancing at seed catalogues, I think this bc stuff just needs me to slow down and focus on the little stuff. Feels so odd to be really passionate and now its like that part of my life is in a differant room for now.

Hugs ladies, you're strong,  just carrying a bit load xxxx

[Fuffs123]

Hi Rodie_Rabbit
I can well imagine it mist have been painful trying to knit sfter a mastectomy, no wonder you felt sick. I've only had a lumpectomy and sentinel node excision so far but am having pain in my upper arm still, 3 weeks down the line. I couldn't knit at all. Trying to keep a business going when you''re fighting breast cancer is very hard, both emotionally snd physicslly I think. At leadt if you're employed, you normally get sick pay, so you don't have to worry about money as well. Ii say normally because I know there are lots of employed people who only get the dtatutory ESS, as it is now, and that's a very low amount indeed. With me it seems to be the mental atttitude that's the problem as well. My whole outlook on life in general had been affected and i just dont have the drive at the moment I used to have with regards to the business. I'm not sleeping well, who is out of us all so am generally exhausted. That doesn't help. Like you zi have been considering making my businesd more passive in the sense of getting people to order through our webshop rather than phoning in. Amazing how hsving BC makes you reappraise everything. You mever know, we may find a positive from it all!! Nearly lost it with a whingeing customer the other day, moaning he'd been overchargef by a pound! I felt like saying well i've got BC so get s life! I didn't of course but I was tempted, had to go and take a few minutes out. Take care. Xx

[Rosie_Rabbit]

I have a little stock photography and crafts business online. Luckily the photography bit is passive income as I sell through an online agency. The crafts bit involves knitting and again luckily that can be done sitting down. I tried to knit a few days after my mastectomy but could hardly focus on the stitches without becoming nauseated so lord knows how I'm going to cope during chemo.

I am thinking long and hard about changing the business to entirely passive income.

How anyone who is on their feet all day long copes is beyond me. You are all amazing.

[Fuffs123]

Hi Mel66

You certainly have been through the mill and running a business which is physically demanding must be very tiring at the best of tomes, little own with all your surgery etc. Luckily mine is desk based, I provide water testing kits to healthcare premises and care homes. It went through a very difficult time, as a competitor tried to pinch all my customers and I lost a lot of money. I had to let my member of staff go, which was very upsetting as she was a good friend, since I could't afford to pay her. Now the business is starting to grow again but I can't afford any help and don't want to risk taking anyone on again. My husband is doing a grand job helping me but he had a heart attack last year and has other health problems. I'm feeling more positive today and have done quite a lot of work, which made me feel better. Mine is a ltd company too but I don't draw a salary at the moment. Fortunately my husband has a reasonable pension income (he's 67 snd I'm 62) why I started a business at 60 is beyond me, someone should have locked me in a cupboard! It's my mental attitude that's suffered really. I'm usually quite a 'driven' person but not at the moment. I'm waiting for the results of my lumpectomy and node removal on Friday, which isn't helping my concentration too much! Not sure how I'll cope if I have to have more surgery/chemo but I suppose I'll just have to get on with it, like the other amazing ladies in this club that no one wanted to join! Sending you virtual hugs. X

[Mel66]

Hi Fluffs123
I have a very busy sandwich shop which also provides outside catering to local businesses.

I was diagnosed in June last year and had to give up work more or less immediately due to having a mastectomy, lymph clearance and reconstruction. The job entailed being on my feet 9-10 hours a day with a lot of lifting and twisting and would have been impossible. I used the time between diagnosis and surgery to appoint one of my staff members as manager and bring her up to speed on the day to day running. I then just paid myself SSP. I continued to deal with the business and financial aspects as and when I was up to it.

I finished chemo in December but am still not physically or mentally fit enough, or able to go back in my old capacity and am now claiming contribution based ESA... it's not much but it's enough to keep me afloat while I recover and start to make decisions about the future. My manager in the meanwhile doing a fabulous job.

You don't mention what your business is or what's involved but I thought I'd share how I managed to keep it all afloat whilst going through this. I do know what you mean about your attitude to the business changing though. Having a business is a carries huge responsibilities at the best of times and when faced with the diagnosis of cancer and everything that follows it all feels too much to deal with all at once.

My business is run as a Limited Company and as an employee of the company, I was obliged to pay myself Statutory Sick Pay for 28 weeks but a Sole Trader would be eligible to apply for ESA (Employment Support Allowance) from the outset. This may be something you could look into? x

[Fuffs123]

Hi ladies

Finding it very difficult to keep my small business going at the moment but I need the income to live on. Husband is helping out a lot, as he's retired, but is new to it all. Had WLE and sentinel node removal on 10 Feb and get results on Friday. Have had quite a lot of pain after op, which I didn't expect, not to mention the meltdowns! Could have cried for England the first week or so, the shock I think. Having BC seems to have affected my whole attitude to the business but I suppose it's not surprising. Any one else feeling the same way?