I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in August 2015 having cancer in my left breast. After 8 sessions of EC and Taxol chemotherapy (4 each of each one) 20 sessions of radiotherapy and a lumpectomy; I was told I’m cancer free last week which im relieved and happy but still weary. I recently told my manager (who I was keeping in touch with when I could throughout the cancer) about the dr saying cancer free and said I was told to recover from my treatment before I consider going back. I put the month September to my manager about coming back as a phased return but am not sure she understands why I’m not coming back now. I have a meeting with her this week to discuss this and she has info from HR to show me.
Throughtout the cancer she has been understanding and saying you can come back slowly etc etc, but now the time is here… It seems tune has changed
Can anyone give me advice about going back to an office job and anything I can do to feel more secure about going there without lots of but youre better now happenings.
Well done to you for going through everything and coming out the otherside??
I was diagnosed one year ago-had lumpectomy and rads - finishing last sept. Now on Letrozole.
Unfortunately I struggled through most of my treatment with the minimum of time off work, only taking time off the last week of rads when the exhaustion took over completely. After couple of months off I Went back for two weeks only to discover I couldn’t cope-so referred to OH went on phased return of 4weeks doing 16hrs instead of usual 30p/week. Plus am having councilling through Breast Care Dept.
My phased return has been reviewed a couple of times since March and now they say after 1st sept I have to decide whether I go back to my normal hours and position - or half my hours and relinquish my position for a more junior post!
This was proposed to me only yesterday - The effect that has had on me is unimaginable-have gone off sick again as can’t cope with such pressures and decisions-and all because I was unlucky enough to get cancer and the psychological effect it has and still has on me!!!
Sorry, but what I am saying in response to you and your question is PLEASE put yourself first, only return if you feel happy about it. I too work in an office and at first they let me use another office on my own and gave me non stressful duties, till I was ready to go into my usual enviroment. It hasn’t and still isn’t easy and I would do things differently had I known the pressures I would be in. I get the impression they think I should be ok now - when in fact I am a lot better but nowhere like I’d like to be.
Well done to you for going through everything and coming out the otherside??
I was diagnosed one year ago-had lumpectomy and rads - finishing last sept. Now on Letrozole.
Unfortunately I struggled through most of my treatment with the minimum of time off work, only taking time off the last week of rads when the exhaustion took over completely. After couple of months off I Went back for two weeks only to discover I couldn’t cope-so referred to OH went on phased return of 4weeks doing 16hrs instead of usual 30p/week. Plus am having councilling through Breast Care Dept.
My phased return has been reviewed a couple of times since March and now they say after 1st sept I have to decide whether I go back to my normal hours and position - or half my hours and relinquish my position for a more junior post!
This was proposed to me only yesterday - The effect that has had on me is unimaginable-have gone off sick again as can’t cope with such pressures and decisions-and all because I was unlucky enough to get cancer and the psychological effect it has and still has on me!!!
Sorry, but what I am saying in response to you and your question is PLEASE put yourself first, only return if you feel happy about it. I too work in an office and at first they let me use another office on my own and gave me non stressful duties, till I was ready to go into my usual enviroment. It hasn’t and still isn’t easy and I would do things differently had I known the pressures I would be in. I get the impression they think I should be ok now - when in fact I am a lot better but nowhere like I’d like to be.
It’s been some time since I was initially diagnosed/treated (Dec 2007, mastectomy/reconstruction Jan 2008, chemo March to Oct and tamoxifen and diagnosed with a new primary in 2011, when I had surgery and 5 weeks of radiotherapy) and it is only now, 7 years later, that I have felt strong enough, psychologically, to ask for reduced hours/flexible working hours.
On reflection, when I returned to work after 12 months of sick leave, I think I felt as if I had to work even harder than I had before I was diagnosed to prove myself; and I’d worked long hours beforehand. I work in an office. In Higher Education.
I realise now that I should have been easier on myself then.
My advice to you is to be as upfront as you can be - explain that you don’t know how tired you are going to be or how you are going to react/feel returning to work after the diagnosis/treatment and that it may take you several months, even years to adjust.
The difficulty is that we are all so unique it is impossible to advise, but, you must, you really must, listen up to yourself and put yourself first.
I’m applying for flexible working hours now under the equality act and I feel sure that they doubt me because I appear to be doing so well but it is only now that I can put in that application - it’s been hard over the years, especially initially - but you really must try to find the strength to think of yourself and your priorities, other than work and finances.
I attended the meeting yesterday with my manager and myself I put forward to her that although I might look great it’s how I feel inside and I don’t feel strong enough to come back. As she put to me that I should be strong enough to do the commute to work my job then go home. That my phased return would be 4 week period and that by week 3 I should be able to do my job again fully as before I’m not going to be treated like a new person and that she’ll give me the how do I booklet to refresh. She went on about sick notes and I have 3 options to get the GP to sign me off further phased return or fit form - the fit form I later found out she meant back to work under certain conditions.
We went on talking and I stressed to her that I could have lots of engery now but in 30 mins an hour 5 mins even I need to sleep. That I need to recovery properly from the treatment before I consider coming back. Obviously she is representing the company and tried to get me to come back sooner indirectly stating no pressure a lot of the time. I saw my colleagues I work with closely too to help me not feel anxious and when I do come back its not here’s the new girl again.
From Shervale and Naz comments you’ve made me realise is this right what she’s doing. I think I’m going to the GP and get him to write a letter as I think she thinks I’m ok as she was going on about someone else working through there chemo to which I answered I understand but that’s not me.
As we all know & I now clearly understand having gone through this (I did not need chemo), bc diagnoses are all very individual, so are the treatment plans. If another managed to work through chemo, then fine, but it’s not your diagnosis, treatment plan or recovery.
As I’m sure you’re doing, remain clear about what you need & do what you feel you need to, to manage this.
Hi both,
I had terrible fatigue after surgeries, rads and am on anastrozol.
Speak with the experts, ACAS, the work advisors on this site and Macmillan. Listen to your body and your needs.
I asked for a referral to occupational health, and my consultation there was fantastic. He advised increasing my work day by half a day per month. It sounds such a small increase, but it was challenging given the fatigue i had.
I regret to say that i did not return ti full time work, and resigned from that position after several months of trying to re-engage. Had the plan been followed as it was set out i may have achieved it, but my manager at the time could not appreciate the struggles i had. Stress impacted on my recovery, the relief when i resigned was incomparable.
Good luck ladies, pls keep in touch x x
LL xx