So having just completed 4 very short weeks back at work, it seems the right time to reflect on how I have handled that and what has stuck with me the most. The title of this post gives the main answer. It is good to be back! That is probably the sentence I have uttered the most to colleagues too. What I actually mean is it is good to be well enough to be back. During treatment you wonder whether you will ever feel normal again. I do!
I worked 2 short days in week 1 then followed this up on the Saturday with a “gin and Prosecco ladies night” with my 3 sisters, my daughter and one of my nieces. It was a raucous night and ended up with 3 very drunk sisters! I am tea total was appointed designated driver obviously! Had a fantastic time with loads of laughter but getting my sisters out of the car at their homes was a nightmare. Apparently with so much alcohol on board they suffer from verbal diarrhoea. Such a good night (well early morning before I got home) and another planned in a few weeks. I think I was still struggling with the post night tiredness because I needed a nap on Monday afternoon after just 3 hours work...so I had one.
I have been very touched by the welcome I have received - the hugs and smiles are still coming my way today. My managers boss sent an email to the whole department which included “anyway, talking of sunshine and someone who always seems to have a big smile on her face - it is great to have Karen back at work”. I was tickled pink! Mainly as I had been back for several days by then and if he still thought I had a big smile, I was doing ok.
I am working just a few hours a day, a few days a week at the moment. It is frustrating in one way as I never have time to finish anything. I know though that as I start to work more hours and days over the coming weeks it will get better. At the moment I am concentrating on picking up pieces of work that do not have a deadline so that helps. Over the next few weeks I will start managing my team again - a contractor has been handling this in my absence - and I am looking forward to being more hands on and, if I am honest, putting a little bit of pressure on myself to see how I cope.
Overall, I am enjoying being back at work. The banter isn’t quite the same yet as I think the guys are a little worried about me still but I am giving it even though I am not having to take it at the moment. They will soon come round!
My oldest sister is a breast cancer survivor. She has been waiting for her reconstruction surgery and this took place on Thursday. She went to theatre at 8:00am and didn’t get back to the ward until 9:30pm! Went to visit her today - she is in the same hospital where I have all my treatment. She is in a lot of pain despite fentanyl and morphine but hopefully will start to feel a bit better each day.
I still need to put some weight on and improve my stamina and strength. I am now calorie counting...something I have never done before...to try to ensure I get enough on board to at least maintain my weight. I am also going for at least 2 brisk 20 minute walks each day. I find walking is the easiest daily exercise I can take without really thinking about it. Obviously the glorious weather we have been experiencing helps get me out! I can’t walk to work as it is too far and doesn’t have anywhere within walking distance where I can park and walk at least some of the distance. Think beautiful English countryside surrounded by rivers and farmland. However, the site is home to 6 large offices set around a lake with Chinese gardens and access to the river so I intend to have my daily constitutional walking around the site and enjoying the scenery when I am at work. We have nesting birds, squirrels, ducks plus the cows and sheep in the fields.
I am enjoying life and trying to make the most of every day.
