Back to work

1 minute read time.

FormerMember

6 Aug 2017

I’ve taken a huge step on my recovery. I’m now back at work!

Before my sicknote ran out I paid a visit to work. I was so pleased I did. The welcome I received was overwhelming. People are so kind welcoming me back and commenting on how well I looked. I never realised how much I had missed it.

I had a telephone interview with an occupational health consultant who asked me a variety of questions about how I was feeling, what I felt could help me back at work and any issues and concerns I had about returning to work.

Between us we worked out a plan for a phased return to work which was gratefully agreed by my immediate line managers. It started off with working half days, some in the office and some at home. This is increased by an hour a day over the next few weeks until I’m working full days. The timetable shows that I will be back to ‘normal’, full days all in the office, from the beginning of October.

How’s it gone? So far so good. I do get tired but nothing too extreme so far. During my time off my role has changed slightly in that I need to travel to different locations more often. Taking on new tasks and meeting new people is something I really enjoy.

I’ve signed up to ‘Brave the Shave’ so if anyone fancies donating you can find me there. Just log onto the Brave the Shave webpage https://bravetheshave.macmillan.org.uk/ and search for me ‘Peter Richardson’.

I had my appointment with the urologist and have been referred to the strangely named ‘Flow clinic’. I’ve just finished my 3^rd cycle of mop-up chemo (Capecitabine tablets only) and I’m due to see the oncologist on Wednesday when hopefully we can plan for my next set of scans.

So it’s part back to normal with my return to work and still chemo, blood tests and appointments with my oncologist to remind me that I’m still on this journey.

One step and one day at a time.

FormerMember over 7 years ago

Thank you so much.
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FormerMember over 6 years ago

Hi Pete

You are doing so well well done. I have just been reading your journey and note that you started taking Capecitabine tablets and in your blog said finished your 3rd cycle. Can I ask how you got on with Capecitabine? It has been offered to me to start having Capecitabine for Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I had nearly 6 months of chemo then surgery and the pathology report found that a small amount of cancer cells escaped into the body and they hope that 12 weeks of the Capecitabine will mop these up? I had thought I was finished with chemo so this is quite a shock for me. I had surgery 3 weeks ago and still need to have 3 weeks of radiotherapy (which starts in the next week or so) I thought that was going to be the end. I don’t have to go on Capecitabine but if the cancer came back somewhere else I would blame myself. I wanted to go back to work after radiotherapy but some of the more common side effects don’t sound very nice. How were you taking Capecitabine? Hope you are still doing well.

Valerina
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FormerMember over 6 years ago

Hi Valerina,

Thanks for the comment.

The post you replied to was from August last year. I've added a few posts since then.

I had 'mop up' Capecitabine post surgery as a precaution against any rogue cancer cells still lurking in me. Like you I thought that this would give me the best chance of a positive outcome.The dose consisted of a considerable number of tablets taken twice a day.

I was lucky that the only side effect I suffered from was tiredness.

As with any chemo you can always change your mind or if you have any nasty side effects I'm sure the dosage can be changed. I think the dosage is worked out by a calculation based on your body surface area.

The good news is that my last set of scans in Novermber showed I am cancer free.

Best of luck with whatever decision you ake.
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