Occupational Health

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I have an appointment with occupational Health well it's today seeing as it's ,3.05am re the possibility of me returning to work

I honestly don't know how or if I'll manage but let's see what they say,

A bit about me, diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma stage 3, 27/12/23 and Breast cancer her + stage 3 on 1/2/24 ye tell me about it totally , started Immunochemotherapy end of Feb 24 3 long sessions which finished march 24, I worked through those, Lobectomy upper right scheduled to be admitted to hospital 1/5/24@4pm I worked in the morng till 12.30! Surgery done on 2/5/24 spent a week in hospital including my birthday home to recooperate

I'm on endocrine medication to stop the breast cancer growing and now I'm going for a right upper lumpectomy 29/8/24 overnight stay due to previous medical history then back home to recooperate, biopsy sent to America erm a oncotype DX if results over 20 you gotta have chemo.....guess what mines 33!!!! 6 rounds of chemo ,3 of EC 3 of Docatexal that started 28/11/24 and ended 13/5/25 that totally battered me, the Docatexal left me with neuropathy in hands and feet excruciating pain, sore mouth, streaming eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea, my fingers nails fell off , shin peeled of feet lost loads weight lost my hair, but my friends stood by me in the most amazing way and are now more like sisters than friends

WORK however I work for the NHS have been pretty awful, no check ins oh random ones, they ask my friends at work if I'm ok

I have occupational health today I am anxious about going back because I am not the same person, cancer has changed me, what if I can't cope

Any advice from others in same position, I have been off for 20 months!

Thanks

src60 5 months ago

hi Fr3nchvik

I have found many people actually find occupational health rather more supportive than they might expect, certainly that had been my expereince too. Having been off for 20 months I would be surprised if they did not talk about a pased return - so part time possibly reduced duties to allow you to ease back into work if that is what you want.

One thing people sometimes talk about is medical retirement, this does happen but requires quite a lot of work since the penson service will also get involved. Having been medically retired if can be quite diffiuclt to find any form of work in the future.

You might like to look at Making decisions about work after treatment

<<hugs>>

Steve

Fr3nchvik 5 months ago in reply to src60

I have my appointment at 11.50 so I'll see what they advise, I want to go back to work but just don't know in what capacity I'll be able to do it, I am kinda hoping that they would offer hybrid as other colleagues work from home for numerous reasons

I have looked into medical retirement with a financial advisor so I kinda know where I stand on that side

src60 5 months ago in reply to Fr3nchvik

Hi Fr3nchvik

Hope the appointment went well.

As you say some colleagues are already working hybrid then it would seem fairly straitforward to get that as a reasonable adjustment. One of the few benefits of cancer is that it automatically qualifies as a disability under the equality act 2010 and so you should be in a very good position on that front.

<<hugs>>

Steve

Milkey 17 days ago

Hello fr sorry about all the letters of your name as I'm not very good with a phone you must have gone through so much my heart goes out to you i no that i have had kidney cancer and a tumour in the left side of my body i have had so many infections and a trip to the hospital for a week and 17th days on strong antibiotics but my company i work for gave me a final written worrning because of the time I had of with my medical issues i had i had my operation 4 and half years ago and I still have had a lot of infection and medical issues i have been with the company for 26 years bus driver then my company made an appointment with occupational health doctor which i did because the occupational health doctor said in the report that i had loug cancer and did not say about my health problems and he said the company i work for should tell DVlA to take my bus licence of me because it would spread into my brain then he said about my depression which i have had and it has been very difficult at times but my julie sorry my missus that's the Welsh in me because she is from England but she is a good woman as the two of us have children from other partners and the two of us have had a lot of problems with hour x partners but we have come out of it all good we have been to gether for 15 years and 15 years before that my julie grandchildren no call me grandad Steve and my daughter calls Julie mam and then hour Bobby hour dog he is 3 years old and i call him Bobby bastard ops sorry well that's it i hope all goes well i will think of you every day good luck