Work

Evening,

I went through four rounds of chemo during late spring early summer.  I was very lucky and my work was extremely accommodating but I wanted to get back to normal.   I had six weeks between the operation on my colon and starting my chemo and I was feeling like a fraud sitting at home.  Work reluctantly allowed me to come back a few days a week and then chemo started. Oh….

Exactly as you say, even trying to look at the TV was an effort.  There were several things going on.  I felt nauseous, I had cold touch, and I just couldn’t focus my brain.  I actually remember getting a bit annoyed that a job had been assigned to me on our computer system and I was looking back to see when and who had assigned it.  The time stamp and the login stamp showed I had actually been talking to the customer and had assigned the job to myself days before!  I only had a vague feeling about it, almost like waking up and trying to remember a dream.   
There were many other incidents that I won’t bore you with but I was not fit to be working let alone driving myself into the office!  Thankfully my boss could see this and eventually told me not to come in for the first two weeks of EACH cycle. 

It is bloody hard!  If I compare the effects of having half my colon removed and the chemotherapy, the operation was a lot easier to deal with.  I’ve seen similar statements by people on here. Chemo is a real struggle both mentally and physically. 

If you can I’d recommend not going back yet.  You aren’t swinging the lead, it’s tough.  You may find that at the end of each cycle (how long are yours?) you start functioning as bit better you’ll need to wait and see.  

please take it easy, it’s not for ever.  Before you know it, it will be the summer and you will be going from strength to strength!

All the best, Paul 

Hi Chris

I work from home too and at the time of treatment I had only been at that job for two months so tbh it wasn't the most demanding yet. My cycles were 21 days with chemo on days 1,2,3,7; steroids days 1 to 14; rest week 15 to 21. 

The first cycle I only worked days 10-11 and 15-19. I just wasn't feeling very good for the first 10 days so working did not make any sense. Then after the first 9 days I got better and realised that if I wasn't working I was just overthinking and focusing on my hear rate, breathing, the color of my wee, whether I had 3 or 4 glasses of water, going through the treatment booklet most of the time, watching some show but not concentrating on it... So for my mental health I found that working was better than not working as long as I could physically manage.

So for the rest of the cycles I worked day 5, 9-11 and the rest week. I would have to lie down for 10 minutes every 2 hours or so because I was getting tired just by seating down. But it was sort of fine and I was much more relaxed about the treatment. But at 5.30-6pm I would just feel knackered and be resting in bed/sofa until dinner and then go to sleep early to get about 9 hour sleep. I don't have kids and my parents were around to help my girlfriend with house chores, so I could afford to just work and crash straight after without having to worry about anything else...

If I had to leave the house to work I wouldn't be able to and I would probably had been off work for 4 months. 

Note, I was new at the job and it was remote, so I didn't really have to deal with the job dynamics of what other people expected from me, didn't have to talk to others about my treatment or how was I doing... It was a bit of a particular situation. Also we didn't get sick pay until passing probation (6 months)... While this was not the main driver for me to continue working, it had an impact, as the statuary sick pay is 117 GBP per week.

At the beginning I was advised by HR that to be eligible for this long term sick pay cover (80% of salary for up to 5 years if you are signed off work), I would have to be off for 6 months consecutively, so even if you work one day the count started again. Mentally I didn't even want to contemplate that scenario because I couldn't comprehend being so sick that I couldn't work for so long. But it is something to think about.

 Wingsuit Hi Paul, 

It sounds like I am in a similar situation to you. I had surgery for colorectal cancer at the end of January and now feel I have recovered well but have been signed off until after the Easter holidays (I’m a teacher). I have never had so much time off before and I understand what you mean when you say you felt like a fraud. 

Now I know I won’t be able to go back when I expected to. My school have been very understanding so far. 

I am getting mixed messages about working, particularly in a school environment, during chemo. I guess I won’t know until I start the treatment. Did you notice a pattern with the side effects? I’m starting 6 months of capecitabine and am anxious about what to expect.

I hope you’re doing OK today 

Hi Mlle,

I’m doing REALLY well these days. I’m swimming five days a week, back at work full time, skydiving again AND only this weekend I took my motorbike for an MOT.  I hadn’t been out on it since January 2024 when I’d taken it for a MOT only to get home to find a letter that started my cancer journey.  I realise I’ve another couple of years of testing but, as I type, I’m tip top!

Yes, there was a pattern to the side effects that I experienced.
 Is your capecitabine the tablets twice a day?  I had Oxaliplatin as an infusion once every three weeks with the fourteen following days capecitabine tablets then a week off. I only had three months of this although they had planned six months. It stopped because of the level of neuropathy I was experiencing. 

it was only really the third week that things would start to get better, and I’m sorry to say, as cycle two, three and four came, the effects extended into the third week too.

From my limited knowledge of teaching (from my sisters) and I do hold training courses for our business customers (scientific analysis equipment), do I think I could teach/train people when I was on chemo?  No. The mental exhaustion was too much and, as much as I was being mega positive about what I can do now, I still get very tired in the evening. It’s 8pm as I type.  By 9pm I’ll be in bed and I stopped my chemo mid August 2024!

I take it you have just started or are about to start your 6 months of chemo?  Is it a constant 6 months of capecitabine tablets, or do you get a week off?  By Easter you will be able to see any patterns and will know if you think you’re able to deal with teaching.  
Something else to consider….  Your white blood cell count will take a hammering and your ability to fight infection will be compromised.  The white blood cell count will be one of the things being monitored during chemo, but let me ask you this…. If you have a choice, do you think it is in your best interests to put yourself in harm’s way with a school full of coughing and sneezing and snivelling youngsters?  Just a thought.

sorry, I don’t mean to be negative, just trying to give the honest answers.

Keep us posted on how things go  

paul

Thanks Paul, 

Great to hear you are doing so well and that there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I am doing capecitabine tablets, 2 weeks on and one week off for 8 cycles. I am waiting for a start date and it should be next week hopefully. 

I am trying to be sensible about what I’ll be able to manage and balance the advantages for my wellbeing of having a work routine with the risks to my physical health. Ideally some jobs I can dip in and out of from home would work but Im not quite sure what that will look like yet. The few colleagues who know my situation have been amazing and the school has been really supportive so I’m grateful for that. There is no expectation for me to go in so I will play it by ear when the treatment starts. 

I’m very anxious about starting treatment soon but hopefully the sooner it starts, the sooner I’ll be out the other side. I’ll let you know how I get on. 

Thanks ️