I'm doing my best but can't walk anywhere outside the house. Too painful. The burns on the outside have started to heal but I feel very tender and swollen inside. Making every effort to drink lots, sitz bath and use the Nu-Gel.
My bosses are visiting me today. I've been away from the office since beginning Feb. This was 6 weeks before the treatment began and was required due to tumour pain and continence issues. In total I have been away from the office for 3 months. I have a good job, office based, an hour each way commute, 37.5 hours a week.
Were you able to return to your previous role Sarah with no changes and how long did you have off work?
Don’t push yourself, you must give yourself time to heal. Your skin will heal in a matter of weeks but other side effects will linger I’m afraid. There’s only so much you can do to help your body, most of which you’re doing. Rest/sleep is the most important for the first couple of weeks after treatment. We women are very impatient, but our bodies have been pumped with some serious stuff. Its going to take a while to get over and I don’t mean weeks, months I’m afraid.
I was off work for 7 months. I was teaching at the time and my recovery coincided with the school summer holidays so the pressure to return (in my head) was taken off a little. I was probably ready to go back after 6 months. I also didn’t want to return to work until I’d had the results of my post-treatment scans and these are not usually done until 3 months after treatment.
I returned at the beginning of October but soon realised I didn’t want to be there. I hadn’t been enjoying my job before I was diagnosed, so in a way cancer helped me to make up my mind and I resigned. Since then I have just been focusing on me and my family, I have 3 children. This year I started to do a bit of volunteering for Macmillan and this is what I’m now going to focus on going forward. When something like cancer happens to you, you gain a new perspective. I’m also very lucky that my husband can support us all financially, I appreciate not everyone is able to do this.
I hope you are not worrying about work. We all recover differently and your oncologist will need to give you the okay to return to work. Only you will really know when you feel ready but don’t put pressure on yourself to return too soon.
Hopefully your employer is being supportive and has clearly outlined your sick leave rights. I used to be a Human Resources Manager so if you ever need any advise about your employment rights whilst on sick leave, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
In the meantime, rest as much as you can and if it hurts to walk, don’t do it. Get yourself to bed or lying on the sofa,
