Post op

Hi

I had a WLE/lumpectomy in 2017, I was back at work 2 days after the operation and worked throughout radiotherapy.  HOWEVER! the days we find ourselves in now, I wouldn't do that now. Your system will be compromised with any open wounds so I would strongly recommend staying off work until you are completely healed. 

Here's an article re the immune system and radiotherapy.  You may well get some areas of burn from the radiotherapy and that is a risk.  

Here's advice from Macmillan re coronavirus and radiotherapy and looking after your immune system.  

I would like to suggest in the nicest possible way and thinking of your mental health (as a cancer diagnosis is one of the hardest things that I have ever faced - shocked myself how hard it hit me!) that considering we are in unprecedented times and you've already faced one life threatening disease that it may be worth while not putting yourself in harms way too soon of another life threatening disease if you can at all avoid it - you can't social distance being a midwife, I'm sure.  I've read somewhere that after 28 days if all goes well, then the immune system goes back to normal after radiotherapy- but for the life of me I can't find that article now. (sorry)

Take care of yourself first and foremost.  

H ClaireUs,

I am a registered nurse working for an acute trust as a tutor.

I finished work the week following my diagnosis and a horrible biopsy infection back in early January this year, had surgery within ten days of that. I had radiotherapy lined up pre-corona virus lockdown about 8 weeks after surgery but did not go back to work because I wanted time to recover physically (mid March). I then caught the virus but was only aware and symptomatic following my third radiotherapy session! Was very poorly for about five days and radiotherapy was suspended until I had been in isolation (I was pretty worried about radiotherapy being interrupted but I had to go with it).

I restarted radiotherapy 13 days later and completed the remaining 12 sessions without a problem. However, the fatigue which crept up about the tenth session really affected me - first thing in the morning I struggled to get washed and dressed - then about 2pm I just face planted onto my bed to sleep. Some of that may have been down to after effects of the virus also. I am now at day 14 post radiotherapy and am still pretty tired at points in the day. Not quite as bad in the morning but I do feel weak and wish washy (my best description!).

I can’t stress enough how important it is not to go rushing back to work unless you absolutely have to and feeling guilty about not being there isn’t a reason to return too soon. I even wanted to volunteer to return to ICU clinically because my anxiety around supporting my colleagues went through the roof. Thankfully, when my colleagues realised they were massively supportive and told me not to even think about returning until I was 100% better. If you are on full pay then please please put yourself first - probably it’ll be one of the first and only times you will ever have done so. Allow time to recover physically AND emotionally - it’s very individual but do not think you will cruise through the radiotherapy just because other people say they have. Also, it’s far better to have one long period of sickness than to return only to find you’re exhausted or sick and need to go off again. The NHS safety net is designed exactly for this purpose.

Best wishes for a full recovery x

You have expressed the same feelings as me and you are quite correct that I have previously had minimal sick leave . The last time was exactly 4 years ago when I had Thyroid Cancer . Thank you for support and safe speedy recovery to you x