Return to teaching

Hi yes there is Ronnie95I’ve tagged here plus if you click on her name she’s done a profile of her treatment and recovery. There a link in her bio to her blog. 
Maybe you  need a phased return back to work don’t rush back too soon. 
Well done Hazel x

Hi,

Pleased to hear recovery going well. When did you finish treatment? Mine was end April and I kind of returned in the July, but not fully in school until Sept.

Have a good chat with your head, hopefully they are as supportive as mine. I've been on a phased timetable for a whole year, with 10% reduction. My Speech & Language took me through lots about voice breaks, 10 mins in every hour. I've also now got warm up and cool down exercises for my voice. Make it really clear at work it could take 3 years to be at 85 - 90% of what you could do before. I'm lucky that I only had 6th form this year, so didn't have to strain and they gave me a microphone for assembly! I could project with the best of them before all this. You are protected under DDA if they're not supportive. They also need to understand things like having the time to clean your teeth after meals, and that that is forever. Our school nurse was fab, she let me keep ensure in her fridge and access whenever I needed. I use the disabled loo to clean my teeth, just didn't feel like doing it when I first got back. I literally had PEG removed day before 1st INSET in Sept, which was a relief as I was worried about knocking it carrying books in busy corridors. I didn't go back until oncologist confirmed my immunity was increased enough for all the bugs. 

More than happy to share my contact details if it helps at all. 

My sister in law also teaches French in primary. Such a small world! 

Hope this helps a little, 

Gill 

Thank you so much. I have a meeting with Headteacher on Friday. I finished treatment i April so am in week 18 post treatment. Current sick note runs til end of Sept but the teacher part of me feels I should go back at beginning of new term at end of Aug. 

Really sorry but, I have justctetired as a Head of.English in April, diagnosed in June.  I am 120% certain thatvthexdtress, anxiety and toxic environment contributed to this.  Take great care.

Yep, the stress and anxiety don't help, but that's been the same for lots of people on here in other jobs too. I think stress contributed more to my RA than the cancer. I think the hpv had been hanging around for 24 yrs with me, the smoke from working in the pub trade before switching to teaching possibly contributed more to my cancer. 

Have you started your treatment yet? 

All the best for Friday. I understand about wanting to be back for Sept. I chose no anaesthetic for PEG removal as I wanted to be in for 1st INSET (my choice). 

I was in bed by 7.30/8pm my first 2 to 3 weeks back. Would they consider p/t phased return given you are primary? Might me kinder to your voice. 

No, 15th of August. Got to have RIG put in next Monday, hadxteeth out this week  notvgreat at the moment. Absolutely terrtified!

We've all known that fear. Not helped when you are told all the possible side effects. What diagnosis and staging do you have? Mine was tonsil. 

Treatment is tough, but so effective. Start doing your exercises and keep up with them, I still do mine. Also take whatever pain relief you need. During treatment ask on a Thursday for any prescriptions to step up pain relief for the weekend, nothing worse than needing it and suffering. 

The fab people on here helped me through it. Any questions ask away  and rant if you need to. 

Alfienangel said:

Absolutely terrtified!

It’s the unknown, lack of control and loss of faith in your own body. 
The treatment hurts. There’s no doubt about that but the pain is manageable. It’s only a few weeks out of our lives and most of us recover well. Recovery takes a little longer but this time next year you’ll be well on the way to the person you used to be.