Hi Everyone

hi

the hardest i found returning to work was the fact that i had been working for 12 yrs and had the horrible feeling that it was up to me to fit in again, even though i had been still helping out the girl that did my job while i was off by calling in every now and then. Everyone was nice and just going along doing their jobs but when i returned it was the little things that was most upsetting eg the boss didn't discuss things with me and would just email me things that had to be done or the girls would not ask me things that they would have before, it is really hard to explain the awful feeling you get. even now after 2 years i still feel either like an outsider or like i am the new person there at times. Sometimes i think maybe i went back too quick or not soon enough, im just not sure which is best. Also the chemo brain was a factor too, i only work 8 till 2 doing office work at a veterinary clinic but by 12 i get tired and some days the brain just seems to fog up  and can't think anymore.

Hi Carol

I am new to the online network and am still find my way around so hope I am doing this right! 

I have just returned to work this week.  I worked part time on and off throughout my chemo and radiotherapy but have had the last 12 weeks off after my surgery which was at the end of Feb after all the other stuff.  I have just gone back to work this week and am doing just 2 half days a week to start with.  My theory was that I could quickly build up to full time but it would be hard to pull back and reduce my hours if I found it was too much.  My company has been great and they are being very supportive and flexible.

I work for a large company and one of the things I find tricky is that I don't know who does and doesn't know my situation.  It can be very uncomfortable for all when you have to explain where you have been or why you are only working part time. 

Otherwise my general worries are about "chemo brain" and whether or not I will be able to concentrate and stay focused on my job.  This is in part I guess due to a change in priorities that I am sure we all experience after diagnosis.  Like Helen I used to work a fairly substantial number of hours and I don't have any intention of going back to that any time soon.  How that will fit in in the long term is to be seen I guess!

Hi Carol,

I have one more surgery in July and will return to work two weeks after that.  I had only four rounds of chemo but will have had three surgeries.  Work colleagues are lovely but the job is demanding and I usually did a fifty hour week.  Am looking forward to returning to a point but am also worried about my emotional resilience.  Have seen my GP and will take one day a week sick leave for the first month to ease my way back in. 

What have you found hardest about work (aside from well meaning but clueless comments from others)?

Helen

Hi Carol,

I have one more surgery in July and will return to work two weeks after that.  I had only four rounds of chemo but will have had three surgeries.  Work colleagues are lovely but the job is demanding and I usually did a fifty hour week.  Am looking forward to returning to a point but am also worried about my emotional resilience.  Have seen my GP and will take one day a week sick leave for the first month to ease my way back in. 

What have you found hardest about work (aside from well meaning but clueless comments from others)?

Helen