So out of control

Hi Kim I was diagnosed with HER2+ BC in August 2012 and I've come through the other side of treatment! I found it hard going but manageable. Things go quite fast once diagnosed! As an HR Manager I actually didn't feel emotionally able to work while I was going through the initial surgery stage of lumpectomy and node clearance followed by a mastectomy 2 weeks later. I started chemotherapy in October and had 8 sessions which took nearly 6 months. I was really knocked about by the chemo. I couldn't physically work during this time. As the main wage earner I was pleased to have income protection insurance but it was very outdated and about 1/2 what I was earning. We renegotiated our mortgage and leaned heavily on my parents financially. Very stressful time indeed. I had 25 sessions of radiotherapy in May 2013. By June, while continuing on Herceptin, I was negotiating a return to work plan. Work had been supportive and many people stayed supportive but I ended up in a dispute with the retiring CEO who insisted that if I wanted to return to my full time job part time, I had to report to the person also working part time who was filling in for my full time role. No, it doesn't make sense. It was absolutely dreadful. I urge you to join a union if you haven't already as, even if they're not a great union, it may provide you with access to legal support should you need it. As an HR Manager in a community services organisation (including supporting families of children with disabilities!) I had not seen a need to join a union. If you have prior opportunity to join, they'll usually only give you advice on a matter. So if you join now and things end up in dispute, you will hopefully have access to their representation. I wished I had not spent several months trying to negotiate with my workplace. Once they take a discriminatory approach, they've probably reframed things in their heads to justify it. I wished I hadn't spent precious energy on them. Fair Work can be of assistance as can whatever equivalent you have in your state to the Victorian Human Rights Commission. I wish you well and hope you can sort things out sufficiently to focus on your wellbeing and work your way through your treatment. All the best Lisa