Work

Glad to hear you had a wonderful time back with your students...nice to get back to some sort of normality hey?

The infection you need to look out for is "Febrile Neutropenia"...I'm guessing your oncologist would have given you info about this - you need to check your temp and if it reaches 38 or higher, you need to seek immediate medical attention for IV anit-biotics (due to low white blood cell count that fights infection)...I did have a seroma under my arm after mastectomy and suspect this was the cause of infection. Check out my blog for more info if you like :) ..... don't mean to scare you, however, it can be serious if you don't seek medical attention asap...my best friend is a breast care nurse and she knows of fatalities that have occured...

After this episode, I was prescribed Neulasta to inject myself just after each chemo to help build up the white blood cells....I had no further problems after that. Hope this helps .... but you probably will be fine!

Jenny x

So glad you enjoyed getting back to work with your little class. I was imagining you going back to a class of 25 or so five days a week. I think what you are doing could well be manageable and as you say it gives you something else to focus on. As long as you stay vigilent about the germs - keep your hand sanitiser handy - and rest when you need to I imagine you will be fine. Reading about your little school and your class of eleven I can understand why you want to go back. I always enjoyed filling in at small schools as a CRT - much friendlier. It sounds like it makes you happy and that's got to be a good thing. Janet. :)

 

 

Thanks Rowdy. I was lucky to get a contract this year, but it was only part time. I have chosen to go back only 1 day a week and only work part of the day. I found it tiring today but enjoyed it. But I think sitting around for 4 months doing nothing would make going back to work tiring for anyone. That's what I told myself anyway as I snoozed into a nap this afternoon. I don't think I will try to work extra days, just the one. And there's only 8 weeks til school finishes, and who knows what work I may get after that. Take it easy, you sound like your workplace is very supportive and you're doing things that are best for you. Good to hear "normal" life coming back to you.

I loved your advice Rita. I just hope my one negative thing (getting an infection) isn't going to be bigger than all the positives. Maybe I am wrong and I am taking too big a risk if I am questioning this decision so much. I was (prior to being off work) a bit of a nazi with the hand gel and hand washing. I was really into the kids washing their hands before going out to eat recess & lunch. It was slow but I thought it worth it. I was always a germ freak before this, so I guess it's ironical that I want to put myself in this environment. But your suggestion is a good one and I'm sure my boss, colleagues and the community will be in support of it.

Thanks for your kindness Jenny. I'm sorry to hear you now have advanced BC. You were a trooper working through all your chemo & radiation. I hope you can do some lovely special things over the next 4 months to enjoy that time off work and feel good again. You'll be back at work then, a new woman. Lots of love to you.

Well all the best with your radiation treatment. I hope those 6 weeks go quickly for you. I can imagine how you are missing your job. I'll bet the children at your work are missing you too. The biggest surprise I had was how much they had grown and changed in 4 months. I expect that kids of child-care age the change would be even more amazing. I'll be thinking of you.

Thanks for your reply Fiona. I appreciate your info. I'm on Weekly Taxol now so my bloods are checked each week. So far they look good, except my haemoglobin is low so that will make me tired. You've certainly been through the mill too and I agree with your philosophy of trying to balance all those aspects to improve our health. It is certainly helping me mentally. And by only working 1 day I will have minimal prep to do each week. I really miss "normal" and I think that is part of what's driving my decision.

Hey I start next week so 6 weeks

Thanks Robyn for sharing your opinion with me and giving me your kind wishes. I hope I've made the right decision and I can stop at any time. Like this whole experience I'll take it one step at a time.

Thanks for your good wishes Janet. Today was my test run day to see how I would cope. I was really tired at the end of it that is for sure. But I work til 1pm, so I don't have a full day. For the time being I am just team teaching with the colleague who took over my class. I will only work Tuesdays as you're right it is very tiring on chemo. I'm very lucky my boss is so supportive and is doing everything she can to help me work again.