Feeling better than expected what now

Hi @MicheleR, good for you. I am doing well too. I had 3 x AC and 9 x Taxol and then radium. I finished at the end of October and I am on tamoxifen now.  I am about 10yrs older than you and actually retired about 6 months before BC.

However I walk daily and go to pilates and water aerobics weekly. I feel good but get a bit of fatigue now and then. I can understand wanting to be well and moving on from the whole BC story. Sounds like you are ready for work. If you can do 20hrs great and if it gets a bit hard sometimes I hope your employer is understanding. 

I had 4 wks of radium and found by week 2 i got a bit tired but i never stopped my exercise.  Go for it I say. You know yourself and what you need. Just check your employer supports you if you need other breaks but a distraction from it all is great. Good luck with radium. 

Hi @cath62,

Thats great you are well and hope you are enjoying your retirement.  

Michele

As someone who never stopped working during treatment, I think I know how you feel. I was lucky - no nausea, no fatigue. But I didn’t want  to let go my life. I didn’t have radiation but as most seem to find it easier than chemo, it may not be a major difficulty. Being at work got my head out of being preoccupied with bc. I did make changes later on (changed my job) but by then I was clear that was about getting more of what I wanted out of life and not about accommodating cancer (or anyone else’s ideas of what cancer patients should be doing!). Follow your instincts. Talk with your boss. Best wishes. 

Hi @Afraser,

Yes i think you do know. I view it as had cancer and being treated so it doesnt return. The treatment hasnt been particularly pleasant and at times i felt less well than when i started. Ive been open about it.

But now that im feeling better i want a balanced life and i see work as part of it. 

I have to jump through a few hoops to go back to work including notes and forms filled out by my gp that im capable for my current employer. It feels a bit over the top but ok can do it. I think some colleagues are afraid ill look ill and how ill be. My boss i think wants me to go on a less stressful project. I just want to get back to work. Im happy to do my hours and leave whilst like i work out what i want to do longer term. Working it out might involve going back to see what i think too.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Michele

I found work colleagues take their cue from you. Mine coped admirably with me appearing one day with a wig (had all my hair cut off in prep for chemo) and treated the whole thing as normal because I did. I felt a tiny bit useful in trying to demystify the whole business - the only down side was people then felt happy to talk, sometimes for the first time, about their own family’s brush with cancer! A less stressful project is not a bad idea until you see how you go. Good luck! 

Hi @Michelle_R congratulations on getting through your chemo.  I'm currently having radiation and I am feeling very tired in the afternoon.  I know if I was working I would struggle with full time hours but we are all different and you know what you can and  can't do.  I hope your boss and colleagues are supportive.  Cheers.   🙂
 

Hi @Locksley,

Good to hear you are progressing through treatment. Hopefully the end is in sight.

Im only planning on working in the morning. I should have exercise (twice a week ecercose medicine and walk the rest of week) and radiotherapy in the afternoon. 

Is the tiredness all consuming or if i rest for an afternoon will i feel better the next day?

M

Yes I find resting in the afternoon I'm good to go for the morning.   If you are only working in the morning I think you will be fine.  You sound like you are mentally r r day.  🙂😘

Sorry  ...Ready.   Oh my eye sight is shocking now but I'm not looking at new script until treatment is over.

@Locksley,

I was going to wait for new glasses too. I gave up and got them early. So good to be able to see!