Returning to work

Hi there, I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer earlier this year. I had radiotherapy and I'm now on letrozole for 5 years. The fatigue took time to calm down. I feel from March till now, my energies are picking back up. 

My thumbs are painful as a consequence of the medication. I have to massage them daily as they seize up. They are affecting daily !ife,can anyone offer advice?

Work has been supportive, phasing me back in slowly. I work from home and full time. I currently work three days a week and have done since October . Previously I was on a two day week from August.

When do you know it's the right time to return to work full time?

I still don't feel right mentally, an I being petty?

  • Hi March,

    We all react differently to treatment. The fatigue was my biggest problem for quite some time. Only you will know how you are coping with working 3 days a week, and whether or not you think that you could manage to do more. I found that I felt better, once I got into my normal routine with work and gradually, felt in charge of my life again. I was on Letrozole too and I still have a lot of problems with my hands, 14 years on from diagnosis.

    I am glad to hear that your employer has been supportive. I think that if I had waited until I felt better mentally, I might never have returned to work. It took a second bout of cancer, a year after the first, to bring me to my senses. I realised that life is too short to be worried about cancer all the time. I attended various courses on moving forward and eventually became more positive than negative about the outcome - that's not to say that I don't still have my moments, but a positive attitude has made it a lot easier to live my life.

    I sincerely hope that you'll soon feel well enough to get back to work full time.

    Please keep in touch and remember that we are always here for you.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • You can only return when you are ready. I think it's great that you have a supportive work environment. I would be as open as possible to them and yourself and take it gradually. Good luck! 

  • Thank you for your response, I really appreciate it. I have joined a moving forward course, whereby I attended one of two sessions, yesterday.

    It was a positive experience to be in a group where people understood each other’s anxieties and emotions. 

    My super wonderful boss was made redundant and his replacement, I’m not sure about. She knows I’m recovering from cancer but she’s not mentioned anything about it. I was debating with myself whether I should arrange a chat with her. As I feel and this could be just my paranoia kicking in, that I’m being classified as the weak element of the group.

    Anyway thank you for responding xx

  • Thank you for your response. My brilliant boss was made redundant and his replacement, I’m not sure about. But yes I think I just need to stop pressuring myself into doing what I think others are expecting.

    Thank you xx