My third post for Huffpost can be accessed via the following link: After Cancer, Returning to the Workplace
It's the first time I've ever written about what it was like to go back to work post my rounds of heavy chemo.
It's the first time I've ever written about what it was like to go back to work post my rounds of heavy chemo.
I too am a survivor of APL. Enjoyed your article!
ReplyDeleteIt was very hard for me to return to work! I had 3 induction rounds of combo-chemo (I'm sure like yours the first one being 24/7 in the hospital for over a month), 2 more thereafter, then 4th/last round in the hospital with consolidation combo-chemo. I still had a good number of days left on FMLA, but when HR Mgr called to threaten me basically with losing not just my job but health benefits,(a threat of job loss while on approved FMLA is a direct violation), I returned just 2-1/2 wks after that last treatment. Its a job I love and have done for 15 yrs this year. I love the people I work directly with and they were SO very supportive, always sending cards and even providing my son some Christmas presents that year (it was his senior year in high school), and me with some cash to offset bills that were stacking up. My dept manager, in my absence, needed to make some changes while I was off, timing couldn't have been worse. That was the biggest struggle I encountered after my physical/mental struggle I was already dealing with. I lost 10 more lbs in the first month I returned that had nothing to do with the cancer!
So it was difficult on SO many levels. I'm still here- in life and work! Bless you!
First of all, so happy to hear that you are doing well! Congrats on making it through! People say, "I don't know how you managed through all of it." I say, "Because I had no other choice." You did what you had to do, and endured the stress, not only for yourself, but for your son. I'm so happy it's behind you now. Please feel free to find me on Facebook, so we can chat off-line.
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