Working while taking chemo/radiation

leslie :-D · Jun 24, 2007

hi robin,

i don't know what to say.

most certainly you have my prayers for both you and your husband.

i have known and worked with ca survivors who continued working during txs.

they would take a day or two off, here and there.

sometimes they'd go home early.

the ones i worked with, had a great deal of support by the staff.

wishing you only the very best.

leslie

Nursekass · Jun 24, 2007

Hi. I will try to answer your concerns. I went through all of this three years ago. I was diagnosed with breast cancer lobular carcinoma - and had metastasis to one node out out 15. I was taking my last three courses for my BSN when I was diagnosed and thought my world, school and career was over. My physicians told me I would not be allowed to work in the hospital during during chemo, so I was home through this. I finished my Clinical Practicum by showing a presentation in our lobby and evaluated the project by how much literature was picked up by the public. Nightly my husband and I would drive up to the hospital and I would wait in the car. Anyways, when Christmas rolled around I was determined to shop for the kids, so I thought I felt good enough to go out. I became extremely ill with pneumonia and could have died. I was admitted to the hospital and came home on Christmas day (with O2). The bottom line, chemo weakens you so. I took Adriamycin/Cytoxin for four doses every three weeks then Taxol for four doses every three weeks. All of this was followed by radiation for 32 days - 60 miles away. You will be very, very immunocomprimised. I know of a very young man who became gravely ill and died by attending his child's kindergarten play. My suggestion is to see if the hospital will relocate you to another area for the time you are out. But, the better thing is to stay home, heal and take care of your self. It is the one time in your life that you will come to appreciate all of what really matters - your family and friends. Everything has a way of working out, it truly does. And PS - my hair has grown back, I finished by BSN, just received by CDE, and I think I heading back for my MSN this fall - all at the age of 53. Good luck to you

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2007

I went through a surgery to remove a parotid tumor and because the pathology said the margins were questionable, a full course of radiation therapy was recommended. I returned to work 2 weeks after the surgery and fully intended to stay working during radiation therapy since I was working the night shift. However, 4 days into the radiation therapy I started having side effects that side-lined me. Besides the local effects it was causing in my mouth I was getting incredibly tired. I used FMLA leave for the next 6 or 7 weeks and it was probably the best thing because I got really ill.

Radiation, as you probably are aware is a local treatment so it depends on where they are aiming the radiation beams. Radiation to the chest depending upon how deep they are going can bring on lung and bronchial irritation. My mother went through chemo and then radiation therapy for breast CA. She did great for the chemo, but by the end of the radiation she was coughing and hacking quiet a bit. I know they also tried to avoid it by rotating the entry sites, but she had a lot of skin erythema similar to a bad sunburn that was very bothersome to her. They couldn't do much site rotation for my type of radiation therapy and by the end, the skin on my left ear was black and some of it hurt like the dickens. The rest of my ear was numb from nerve damage that couldn't be avoided during the surgery anyway.

jolleygirl · Jun 24, 2007

My prayers are with you and your husband as well.

I can not imagine how this is going for you, but I am currently on oral cytoxan, and working full time. I haven't, thankfully, experienced S/E's.

I wish you well, definately use you FMLA if you need it your not going to be much good to your husband if you don't take good care of yourself first.

God Bless

StacieRN, RN · Jun 24, 2007

I was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. My doctor would not let me work as the patients would be a risk to me.

As far as chemo, I had different drugs. I did have one of the harshest chemo regimines. I had very few side effects from the chemo other than neutropenia and anemia.

The radiation totally kicked my butt!!!!! I can not imagine working through that. The fatigue was unbelieveable!!!

It took about two months after treatment for my immune system to return to a normal level where being around the sick was no longer dangerous.

I wish you well. I hope you can get through this. Many prayers are being sent your way.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 24, 2007

I have no words of experience but want to wish you and your husband the best.

gail323 · Jun 24, 2007

Four years ago in March, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, had a bilateral mastectomy (my choice), underwent 8 chemo treatments - 4 Adriamycin/Cytoxin and 4 Taxol - every 3 weeks. I would have my chemo on Monday and it would be the next week before I would feel up to trying to work - it is an unusual type of fatigue that goes along with chemo.

I would work half days through the next two weeks and then be down again. By the time I had finished my first four treatments, I had used up what fmla and sick time that I had available. Working in a clinic meant that I either worked full time or could resign. It was probably one of the hardest things that I have ever done and I could probably have fought for my job - but decided that fighting for my life and health was more important.

Then it was time for my radiation. It was a 30 mile one way trip to the radiation clinic so it would have been difficult to work and make it to those treatments.

Can you do it? Many people are able to do so - it all depends on how well you tolerate the treatments. I am still not "back to work" but my parents are needing me so much right now so spend time with them every several weeks. I would not be able to do it if I was working.

So far, I'm doing well - get my labs drawn again next month and see my pcp. See the oncologist once a year.

Gail in MN