Did you work on tx?

I'd love to hear your experiences. I can't imagine working. With my job I have to talk to people all day long. YIKES!

If you wouldn't mind, could you share youe experiences. If I don't work, I cant pay my mortgage. I really need to be ON. This scares me  :(

Thanks,
Julia

[desrt]

I worked full time but didn't have to deal with the public. Did plumbing/pipefitting/utility work and had a lot of good people around to support me.

[painterlady13]

I am on week 29 of 48 and I woirk in a factory where speed and production is important.  So far I am doing ok.  I did have to take a couple days  off in the beginning but only when my HGB got low and I got anemia. They got that under control and I am ok now

[big bloc]

2 mounths post tx. Did 48 weeks never missed a day. Had 10 people under me. Avg 50 hrs week in factory.I am not a short fused person but it seamed like it didnt take much for people to push your buttons.(and they will).Be careful

[sunspot]

I missed a total of 20 days from work in the first 10 months of tx. I reached the end of my rope at that time and took the next 6 months off from work.

[NYCMark]

I've been working now for the 39 weeks on treatment; it seems to be getting more difficult now. I have poor concentration and it's really hard to muster the energy to do the work at hand. I do need to work for the medical benefits, so I hope to be able to continue. I just go home and collapse each day, and suffer over the weekends with the side effects of the shots...

MArk

[nygirl7]

I worked all 72 weeks on treatment and I really had some horrific sides.  But, I needed my insurance and although they always say you can go out on medical and then come back and have your job back - I KNOW the law is you can have "A" job back not necessarily YOUR job. So I came in even with the anemia which was drastic.

I missed 3 days sick in total. It used to take me 15 minutes to walk from the car to my building cause I'd have to rest but...it was worth it.

Getting up, showered, dressed and doing hair and makeup helped me to feel better than I would have if I sat home on my bed.  It helped to take my mind off what was going on inside and sometimes I was able to forget I was on tx for a little while.

Basically, it helped to keep my life going instead of just hybernating in my room which would have been SO easy to do.

It really was the right thing for me to do.  It would have been TOO easy to get very depressed if I wasn't around people all the time and keeping some semblance of a "life".

Best of luck!

[jmjm530]

I wasn't able to, but being self-employed with enough money in the bank to carry me through treatment made it easier not to. That said, if I had a regular job and needed the money, my guess is I would have been able to muster the energy to Working on treatment can be a two-edged sword. On one hand it could put your profession at risk with poorer performance, but on the other hand it can give you something to take your mind off treatment, as well as trying to keep things as normal as possible. Not working during treatment, combined with the loss of social relationships many of us experience, can leave a black hole when treatment is over. Hope this is helpful.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Something got clipped in my last post.

The point I was making was that if I had a normal job and needed the money, I could probably have mustered up the energy to work about HALF of the time. Certainly, there were days and weeks I was pretty much a vegetable, especially during the first three months, but not just that time period.

[lab-rat]

I haven't missed any work so far(week 24 of tx). Thankfully I feel well in general, and I don't have to deal with people very often.  (They will get on your nerves!) I can work from home if I have to but I generally don't do that. I'd rather get out of the house and keep busy.  My worst side effect seems to be my brain function - I'm a bit of a zombie. Sometimes I can't seem to spit out what I'm trying to say in a coherent fashion.  I don't know how I would be if I had to interact with the public all day long - that might wear me out mentally.  Of course that was never my thing anyway.  I agree with nygirl - it helps to keep busy so the time will fly by.  Give it whirl and see how you feel. You may be pleasantly surprised by how well you do (I was).  Good Luck!

[nygirl7]

PS If you do work and are able to tell your direct boss your situation it will help.

My old boss although I told him in CONFIDENCE was a complete jerk and he RAN and told HR so it became a very formal thing even though I had said I would NOT be missing work please not mention it before it was.

This jerk used to send me emails saying "you need to try and not look so tired, even though you are sick you cannot look sick at work".  Idiot!

My current boss (the old bosses BIG boss hahah) is the MOST wonderful and understanding guy.  He INSISTED I leave work early on shot day, would not let me use sick days when I needed a test or something and when I finished the day of my last shot - he said to me "this is a very special day tomorrow, I don't want you to come into work - you deserve this you've never taken any sick days at all (since I worked for him - almost a year).


So on one hand it worked out BAD but then on the other hand it worked out GREAT.  So you can see, it's an individual boss type thing.

Also - this IS CHEMOTHERAPY so if you don't want to say what is wrong (some people do not want to say "HepC because of the stigma) you can always say you are on chemo for the next...amount of weeks and when they say why (people ALWAYS do they are so nosey) you can just say you don't want to speak about it yet it's still too new to discuss BUT you wanted to be a good employee and be upfront about it (and make it like you are the good guy ;)


Just something to think about.  It did help me alot - even though the first boss is such a complete jerk because as zonked as I was (had drastic problems with anemia most don't get) he could NOT fire me or anything because he KNEW he would have a lawsuit against him.

Although the idiot DID email me all those "looking sick" or "looking so tired" comments and I could always prove it if I wanted to hahahahhaa.

Good luck

[friole]

I worked the whole time - 56 weeks.

I was president of a local  professional organization during that year consiting of lawyers and accountants and trust officers.  Honestly, I would not have taken the position if I had known I was going to tx but it was too late so I did it.   I am not fond of getting in front of groups anyway, but I did okay.  There were a couple of times I asked the VP to handle the meeting.  I saw clients a lot and many of them only saw me once a year.  They could tell I was thin and tired, and some asked me if I was sick, but they all accepted that I was working too hard and was tired (I told no clients about my dx and tx).  

In short, I did what I had to do.  I had told myself up front that I would not lose my profession over this treatment.  I told myself I would quit if I got the brain fog and couldn't think clearly.  We had a good year, financially, oddly enough, so I think I did well.
(didn't clear, though).
frijole

[nygirl7]

I remember how hard it was on you at that busy time of year.  My God - you did it girl and you really deserve kudos for doing it. You are one of my idols - and you kept ME going the whole time. Example like yours...that is why we are here.

[wyntre9]

Guess I'm a wimp.

I knew I probably wouldn't be able to work (music teacher in urban school system) and I was right.

Of course, the fact that I hate my job no doubt impacted my decision, plus the fact I was able to get a leave-of-absence and LTD benefits.

But, even if I loved my job, I don't see how I could have managed any sort of consistency as my SX are unpredictable and sometimes overwhelming.

[friole]

yeah, this tax season is definitley better than last.  Ha ha - don't know how I did it iether, but don't know how you managed your job without shooting your boss - that is, ex-boss, with that hand gun either!

[scubadiver30]

Well, I worked the first 12 weeks but I'm now on leave.
The sx have hit me hard now. Tomorrow hope I'll get some procrit cause I have an appointment with the hemo.
I told my boss I'm doing chemo and she's pretty understanding, (she gave me the LOA) but I suspect she's not buying it completely cause I haven't lost my hair...And most chemo patients loose the hair right away..
Good luck

[Htownwife]

My husband is treating and also has his own business. He's in the 39th week of treatment and has continued to work the whole time. It hasn't been easy...December and January were especially rough with his sx's. But he has traveled both in and out of the country and given presentations and trainings. Again, it was difficult for him to do this. He would call me at the end of the day and I could tell he was totally exhausted. But, it is possible to work and treat.
You HAVE to pace yourself. When he presents, he's told the groups he's undergoing a medical treatment and has to stop at 4:30 to rest. People have always been understanding.
Good luck to you!!!  

[LindyK]

I think I am an oddball.  I am on week 14/24 and I am working about 47 hours a week - upper management in a social service agency, fast paced, can be stressful.  I actually have a lot of energy during the day and feel good.  I wish everyone's tx could be like mine. I feel very blessed.  I do keep a good sleep routine and usually have to take one day on the weekend to completely rest.  And do I EVER believe in drinking that water.  Sometimes during the day if I start to feel fatigued I just drink some water and then I feel better.  I haven't missed any days so far.

[rosebud57]

nygirl,
you are so strong. i appreciate hearing your antidote about your employer. what  jerk. he did set himself up with those crazy emails.

i thought i would be able to work through it. crashed at 4 weeks. rescue drugs helped, but i still don't think i could work through this experience. my job required driving, basically all the time office in my car, maintaining handwritten and typed notes, communicate with regularly people. also in school many days cant look at computer screen.   sometimes i wonder what kind of job i could do if i were to do something else. sweep floors??

brown eyed girl.
all i can say is from what i observed in posts is it is different for everyone. hope the best for you. concerning your mortgage and working, try to have a back up plan. aren't there different insurance plans that pay bills in emergency situations? i don't have but heard of them.
rose.

[ladybug52]

When I first came to the forum my biggest concern was will I be able to work. I have 2 kids in college, a daughter who was getting married and a teen at home. My husband and I need both salaries and it's still never enough!
I work in long term care/rehab and my job is physically challenging. I have to stay upbeat at work because the people I treat are going through more than I am. I was so worried about the job/income issue, I put off tx 3 months after I got my meds. When I did start tx, I worked 11 hour days, usually 6 days a week. A month after I started tx, I lost my job and it was not tx related. Once my biggest fear became a reality, I wasn't scared any more. Also at that time my hgb dropped, I was anemic and didn't care any more about bills! I returned to a new job 8 days later, but the break came at a great time.
I do not have as difficult sides as some people, so work is doable and takes my mind off tx. I was afraid riba rage would cost me my job, but at work I don't have a problem with it. When I get home, I'm the real me, not so nice!:) Good luck!

[Sincebirth]

I am on week 57 and have worked at least 40 hours a week through tx.  I hid my illness from my boss and co-workers the whole time that I have worked there (10 years). But at week 36 of treatment I decided to tell my boss.  My co-workers still do not know.

I look terrible compared to what I was before tx. I am really pale and skin is flaky.  Lost lots of weight from 160 to 125 lbs(33 yr old male).  I decided to tell my boss to get it off my chest.  I have missed a few days here and there mostly due to a severe flu like symptoms due to neulasta (for WBC) that I take every 3 weeks.  I have been on resuce meds since week 20.  

My boss looked scared when I told him.  I think he thought I was going to take medical leave or go on disabilty.  I am a stuctural engineer in a consulting buisness and I run the structural side of the firm.  So needless to say he was concerned.  

The hardest thing is to keep motivation.  My head is not at work.  Brain fog is not too bad though.    

[FL_Gal]

Yes, I work.  I'm on week #...19???? I forget...it's been a very bad week.

Like you, I have to work.  Some days it's fine, and others I feel like I'm not going to make it through the day.  Today I cried all the way home.  And Ladybug is going to kill me, but I smoked a cigarette.

But, we all do what we need to do, and somehow we get through it.  Just keep plodding along, putting one foot in front of the other, and before you know it, you'll be at the other end of treatment.  

At least you know you have all of us here who will listen to you vent/rant/cry on the bad days, and will cheer you on EVERY day whether it's a good one or a bad one.

You can do it!

[ladybug52]

Well, I'm just as guilty! More guilty because I have been smoking and I didn't want to tell you! I did good for about a week. Once my stress/energy levels went up, out came the cigarettes. My new motto is: I'm quitting as soon as tx is finished! Take care, I've been wondering how the job and tx's been going!
Bug

[ellendunnam]

what r rescue drugs. i haven't begun treatment yet, but will asap.
-ellen

[Bill1954]

Hi Ellen—

Rescue drugs are anything that can help keep you on treatment, as opposed to taking a dose reduction of the Hepatitis meds. Interferon and ribavirin can suppress certain blood components; things like anemia and low white cells (neutropenia) can be compensated for by taking Procrit or Neupogen; these are called ‘rescue drugs. Drugs like antidepressants can help too; anything that keeps us on full dose HCV meds.

Good luck with your upcoming treatment—

Bill