Cancer and returning to work

Posted by azkidney57 @azkidney57, Sep 8, 2019

I had a nephrectomy May 2019 for a large tumor. It was Renal Cell Carcinoma. I was on medical leave from my job and as it happened I was hired at the same job but in a different department. Once at my new job, I learned how ill equipped I was being a new hire after cancer. My life had been turned upside down. I was meeting my new oncologist, having scans and tests and trying to learn a new job. My new hours didn’t agree with my new life after cancer because nothing was as it once was. My boss told me I wasn’t performing as expected. No, I was not. I had so much on my plate! My former self without cancer would have been fine learning new tasks but the new me after cancer was a different person. So here I am confronting a new reality. You have a cancer diagnosis and let’s face it the company cares but not that much. You still have to do your job and do it well even when you feel sick or have another scan coming up or have a suspicious test result or other unaccounted for lump or mass or symptom that worries you. You are running scared for your life, you need your job because you need your health insurance. People may wonder why you may be a bit slow to learn. I want to scream, “I am not stupid I am a person after cancer trying to learn a new job”! Wish me luck I will be asking my boss if she can give me more time to be the employee she expects and deserves to have. Also wish me luck as the new me after cancer learns to navigate through the many obstacles that lay before me, those I can see and those I have yet to come to know. Cancer sucks.

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@azkidney57, I'm really glad you started this discussion about returning to work after cancer. I think you'll be interested in reading this blog post:
- Cancer. Work. Hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that… https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/hmmm-i-hadnt-thought-of-that/

I'd also like to bring fellow members into this discussion who have also returned to work, like @sue1952 @heather49 @raemark @kristennursepatient @cindylb and @carlturn

AZKidney57, your situation is quite unique that you not only returned to work, but to a new department. I can imagine that is an added complication of learning everything new again. I certainly wish you luck with the upcoming conversation with your boss and congratulate you for taking the initiative to get out in front of this. Your approach and the words you use are smart: i.e., asking your boss how can you work together so that you can be "be the employee she expects and deserves to have." I think that approach will go a long way. This isn't a forever thing, you just need a longer runway right now - not always - just as you get back into work AND learning new stuff.

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