Postby BrownBagger » Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:23 am
There are as many different kinds of work situations as there are unique cancer cases. I work for a trade association with 4 other people. I'm the guy who produces the monthly magazine. I don't have an assistant and nobody else in the office would have a clue how to get the thing out the door every month. And of course, it provides the lion's share of our income. So I kind of had to get back to work, one way or another. I found it relatively easy to return to work after three weeks, as predicted by my surgeon, which was lucky for me.
Does this expose an alarming vulnerability in our operation? Of course. But that's not the issue.
I suspect people who own small businesses are faced with similar dilemmas. If you work for a big corporation with lots of redundancy and a nice disability plan, you probably view it differently.
I don't even want to get into the thought process behind the timing of some kind of succession plan should this disease eventually get the better of me. Call me a motivated patient and employee. I need the job and the job needs me. Let's keep it that way.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.