Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

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Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Daniellabella » Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:46 am

My husband was diagnosed a few weeks ago with colorectal cancer.

Treatment should start soon...we are meeting with the oncologist next week.

My husbands work only gives him 5 sick days and 4 personal days.

In Canada, does that mean after he uses those 9 days, he only gets
4 months of medical EI?

Please help if you know or have been thru this.

I’m very scared and overwhelmed for his health and how to practically get thru this!

cbsmith
Posts: 87
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2015 11:45 am
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby cbsmith » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:57 am

I am in Canada. At my work we had deducted from every pay cost for company provided short term and long term disability payments. I just had to get the forms from HR and have my oncologist fill them out and gave them back to work.

I only recently be 7 sick days per year. The disability plan requires a 5 day waiting period before it starts so I needed to either use 5 sock dsys, vacation days, or no pay until the plan kicked in.

Also, if he is a stage 4 Canada Pension Plan disability can be applied for and received.
06/14-DX with FAP as 36yo Male
07/14-total colectomy, rectum removal, permanent ileostomy
08/14-DX Stage IIIC, KRAS mutant, MSS
09/14-04/15 - 12 rounds of FOLFOX
07/15-CT showed para-aortic lymph node, onc thght inflammation
10/15-DX Stage IV, CT lymph node tripled in size, 1 small lung met
11/15-FOLFIRI + Avastin
06/16-lymph node is stable, now have a 2nd lung met
01/16-lymph node is stable, lung mets grown 2mm. Still on FOLFIRI + Avastin
11/17 - no chemo since. Lung growth minimal, lymph node is stable

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby NHMike » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:31 am

I'm in the US but what cbsmith described is what we have where I work. I have five sick days. If I need to take more than that, then I must go out on short-term disability and I did this last year for my surgery which took two weeks to have and recover from. You didn't indicate the staging or course of treatment but we can give you some idea if you provide those (or at least the staging). It's all very scary stuff when it happens but there are a lot of people here who have been through it and can answer questions or concerns.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Daniellabella » Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:03 am

Thanks everyone.

My husbsnd has a rectosigmoid tumor about 11cm from anal verge.

The tumor is sessile, about 6cm...doctor said it’s like the size of an egg. Surgeon claims no colostomy bag.

So far: T3N2b and when asked about M over phone surgeon said none but I am waiting for oncologist to confirm this on June 38.

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby NHMike » Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:22 am

Daniellabella wrote:Thanks everyone.

My husbsnd has a rectosigmoid tumor about 11cm from anal verge.

The tumor is sessile, about 6cm...doctor said it’s like the size of an egg. Surgeon claims no colostomy bag.

So far: T3N2b and when asked about M over phone surgeon said none but I am waiting for oncologist to confirm this on June 38.


M is usually confirmed by pathology. If you have access to the pathology report, then you could see for yourself - though I found the language used to be difficult to parse.

It sounds like a 3B so far and it's very high up which likely means little loss of function - hence no colostomy bag. I take it that the oncologist will go over the course of treatment in your next meeting.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Daniellabella » Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:31 am

NHMike wrote:
Daniellabella wrote:Thanks everyone.

My husbsnd has a rectosigmoid tumor about 11cm from anal verge.

The tumor is sessile, about 6cm...doctor said it’s like the size of an egg. Surgeon claims no colostomy bag.

So far: T3N2b and when asked about M over phone surgeon said none but I am waiting for oncologist to confirm this on June 38.


M is usually confirmed by pathology. If you have access to the pathology report, then you could see for yourself - though I found the language used to be difficult to parse.

It sounds like a 3B so far and it's very high up which likely means little loss of function - hence no colostomy bag. I take it that the oncologist will go over the course of treatment in your next meeting.


Yes.

It’s an adenocarcinoma, “circumferential rectal mass” and says it’s 10-11 cm from anal verge extending 6cm proximally.

June 28 is when the treatment plan will be set up.

User avatar
mobrouser
Posts: 174
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:44 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby mobrouser » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:18 pm

Daniellabella wrote:My husband was diagnosed a few weeks ago with colorectal cancer.

Treatment should start soon...we are meeting with the oncologist next week.

My husbands work only gives him 5 sick days and 4 personal days.

In Canada, does that mean after he uses those 9 days, he only gets
4 months of medical EI?

Please help if you know or have been thru this.

I’m very scared and overwhelmed for his health and how to practically get thru this!


EI paid sick leave is for a maximum of 15 weeks and pays 55% of average weekly pay to a maximum of about $550 per week.
I would suggest you wait to find out what his treatment plan will be first before making any decisions. Once you know how much time off he will need, then you can decide whether to apply.
I chose to work around my treatments, losing 3 to 4 days every 2 weeks depending on my treatment schedule. It has been tough working some days and the lost income is also tough, however I decided that for me it was better to not use the sick benefit now just in case I needed it at a later date this year. Despite the lost days I'm still earning more than I would be paid through EI.

8) mob
CC Dx 102017 age 58
Lap. right hemi-colectomy Dec 2017
Adenocarcinoma ascending colon – 6cm x 6cm x 2cm, Low Grade, penetrates to peritoneum
T4a N2a M0, Stage IIIC
lymph nodes 6 positive out of 18
FOLFOX start Jan/18 end Aug/8 (felt like a year)
CEA - 01/15/18-2.8; 07/29/18-5.3; 09/19-2.4; 03/20-2.7; 09/20-2.9
CT scan 08/18 - Clear; 10/19 - Clear; * 10/20 - 8mm & 6mm nodules in liver
PET scan 09/18 (thought about bringing the cat :wink: ) - Clear
Colonoscopy Dec 7 2018 - Clear - Next in 3 years?

Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Daniellabella » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:42 pm

mobrouser wrote:
Daniellabella wrote:My husband was diagnosed a few weeks ago with colorectal cancer.

Treatment should start soon...we are meeting with the oncologist next week.

My husbands work only gives him 5 sick days and 4 personal days.

In Canada, does that mean after he uses those 9 days, he only gets
4 months of medical EI?

Please help if you know or have been thru this.

I’m very scared and overwhelmed for his health and how to practically get thru this!


EI paid sick leave is for a maximum of 15 weeks and pays 55% of average weekly pay to a maximum of about $550 per week.
I would suggest you wait to find out what his treatment plan will be first before making any decisions. Once you know how much time off he will need, then you can decide whether to apply.
I chose to work around my treatments, losing 3 to 4 days every 2 weeks depending on my treatment schedule. It has been tough working some days and the lost income is also tough, however I decided that for me it was better to not use the sick benefit now just in case I needed it at a later date this year. Despite the lost days I'm still earning more than I would be paid through EI.

8) mob


This is great information....thank you!

Utwo
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:14 am
Location: T.O.

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Utwo » Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:28 pm

Daniellabella wrote: My husbands work only gives him 5 sick days and 4 personal days.
What about vacation?
I assume tha he should have at least a few weeks.

What about his benefits?
I have not heard about an employer that doesn't provide at least minimal plan.
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Daniellabella » Sat Jun 23, 2018 1:52 pm

Utwo wrote:
Daniellabella wrote: My husbands work only gives him 5 sick days and 4 personal days.
What about vacation?
I assume tha he should have at least a few weeks.

What about his benefits?
I have not heard about an employer that doesn't provide at least minimal plan.


There’s lots of employers that don’t, unfortunately.

Chickspeed
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:16 am

Re: Canadians-Husband diagnosed-what about WORK and PAY?

Postby Chickspeed » Sun Jun 24, 2018 6:46 am

A lot of provinces have cancer patient navigators who take care of the details of CPP-D (canada pension plan disability)
and navigate the mine field for you. There is a short process for cancer patients and fast tracked approval process Here is a starting point if your really lost:

https://www.cancerandwork.ca/healthcare ... -programs/

the title sucks but it may offer some insight. It is possible for short term access to CPP-D for cancer patients

Also a lot of provinces offer plans to cover xeloda etc... not sure which ones

don't give up and put your local MP or MLA to work they can help point you in the right direction if they know you need it.

good luck.
12/15/2016 Mod Diff tumour 5-6 cm 10-12 cm fr AV T3 tumour cea 1.4
12/29/2016 CT no spread ln normal
1/19/2017 MRI confirms mass and shows 3 enlarged LN (suspected to be infection draining)
3/6/2017 25 sessions chemoradiation
6/20/2017 LAR with temp loop ileo
7/10/2017 Path 20mm margins tumour 0.1 CM with microscopic invasion of submucosa
aug-dec 2017 6 rnds xeloda
1/9/2018 CT all clear
1/18/2018 Colonoscopy clear
3/27/2018 ileo reversal
CEA continues to be normal


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