The Colon Club

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

mob

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.

mob

This is great information....thank you!

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.

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.

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.