Confused and nervous about next steps
Amy Y. on December 20, 2016
Career Change, Career Management, Work/Life/Cancer Balance
Hi,
So I've been out of work on short-term disability since mid-September of this year. I went through breast cancer treatment in 2013 - surgery, chemo, radiation - then started tamoxifen. I left my job at the hospital i worked at as a writer when I went out on medical leave in Feb. 2013. I'd been there 9 years and was very successful. Throughout my treatment and until last November, I freelanced. I started to notice some issues while I was freelancing - that writing, which I had been doing for a living for almost two decades, was feeling hard. That I wasn't enjoying it. Even the writing I was going for my previous employer, that should have been easy. Still, I assumed I was just burned out.
In November 2015, I started a new, high level position at WGBH in Boston. It was full time- and I really struggled. I became concerned about my performance, or lack thereof, so i went to see a chemobrain specialist at Brigham and Women's in Boston upon a dr. friend's suggestion. Dr. Fremonte Meyer suspected that I was having genuine symptoms, and I've since completed cognitive testing that showed significant deficits in focus, attention and memory. My doctors are recommending that I don't go back to work yet (although I never want to go back to the position I was in anyhow). They are pushing for me to wait until i start cognitive rehab in late January and see how things go. My short term disability ended last Friday and I'm waiting to hear about long term- I also just received an FMLA form from WGBH yesterday. I don't know if I should hold onto my old job or not for now. (first question) This is all very unsettling. I was thinking of maybe asking my employer about part time possibilities in another department?? Any insight/advice you can give would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Amy - a 48 year old mom of two boys
2 Comments
Maddy Meislin
Dec 20, 2016
Cancer and Careers Staff Comment:
Hi Amy,
I’m sorry to hear about what you’re going through. Unfortunately, chemobrain is a very real thing, and we hear all too often how it can affect one’s work.
It sounds like you’re in a “wait and see” period right now to see how you will respond to the cognitive rehab. Here are some things I think you should consider and keep in mind as you make a decision on next steps:
1. You always want to consider what your medical team is advising you. Do they not recommend you go back to work because they think doing so will make things worse? Did they explain why? At the end of the day, your health is most important so you really want to have a complete understanding of everything going on.
2. You want to consider how you will receive benefits if you are going to need to pay for this rehab and if you have doctors visits, etc. FMLA could be a good option in keeping your benefits while you are going through rehab. You do not have to make a decision right away. You can see how cognitive rehab goes, and then decide.
3. Part time possibilities in another department is always an option, but please think about this against the advise of your medical team, and how you feel. Do you feel up to it? How will this affect your relationship with your current employer? Is this something you want?
4. Perhaps you can explore what type of work you feel you’re able to do at this time. Or, wait until the cognitive rehab is finished, and reevaluate what you feel capable of doing at that point in time.
I hope thinking through some of these points can help guide your decision, and that the cognitive therapy is helpful! Please feel free to reply to this post if you have any questions.
Warm regards,
Maddy Meislin
Associate Manger of Programs
Amy Y.
Dec 21, 2016
Thank you Maddy. That is really helpful. Fortunately, I currently get my medical benefits through my husband's job, so I wouldn't lose those. I just know I don't want to/and cannot go back to the job I was in - but I'm wondering if I should do the FMLA just to stay on as an employee there so I could explore the possibilities of another job with different responsibilities in a different department later on. Although I'd likely rather work somewhere else entirely eventually. We shall see I guess...
post a comment
Please sign in to post a comment