Hi Liezel,

Thanks so much for reaching out to Cancer and Careers.

Starting a new job in the midst of receiving a cancer diagnosis is a lot to take on. Both emotionally, and physically, the pressures must be great. I think it’s great you reached out before making a decision about whether to keep working or to take some time off. This is a scenario in which you want to think deeply about what you want, your priorities, and what is most realistic for you at this given time. It does sound like you’ve got a gut feeling about what you want to do, and I am a big proponent of trusting your gut, especially in situations that involve a lot of “what ifs”. So let’s breakdown your thought process a bit and that can hopefully help you come to a clearer decision.

It can take months to adjust to a new job and new work environment, regardless of your health status, so this tends to take a lot of mental and physical energy, not to mention a lot of learning. You still have a number of chemo treatments left, so I wonder, how are those treatments affecting you? Are your side effects causing you to feel unable to work? Do you feel you’re pushing yourself in a way that is unhealthy? Asking yourself these questions can often highlight a path that will take these factors into account.

I absolutely encourage patients and survivors to discuss their circumstances with loved ones. You said “everyone thinks I will get depressed staying home” – while I’m sure their concerns are coming from a well-intentioned place, to put it simply, they are not you, they can’t say how you’re going to feel, especially when you yourself are unsure! So, I would take input from others with a grain of salt. Perhaps they see you as someone who gets satisfaction and fulfillment from work, (which is a common feeling!) and don’t believe that you can feel that gratification without a job. But taking time off to focus on your health, enjoy spending time with your family, and resting are also ways to ensure you’re feeling satisfied and happy. If you are feeling uneasy about having an open schedule, perhaps you can get involved in volunteer work, something with a low level of responsibility but provides you with a feeling of being productive and active. These are just suggestions to combat some of those doubts. Ultimately, there will always be jobs out there and if you feel like you’ll be better prepared to take those jobs on when you’re finished with treatment and have a clearer picture of your health and what you can expect, then you can use time away from work to consider what you want to do, what will make you happy, and what will be best for you emotionally and physically.

All of this is to say, trust your instincts. If you feel like you would be happier and healthier taking time off, then do it! If you would prefer to keep working and see how things play out, then you can do that too. Ultimately you want to evaluate your priorities while taking into account what would be practical and realistic for you. I’m happy to get on the phone and talk through some of your feelings and thoughts if that would be helpful. Best of luck with your decision and I hope your remaining treatments go well.

Warm regards,

Nicole Jarvis LMSW

_________________________________

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW (she, her, hers)

Assistant Director of Programs

Cancer and Careers / CEW Foundation

Ph: 646-929-8043

njarvis@cew.org

www.cancerandcareers.org