I'm curious. Like I suspect was the case with most of you, this cancer caused a masive disruption in my work life.

While I'm getting close to the point where retirement is in the not too distant future, it's not there yet.

I've been on medical leave since May of this year. I finished radiation a month ago, and I'm 41/2 months post surgery.

I'd love to return to work, but I'm down 20 pounds, and weak as a kitten. I wonder how long it was for you to feel well enough to return to work part time, or full time?
Wayne

I can't answer your question, but I wanted to say I'm feeling the same as you. I finished treatment 3 mos. ago and still haven't gone back to work. I also lost alot of weight, and muscle. My job is a physical one, so I can't go back until I can perform the tasks. They also don't have part time, so I have to make sure I can make it 8hrs,(working shift work). The drs. tell me everyone's recovery is different. I do know I'm getting stronger everyday and have improved greatly in the last month. I'm hoping I'll know when I can do things around here without getting tired and having to rest, then I'll be ready for work. I'm anxious to go back to work, sometimes I think I just want life to seem "normal" again. Sorry if I didn't help, but I wish you the best in your recovery.

I lost over 60 lbs. and it took well over a year to get back to "normal". Normal recovery from RT is 6-7 months.

im 46 im 2mos post treatment chemo-rad but was on Erbitux study. I am 4 weeks back to work I am a painting foreman but still physical work. I had to exercise with small weights to even get my arm over my head (surgery side) I lost 45lbs now at 155# the first week was very hard I am lucky my company was behind me told me to ease into it worked 35 hrs first 3 weeks hit 40hrs this week the last hour is tough but it is good therapy mentaly and physicaly

One more thing that I think helped me was I helped my wife with a paper route for a month she took it for extra money while I was off It was alot of in and out the car but I got to stop and rest on the way to next stops so I was not on my feet very long at a time and was throwing with my weak arm my docs were quite suprised when I told them I wanted to go back to work but also said I was doing great I still have peg tube do about 1500 calories through it in am and bedtime

Hey, Brenth-welcome to OCF. Sounds like you are doing very well. If you decide you'd like to "semi retire" and fish, hunt and play some golf between painting jobs- come see us Amy

thanks for the welcome I am doing great I wish the best for everyone here. Where in Ark are you JAM Im from OK been in Wa for 19yrs

Brenth, we live in the "best kept secret" part of the Ozarks. A little place called Cherokee Village. 3 stoplights within 20 miles 1st good hospital 60 mi. away : Outdoor activities abound and the lifestyle is very laid back. We leave our keys in the car and never lock our house [well, we do have 3 guard dogs- one is deaf, one weighs maybe 15 lbs. and one is scared to death of everything] Come see us. Amy

Hi Wayne,
Back to your original question. There are indeed a lot of variables impacting on when you can resume your work. Say, what is your original job, the intensity of treatment you received, etc. I have been on medical leave for almost seven months before my doctor considered me 'fit' for my full time job. In fact, when I was just 2 to 3 months after treatment, the side effects were so frustrating that I thought I had to retire from my job.Things did change better slowly and gradually and when I returned to my job, I didn't believe that I could take up the whole load of original duties I used to have. I could, eventually and could perform even better than before. Here the colleagues's support and tolerance are important. I didn't work long because the escalating job stress made me sit back and think of early retirement. So after working for 3 whole years after treatment, I finally retired last September. Don't push yourself too hard; otherwise depression might set in ,just like what had happened to me. Be patient and you shouldn't be too far from your working life.

Karen

I returned to work sort of full time about 7 months after treatment. Even at that point I was still very weak and easily tireed (but at that point I was also only 2 months out from radiation treatment for breast cancer, which certainly lengthened my overall recovery). It wasn't until about a year out I really felt close to having a normal level of energy and even now, 1 year and 4 months out, my energy level is still not nearly what it was pre-cancer (but I was a really high energy person, often burning the candle at both ends, which probably wasn't so healthy anyway) though I think it's easily within the range of what I need to work full time.

Nelie