Hi, I was diagnosed three years ago with bowel cancer when I was 32. a couple of weeks ago in a routine scan they saw a tiny blip on my liver and a shadow on my ovary. I had a pet scan and the ovary didn't flush up as cancer, but they also say a tiny deposit on my abdomen lining which also didn't flush up as cancer, and they said would be consistent with endometreosis. I went to see a surgeon about the liver thing, and he said he had confered with colleagues and they were going in for an aggressive approach to get on top of this thing. They'd remove a different tiny spot off my liver 6 months ago and he said he just wanted to go in hard so that they can really get on top of this. Now they're talking about removing the ovary (its my one left, the right side one was removed three years ago as original cancer had spread there) which means menopause. they';; also deal with the liver and now they're also saying that there a small possibility if they have to remove any bowel then I'll be left with a stoma. After all of this they'll do the HIPEC on me, flushing the whole abdomen with hot chemotherapy. Ive spent all week trying to get my head around this. It all seems so drastic. The surgeon said that they're going in hard to cure of me this, and if its what i have to do then I obviously will. But how did I get here? Now I'm looking at filling my body with chemo, loosing an ovary, menopause, possible stoma… Has anyone else been here or can give me some advice on this? ... View more

Hi everyone. To sum my situation up in a nutshell, three years ago I was diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer. Everything was resected and I've been totally clear. Last July, they found a tiny little blip on my liver which they said they thought had been there all along (it was picked up on a PET scan, I'd never had one before, only CT scans) They just went in there and whipped it out. I was back at work three weeks later. My oncologist said I could do some optional chemo-lite (as I called it) just to clean up an cells left behind. Its entirely optional seeing as we weren't actually treating anything, I was all clear again and every looks good. I decided to do the 6 month fortnightly treatments just to be sure. Yesterday, I was offered what can only be described as my dream job, the kind of job I've been working towards all my life. The issue is, that by the time I've some my notice period, I'd have two cycles of chemo remaining. For the chemo I have it every second Monday, which I take off (I find it makes me sleepy) and then I work for the Tuesday and the wednesday morning I go in early to the hospital, have the bottle taken off and go into work and get on with my week. I'm scared to tell my new employer whats going on. Someone said I'm not obliged to tell them anything just say to them that I have two mondays in March booked off already and thats that. It feels like lying to me. I don't know whether just to be upfront with them and give them this "3 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. On the advice of my treating oncologist, I'm having a booster shot of chemo just to keep things down. I have two cycles left before I finish. After I finsh that should be it for me and its business as usual" I don't want to turn this dream job down. I've worked so damn hard to get where I am, and I've had such a tough three years coping with everything, I need change in my life. I want to move on so desperately and start a new chapter in my life, filled with excitement, passion, creativity and newness. If anyone can give me any advice on how to handle this situation I'd so very much appreciate it. thank you, Rachel ... View more

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone could give me some tips on how to handle this situation. I am currently undergoing chemotherapy but I still work full time with a full timers work load. I have one day off a fortnight to go to chemo, and Im no more than an hour late into the office on a wednesday when chemo is taken off of me two days later. Other than that, thats pretty much it, Im on top of my work and I do not miss deadlines, I still get to work even though i feel like crap. No one says anything and sometimes it annoys me when someone with a cold gets tons of attention and yet I'm sitting there with chemo strapped to me and no one has a word to say or even ask me how Im doing. But thats not my issue. Last week I got into a massive row with my boss, who had told me she forbade me to go to hospital for an appointment. She told me my work had to come first. My appointment was to to attend my regular session at Oncology Mental Health. Im struggling with chemo, I hate it so so so much, and we're working on coping strategies. I don't see this monthly appointment as too much to ask. In the end I had to raise it with HR who told my boss she's not allowed to stop me from going to hospital. I was very upset about the whole incident. Im going tbgrough chemotherapy, as if thats not enough shit in my life. Tonight my uber-professional sister i law told me she thought me asking to be late to the office 2 hours a month for Psych appointments was "pushing my luck" and they could "easily fire you over it" I cannot deal with all this right now. I have enough on my plate. Can anyone help me with my rights at work, or even any tips with doing treatment and working at the same time? Thanks, Rachel ... View more