It was hard to do...but

[Ceesun]

Hello Everyone and a Very Happy New Year to a terrific group of people. It was hard to do, but last week I informed my principal at school that I will continue to be off on sick time this coming 2nd semester. It was even more difficult as I ran into a few students and parents over the Christmas break who asked when I would be back...oh well...My principal, after about 8 seconds of silence on the phone, was and has been very understanding. It was hard to walk away from teaching, but as I have realized, I cannot keep up the home life, patient life, and work life. I have done both (or all) the last 3 years, but enough is enough. I feel pretty good about it, but a few "that a girls" may be needed xo Ceesun

[PinkGirl]

Atta Girl Ceese - wise move.
You will now have time for you and all the things you've
wanted to do but never had the time for.

I'm sure you will be very happy with your
decision once it sinks in. I'm happy for you.

273

[Jackie07]

"That a girl!" I envy you. You must have been a wonderful teacher. My principal just wrote me up over something. I am not even sure I will have my contract renewed next year. And I desperately need the renewal as I am still doing my internship. I entered the teacher training program while I was doing radiation after my first bc surgery and chemo. Then I substituted for a year before I got on an autism program. Next year I was in a life skills class. Both schools were located in another town 40-minutes away. This year I got a job in a shool 10 minutes away to be an inclusion teacher. And I had my second bc surgery and chemo just before school started. My husband hasn't been working since he had 2 stents put in his heart several years ago. He's been babysitting my Father-in-law who's had broken hips and visiting my Mother-in-law who's in the nursing home because of Alzheimer's.

I would have walked away if I could afford to. I had to quit the treatment of Herceptin at the beginning of December because of the MUGA result (51). But there seemed to be some rebound symptoms - dry blood in the nose and chapped lips. The oncologist scheduled another MUGA on Valentine's Day after I pressed for continuing the treatment.

So please enjoy your medical leave - as some of us do not have the luxury to walk away. :)

[Mary Jo]

Good for you Ceesun!!!! You thought about what was best for you and you did it. That a girl!!!http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif I think we women especially, find it hard to think of ourselves first sometimes BUT we have to take care of us FIRST so we can be of service to others.

I'm proud of you for doing what you knew you had to do...........................

Mary Jo
Romans 8:28

[jaybt]

Atta girl Ceesun! You've made a brave choice when it felt right for you. Sometimes the people we work with also support us emotionally too and that's hard to let go, so it's not always a simple and easy thing to do. However, I have been on sick leave and various other leave for a while now and it took me a while to recognise that its not only the body which needs recovery but the inner spirit as well. Enjoy your time out!

[chrisy]

ATTA GIRL, CEESUN

Both for giving it your all for the past 3 1/2 years, and for realizing that you could no longer do it all. And one GIANT atta girl for knowing which piece you had to let go. I know this was a hard decision for you - we identify ourselves so much with our work and it must be particularly so with teaching.

When I was at Miraval, we did an activity called "Equine experience" which I could write a whole post on, but my point is mentioning it here is that the facilitator Wyatt was talking about an annual weekend they have for cancer survivors and how the breast cancer survivors really have clarity about what is important. You are giving us all another example of this.

Good luck, and much love to you
Chris

[dhealey]

Ceesun, Way to go girl! You have made the best decision for you. I envy you. I have been trying the last l4 month to figure out who to walk away from my nursing job. To many changes and stress where I work and I fear the stress is going to get me. If I can just figure out another way to make money! I wish you the best of luck and improved health.

[Sheila]

Ceesun
Sometimes the choice is so hard, especially when its something you love, like teaching. I gave up my nursing career 4 years ago, it was very hard, but it was something I had to do for my own health....I wonder where the time goes, or how I actually had the time for a career....oh I miss the money....it was alot, a whole lot, but my life is more important than anything that money would have bought! Look forward to enjoying everything you never had time for!

[Faith in Him]

Good for you. I know it was a hard decision. Enjoy some well deserved time off to do what you want to do. I was a preschool teacher before my dx. I sure do miss the kids but I feel I can take better care of myself being at home.

I hope you find some fun ways to fill your days real soon.

Hugs
Tonya

[Joan M]

Ceesun,

I'm sure you thought long and hard about your decision. Enjoy your time off!

Joan

[Barbara2]

I, too, quit teaching after the cancer diagnosis. Maybe age is a factor that partly figures in to whether or not you can continue to work. I was 52 years old at the time, and had full intentions of going back. But little by little it became obvious that returning to work would not be in my best interest.

I loved teaching, but I know it stressed me out a lot, and I had additional stressors from my domineering/dependant mother who lives in the same town as I. So when cancer came along with the knock-out punch of chemo (!), I came to realize that, although much of my heart was in that school building, I should not return to work.

I have been an anxious person all my life and never slept well...maybe 3,4 or 5 hours a night, at best, especially during the school year. But since the arrival of cancer, I sleep much more. For the first year and a half I could thank Ativan for a good night's sleep, but I'm still sleeping 6-8 hours a night, for which I'm grateful.

If I was teaching again, I KNOW I would be back to not sleeping well because of how I handle the stresses of work, which definately is not in the best interest of cancer patients. I am never bored. There's always something that needs to be done, whether it be work or pleasure. I'm so very thankful that staying at home was an option.

So I'll chime in with the others! Good for you! You made a good choice...

[tousled1]

Atta Girl Ceesun! I don't know how you managed to keep up with all those things for so long. Time now to take the time just for yourself.

[Lolly]

Ceesun, you deserve a BIG HUG :) along with all the Atta Girl's~I know how hard that decision can be. Good for you to do what's best for you.

<3 Lolly