[weezie1053]

My journey started with the surgery in Sept 06. I took 4 weeks off, and I returned to work. The entire time I keep up with what was going on in both my job and my company via emal. I started that bi-weekly chemo about 3 weeks later, and the third treatment kicked my butt and I ended up in the hospital due to low white and low red blood counts. Got over that episode, and I dove back to my job once again.

My company was very helpful; however, they were not very knowledgeable about our STD and LTD plans. They immediately assumed I would take the low road and go out on disability. A young gal in the HR department even told me I would have to pay the COBRA since I was unable to work full time. I contacted the broker who sold our company the disability plans, and she actually sent me their contract with out compnay. I discovered that provisions were made in the plan which allowed me to work and be on LTD. I had to be out 20% of the month to be eligible. By this time, I had exhausted my sick and vacation leave, so I was welcoming this plan. I would plan my chemo on Friday, which was my 20% for the week. I would often return to work on Monday and start all over again. I will admit as I got closer to the end of the treatment, I did more than satisfy my 20%. I also tracked my time worked at home. I never missed completing our most detailed monthly financial report. I also had a HR gals tell me I would have to pay COBRA for my time not worked. I again referred to
the Broker's policy with my company. I fought that battle and won.

I often wonder if God decides to challenge me again with a recurrence would I take the high road or the low road. I think we all know that although we stronger mentally for having gone through our journeys, we do have more physicial limitations.

I also think it depends on age at diagnois. At 52, I was in great shape. At 54, I suffer with fatigue, recurrence of asthma, etc. I am not complaining, because I am still getting plenty of hugs and kisses from my grandson who is my candle who helped to guide me out of the complexities of BC.

Hang in there...it will get better. Be your own adversary insofar as your benefits. Get copies of their handbooks with their brokers. HR not uses me as an example as if I am a bionic woman. It is not that, but because they did not fully understand their own disability plans and its provisions, I had to be become my own advocate and use the past expereinces of others like ourselves.

Louise