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Re: Crossroads
Hi,
I have been reading your posts, and you are very much on my mind. I am also stage 4 and have always continued to work in a school. I taught 3th grade for many years, but moved to 5th three years ago. We are departmentalized so I currently teach 75 students. In addition, I share my room with aftercare after school. I worked full time through AC +T in 98, and only took off a month when progressed to state 4 in 2004 and had to have brain surgery. I had two brain surgeries after that and returned after one week after the last one. I would not recommend that, but at the time I did not want to be away from my class.
As you can understand I have certainly been exposed to illness through teaching, but I sill have a better immunity than the new teachers who have have not been exposed to the number of students that I have. My oncologist does not think I should retire, and I will turn 64 in April. However, I will probably retire in the next 2 to 3 years because as you know your working life does not end after school when you are a teacher.
I am currently on Herceptin and Tykerb. Before that I was on the Phase 1 T-DM1 trial from 07 to 09. You can read my prior posts.
Having said that, retirement is a very personal decision, and only you can know what your body can handle. You might consider asking if they will allow you to wait until fall to come back, and give them the reasons you have posted here.
There are new treatments that will be available for HER2, and I feel you should still keep hope alive that you will be around for a long time. I can understand that you are exhausted from what you have just experienced. My heart goes out to you, and I am sure that with careful thought you will make the right decision for you and your family.
Best,
Barbara H.
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