Member blog
Almost there...
Hi All
I can't believe its been two weeks since I last posted! Goes to show you how busy life can get....
Countdown has begun....
The countdown has begun....two weeks from now I go in to have the left breast removed (right breast was removed in Dec 2010). Each time I see a doctor the news gets more dire. One specialist said that in women under 50 who get breast cancer, usually the cancer is aggressive. This was his way of explaining why when I had my check up in Nov 2010 there was no evidence of cysts or otherwise and yet less than 2 months later, 13 cysts have shown up with 3 looking suspicious. No small comfort....
Officially "retired" - sort of
I wanted to let those who have sent a response to my partial invalidity retirement posts know that Comsuper finally came through with the approval for partial retirement ( I can still work 8 hours a week - four hours across 2 days) for me.
Fight for yourself -if you don't, no one else will
So the breast cancer battle rages on....and I'm gearing up for round two.
The "Down" Side of Cancer
I had a bad weekend last week. I've been undergoing the process of partial invalidity retirement through work because of the fall out of my breast cancer diagnosis last year. I ended up with a thyroid that doesn't work, high blood pressure that is hard to control, underwent sudden menopause, osteoporosis due the hormone treatment, and on top of all that - depression.
Reminders
I found out this week that a dear friend (I've known since my high school days) has been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and needs to have a bilateral mastectomy with chemo starting straight away (it's gone into her blood stream). My heart hurt for her so much - she's 10,000 miles away and the only way I can show support is to telephone her and email her. She's had lots of question - things she's either too afraid to ask the doctors about or can't ask anyone else because they haven't gone through this process.
Work Wise...
I started the process of applying for partial invalidity through my superannuation fund today. Before breast cancer, I worked full time in a high profile government agency as a senior HR manager. It took a lot of energy and time to complete my university degree so that I could make the leap into higher level management.
Rose Coloured Glasses
Someone told me today that one of the things they love about me is my positive attitude towards life. Not that there's been a whole lot lately to be positive about. Still, I try to find something to smile about each day. I asked this friend if that was a bad thing as I am aware that I think some things are better than they actually are. She said to me "your rose coloured glasses are beautiful." A true friend:)
