How Having Cancer is Like a Full-Time Job

Let me first start off by saying that many, many, many people diagnosed with cancer do continue to work full- and part-time jobs in addition to managing their cancer. This can be by choice, but in most cases I would guess, it is by necessity. I will be the first to tell you that I have no idea how they do it and I wish that everyone facing cancer treatment had the liberty...as I have had...to stop working and focus on getting well. Reality isn't that kind or generous sometimes though and my heart goes out to those individuals who have to juggle both work and a life-altering diagnosis. Especially those that juggle work, family (kids) and cancer. I just cannot even comprehend.

Anyway...I was thinking the other day how much managing my cancer and all the other "stuff" that comes with it is kind of like having a full-time job. Here is what made me think that:

1. Rolodex--I realized while filling out paperwork for yet another doctor (a pain management specialist), that I really needed a rolodex to keep all my doctor's business cards and contact information. I have a gadzillion cards floating around with hand-scribbled alternate phone numbers and email addresses and I haven't really figured out a method for storing these things.... other than letting them "float around". I do have an iPhone...I bet there is an app for that.
2. Expense Reporting--My husband and I decided that it would be a good idea for 2012 to keep meticulous records of how much money we (and the insurance company) are spending toward my medical care. I am one of those people who gets a "stiffy" at the thought of creating a spreadsheet (ask any of my former coworkers), so this plan had me salivating at the laptop. Stick me in a room with some data, a computer, and the Microsoft Excel program and then just slap a happy face sticker on my forehead. I am on cloud 9. To up the enjoyment factor for me...ask me to give a power point presentation, with graphs, on my findings. To be sure...this spreadsheet is pretty elaborate and keeping it updated is quite tedious, but it is this kind of painstaking detailed work that I have always thrived on. For the record...some interesting facts from my spreadsheet...this year to date, we have logged over $100 in parking fees for doctor's visits, treatments and procedures.  I have visited my oncology office 27 times (racking up over $92,000 in charges (that's before insurance adjustments and payments...don't worry my portion is totally tiny compared to the total charge...but imagine if you had no insurance!!));  have had and/or tried 14 different types of prescription medications (no wonder they know me by name at the pharmacy); and have had 4 blood transfusions, 2 CT scans and 6 therapy sessions with a mental health counselor. All in the first quarter of 2012! I love my little spreadsheet of information.
3. Time management--An obvious one...even though I am not in a real job right now, I still sometimes have a pretty full "meeting" schedule. In fact, I don't think I have ever consulted my calendar as much as I do now. It's like having a traveling job...OK, where do I need to be today? What time of day is it? What are the traffic and weather conditions? If I am having some sort of procedure, transfusion or treatment, I sometimes need to make sure I have someone to drive me. My husband can help with this sometimes, but other times, I need to rely on someone coming from out of town, so that means preparing the house for guests in advance of an appointment. You have to be organized, I tell you.
4. The pills--Another realm of time management that I have recently discovered is managing all these pills. I have my regular pills, my chemo pill, my pain pills and my constipation pills. Oh and vitamins...my vitamin pills. I found out recently that when it comes to pain pills (which you really don't want to take too often), I am not so good at remembering when I took the last dose. So, I had to start a little notebook to keep track. I visited with a pain management specialist today, who basically said that if I am taking pills as often as I have been then well...my pain is not being "managed" (LOL)...so hopefully on his plan, I can get back to leading a somewhat normal life where I am not popping a pill every few hours. Ha. When's my next hit, man...
5. The Paperwork--I have so many papers, I really don't know what to do with it all. The bills, the EOBs, the Flexible Spending Account statements, the lab reports, the pathology reports, the receipts....it goes on and on like the theme song from Titanic. I do have an accordion-type file thing for filing my papers, but even that doesn't seem to be able to contain and control the forest of trees I am collecting on the floor of the study. Then, there are the papers I have to fill out and submit to the insurance company or the Flexible Spending Account people or the doctors. The Boss (aka My Husband) has been getting on my case about these lately. He is not a fan of unfinished business and I have a lot of unfinished business piling up at the foot of his desk recently. :oD <--sheepish grin
6. Networking--I am realizing that just as in my professional life, of which I currently have none, it's good to "know" people. My oncologist is friends with The Doctor at Hopkins. Without that relationship, I doubt that I would have gotten as thorough care as I have gotten and I doubt that I would have gotten in to meet with The Doctor so quickly. Likewise, I can thank my Primary Care Physician for getting me referred to my awesome oncologist. I know there have been other connections in this journey that have helped me and that there will likely be more. Anywhere in life, it's good to "know people".
7. Coworkers--In pretty much all of the jobs I have had in the past, no matter how many spreadsheets I was able to joyfully create, it was my coworkers who really made the job worth it. It was my coworkers who made me want to get out of bed each day and come to work. I kind of feel like all of you...my friends and family and medical team are my coworkers for this job. You send me notes and gifts to make me laugh and smile. You drive me to treatments. You research and google things for me so that I stay away from the bad stuff. In essence, you make me want to keep working and getting better. Not just for me. For all of you too. So, thank you! Thank you for giving me a reason to keep going to work everyday!

Love to you all, Vashni