Sharon Parker worked during most of her treatment, mainly because she felt well enough most days. Steve Shea closed down his law practice, too exhausted to continue. Bruce Wallace enacted his long-term disability policy when it appeared he would need additional surgery.
These M. D. Anderson patients resolved their work situations based on their own sets of circumstances. The reaction from co-workers and bosses varied, just as their physical capabilities did. They share their experiences here.
Employee mixes business with chemotherapy
Parker worked during most of her chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in October 2001.
Peppermint and breathing techniques helped diminish the nausea, which was minimal. To offset fatigue, she took breaks and napped during lunch.
"My husband who was retired brought me back and forth to work every day, so I could rest then," says Parker, a senior administrative assistant at M. D. Anderson's Place ... of wellness. "My supervisor was well-educated about the cancer journey and very understanding. I felt support and concern for me and my well-being from every person in our department."
Parker scheduled treatments at the end of the workday, whenever possible. Several times, she even met with others, including her supervisor, while she was receiving intravenous chemotherapy infusions in an M. D. Anderson chemotherapy chair unit.
"It was my choice," Parker says. "We laugh about those meetings now, but I felt well enough and focusing on work helped me to move on and not be so consumed with cancer treatment."
Attorney closes firm to reduce stress
Unlike Parker, Shea was too exhausted to work, especially once he was diagnosed with stage IV renal cell carcinoma, an advanced kidney cancer that had spread to his lungs. The debilitating symptoms began the year before.
"I knew something was wrong because I was tired all the time, and I was losing a lot of weight," he says. "It affected my ability to work. I had to take a reduced caseload. I would go in to work at 9 a.m., and by noon I had to go home."
Told he had little more than a year and a half to live, Shea shut down his law practice and changed his lifestyle to eliminate stress. That was four years ago.
"I always found it stressful practicing law," he says. "And I never really liked it that much."
Tumors remain in his body but have not grown in several years. Remarried to a holistic health care practitioner, Shea lives 90 miles south of Baton Rouge, La.
Director takes disability and full insurance benefits
Wallace was director of an association of Indiana cities when he was diagnosed in 1999 with a rare form of kidney cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs.
After surgery to remove the cancerous kidney, it appeared he would need additional surgery to remove tumors in his lung.
"The board president employed another doctor to get his own opinion on my prognosis," Wallace says. "I think he told him I wouldn't be around very long."
At the very least, it appeared his treatment would continue for some time.
"The board president asked me to move to disability status to allow someone to take my place temporarily until this all got resolved," says Wallace, who built the organization from the ground up. "I agreed. I understand where they were. We had a job to do, and they had to have people in there to do it. Clearly there was no way for me to do the job."
Seeing both sides of issue sometimes a challenge
Even though he wasn't well enough to continue working, it was a blow. "Nobody did anything out of meanness or lack of consideration. I'm sure it was a wrenching decision - probably harder for them than me. But the process you go through when you become someone perceived to be dying of cancer - boy, does it change everything, and I don't know if there's a way around that."
Wallace took disability status and was able to trade a year's worth of sick and vacation leave compensation for full health insurance until he turned 65. As he approached 65, Wallace asked if the association would continue to pay his health insurance for a while longer. To his surprise, they said they would pay his premiums for the rest of his life.
"That's the type of thing that brings you to tears," Wallace says. "Half the people on the board were new, and I didn't even know them."
Now retired, Wallace lives comfortably on Social Security and his retirement income - with full health benefits. He recently worked on a month-long project for his old company and had fun doing it.
Tumors remain in his left lung, but a new medication has decreased their size. Wallace is being closely monitored to see if more surgery is needed. Until then he is enjoying his life, loved ones and retirement.
