Many people don't realize how much their feelings of self-worth depend on their being active, productive and capable of taking care of themselves and others. Then an illness strikes and it soon sinks in just how important all that is. Of course, a job is pretty much essential for financial well-being. But it can also be essential for psychological well-being.
This is especially true when you have cancer. The loss of self-esteem that often follows a cancer diagnosis or treatment can be magnified by sitting around doing nothing while you depend on family and friends for personal care, financial assistance and help around the house. So it is vital to your peace of mind to find ways of returning to productive work in some capacity. It might mean getting back to your old job. It might mean learning a new skill, studying or even simply doing work around the house. ( See Deciding to Live .)
Keeping a Positive Attitude Admittedly, getting back to work can sometimes be a problem. You may be disabled in such a way that you can no longer do the same job you had before treatment. And, you may have to confront some discrimination in the job market or prejudice in the workplace.
It's unfortunate, but there is still some stigma attached to having cancer. Employers and co-workers may react out of a vague fear or uneasiness about cancer in the abstract. Co-workers can stay at arm's length either because they just don't know what to say or because they have the irrational and completely mistaken notion that they'll catch something terrible if they go near you. Employers might be afraid of decreased production or financial losses because of the time you might need to take off for treatment. ( See Survivorship .)
