Back to work tongue cancer

Help me out fellow sufferers. I had tongue cancer surgery on 10 october (part of tongue removed and replaced with flap from forearm which in turn is repaired by a graft from stomach. Also had lymph nodes removed). Im due back at work on 3 December so about 7 weeks after op. Work are great and i can talk to occupational health about phased return but im not sure im ready at all. Still have some pain in my neck and jaw and having some emotional problems. I guess i just want to know how soon you returned to work. Thanks. 

  • Hello!

    I had different cancer to yours - mine was a bowel and had an operation in June this year - well i have to say that it all depends from your workplace... after surgery I was able to work from home so came back to work after 2 weeks after surgery (kinda needed that to keep my mental health on good level ;) )- what is more I still do work from home as after fully recovered from surgery I have started my 3 months chemi course which just finished two weeks ago - during this I had mixture of days off and days I could normaly work full time - but still not able to drive (I have 1 hr each way to my work) as my eyesight gine really bad so just waiting for appt with optician...

    so as you can see it all depends on how flexi is your workplace - don’t push yourself if you still not feeling like 100% fit to work then maybe try to do part time for a while  and then build timing up.

    wish you all the best!

    Mal