Category Archives: breast cancer

In sickness and in health

People tend to stay with Ericsson for many years, some for their entire careers – which can make it a little weird to be a newbie around here. There’s a lot I still don’t know about this huge, complex, historic company, and I really didn’t know what to expect when … well, let me tell this story in some kind of order.

I started with Ericsson in June, 2014, in a business unit (Cloud & IP) that was only just being formed. I was immediately thrown into the thick of things, and was loving my job: exciting challenges, great colleagues, lots of travel… In fact, I was in Paris at a tech conference in early November when I got my breast cancer diagnosis.
Being told that you have cancer is very, very scary. Wondering whether your job may be at risk because of your illness makes it all the more frightening. I knew that I had great benefits at Ericsson, including very good health insurance. I also knew that the state of California, where I live and work, has a law protecting employees and their jobs in case of catastrophic illness (your own or a family member’s) – but that law applies only after you’ve been in a job for a year, and I had been an employee for less than six months.

Continue reading In sickness and in health

Treatment Roundup: August & September

Aug 1 – 7 weeks post chemo, Saturday after Rad 15

Maybe the sinus infection is going and that fatigue is ramping down – I was feeling more alert and energetic last night. This morning somewhat more tired – maybe the radiation fatigue is ramping up? Gah. I have work to do!

Aug 3 – 7 weeks post chemo, Rad 16

Monday morning: A few twinges in the surgery site, occasionally feels as if someone is running a hot wire in there.

Continue reading Treatment Roundup: August & September

Treatment Roundup: July

July 1 – Chemo 16.21

We went to Monterey for two nights to give me a change of scene before radiation starts. Did a lot of walking yesterday (over 10k steps), which left me tired and sore.

Continue reading Treatment Roundup: July

One Month Post-Chemo

I had my last chemo infusion on June 11th. Side effects I’m still having:

Eyes watering, especially when I first wake up. This is starting to abate: I no longer have tears streaming down my face every second I’m outdoors. Some women on breastcancer.org have reported that this clears up about 6 weeks after the end of chemo. Apparently it has nothing to do with having no eyelashes.

Weight. I weighed 145 pounds when I started chemo, weigh 143 at the moment. Lowest it got was 138, in April. At the worst of the chemo, I was eating less food by volume (smaller meals), but more calories, because fatty foods were the only ones that still tasted ok. Continue reading One Month Post-Chemo