Delayed Breast Cancer Diagnosis at 63: Dealing with the Aftermath

I am 67 years old and my tumors (2) were found accidentally during an MRI fos a other condition. I was diagnosed on 1/16/2025. I had a lumpectomy on 3/20/2025. I am also an independent contractor working from home. I went back to work 4 days after surgery and am not sure if that was a good idea. I have a drain as 12 lymph nodes were removed. After a week, the drain was not removed because of increased output from drain. I'm wondering if my return to work is contributing to that. My Dr said no.

I am 67 years old and my tumors (2) were found accidentally during an MRI fos a other condition. I was diagnosed on 1/16/2025. I had a lumpectomy on 3/20/2025. I am also an independent contractor working from home. I went back to work 4 days after surgery and am not sure if that was a good idea. I have a drain as 12 lymph nodes were removed. After a week, the drain was not removed because of increased output from drain. I'm wondering if my return to work is contributing to that. My Dr said no.

@Robin, sorry to hear that. I was told not to return bcuz of working with Artistic children. Told my Dr, I couldn't afford to be out. And that I was stressing about my bills. They helped me out, there's a funding for women with Cancer.

I believe that was a contributing factor on your behalf. Too soon

These drains sound miserable to me.

What you've experienced with delayed diagnosis is unfortunately more common than it should be, and the financial stress of being an independent contractor during treatment adds another challenging layer to an already difficult situation. Many people in this community have faced similar struggles with both the physical recovery process and the financial impact of not being able to work at full capacity. Consider reaching out to local cancer support organizations, as many offer financial assistance programs or resources for people in situations like yours during treatment and recovery.