I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer back in Sept. 07. My team of doctors told me they were going to work to save my life. What a slap in the face that was! In Dec. 2007, I completed 14 months of aggressive chemo, surgery, more chemo, radiation, more surgery, and now am as cancer-free as can be hoped for. Yay! I have taken Femara, Tamoxifen, Arimidex, and Aromasin - all with side effects bad enough to go back to the one that had the least side effects - Arimidex. Why am I writing? After nearly two years, I am still having chemo-brain as well as various other side effects of my treatments and aromatase inhibitor meds. How on earth can I make my employer understand that I am just not the same person I was before cancer? I worked while undergoing all my treatments and stupidly didn't take off time to let my body even try to recover. So, now with neuropathy (I also have type 1 diabetes) in my hands, arms, and feet (I take Lyrica to help manage this), as well as chemo-brain & forgetfulness, I admit, I am NOT the "perfect assistant" I was before cancer. We've talked a few times and it always goes to the same thing: I am not the same assistant I was before because I have too many interruptions. Of course I do: I have to see my oncologist every other month, which I always schedule as her last appointment; I have to get up and walk around during the day because of stiff joints, and recently I had to have a brain MRI because my doc thought maybe there was something bad going on (there wasn't). And he wonders why I may be preoccupied? My boss thinks that everything is hunky-dory now that I don't have surgeries scheduled, treatments every week or radiation every day - everything should go back to my pre-cancer days. He even says "I remember when you could do this or that and you don't now." The bad part is, I know I can't be as "full-on, work like a madwoman" like I used to nor do I want to. I need to take care of myself physically and every other way I can. You know, I wouldn't wish any kind of cancer on anyone but I would like him to try to step into my shoes and see what it's like before, during, and after. Any recommendations that could help me deal with this?