CLL and employment

July 1, 2011

I am a newly diagnosed CLL patient working in the UK.

Currently well (W & W).

How will this affect me seeking employment in the US? I am

a nurse practitioner. Will this diagnosis steer potential

employers away from me?

Thanks

July 1, 2011

I am a nurse practitioner and I was dx with CLL in Jan. 2005

at the age of 45. I was at school at that time finishing my

Master's and I almost quit school because I was worried

about my longevity, risk for infections, etc. I went to MDA

for my first appt. in Feb. of 2005 and was put on W & W. I saw

Dr. O'Brien who told me to " go home and live your life. " I

was worried if I quit school I might be here many years

without treatment and always live with regrets for what I

might have done and so I finished.

Graduated from school with my Masters and took the exam for

FNP in fall of 2008 and have been working ever since in a

correctional setting. I did not exactly tell my employers as

part of my interview or application process. When my counts

started to rise and my oncologist suggested I would have to

have treatment in the next year or so I asked at work about

my ability to wear a mask if needed to see individuals with

infectious issues and this was Ok'd.

I had treatment Nov. 2010 thru Jan. 2011, (4 cycles of FCR),

and achieved a complete remission. During my treatment I

worked 3 weeks of every month and was off the week of my

chemo. I had FCR on day one, then FC on day 2 and 3 followed

by Neulasta on day 4. I then rested days 5-7 and was able to

go back the next Monday. I had my nursing staff to notify me

in advance of any febrile patients and wore a mask to see

them and also avoided seeing any known active TB patients

during that time. Of course I also used universal

precautions for any blood or body fluid risks.I have had no

infections as of yet and am doing great.

Pierson RN, FNP-C

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