Personal Serious Topic: What to Do When You Get Sick?

[Optimist78]

Morning All,

I started selling PC in October of this year. Been doing well so far, and enjoying the experience. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on Thursday of last week. I'm having my thyroid and neck lymph nodes removed on Jan 3rd.

The prognosis is good. I'm trying to maintain a good attitude and my sense of humor. I'm finding myself feeling a bit overwhelmed, in that I have a number of shows lined up for Jan/Feb/March. No dates set or invites sent out (whew!), but friends that wanted to book after the holidays. They'll understand I am sure, but I'm concerned about the affect on my PC status. (Among about 1,000 other things I'm concerned about right now...)

Does HO take into account serious illness when it comes to maintaining consultant status? Will they be flexible? I may be able to do shows after my surgery and before radiation starts, but I don't know what my energy level is going to be like. Also, after 8 hours of surgery, I'm not going to look "pretty" in a presentability sense for who knows how long. I certainly don't want to gross any customers out from the bruising and scars I'll have...

I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should plan anything for January. Does anyone out there have any thoughts. I'd appreciate any positive and sensible feedback I can get.

Thanks everyone, and happy holidays,

~Optimist (more than ever now!)

 

[Sheila]

You can request a 2 month waiver (review the policy guide for full details) or talk with your hosts and let them know what's going on. You can ask them if they would like to reschedule for later in the year, sign as a consultant & let their show be their first or switch over & do a catalog show in lieu of a cooking show. I had several opt for catalog shows while I was out on maternity leave recovering from a c-section. They knew I couldn't come to them, so they opted for the catalog show to help me stay active. I didn't know back then to try & recruit them! LOL You'll be amazed at what people will volunteer to do to help you while you are unable to go to them.

Good luck on your procedure and your recovery. I hope it goes well for you.

 

[otisbg]

Please know that you have a very good prognosis. My son-in-law was diagnosed with the very same type of thyroid cancer - 10 years ago - 5 months after they got married. He had the thyroidectomy and the radioactive iodine treatments and was back at work within 3-4 weeks. They were advised that he may become sterile from the treatment but they decided to let God take care of that. I am happy to report that I am the very proud Grandma of 3 healthy beautiful grandchildren. He just went for his 10year check-up in November and has remained cancer free. Sure he has to be on thryoid replacement meds the rest of his life, but so do 80% of the population - me included- due to hyporthyroidism.
You are in my prayers for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Set up a book show for January and have someone go with you to your other shows. You wil be fine.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I think you might be surprised to learn just how supportive people can be when it comes to being a survivor. And welcome to our club.

 

[dannyzmom]

Hang in there - we're all praying for your swift recovery!!

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

I have been a Consultant for 13 1/2 years now, believe it or not, and gone thru several surgeries myself, including one last Thursday! Anyway, here's what I have found to work for doing PC and having/recovering from operations, some of them, such as this one, quite serious....
Do a show the month before, but don't submit it until you are into the first of the month you're having surgery in. Then, submit the show on the first of the month. It will maintain your status for the rest of the month of the procedure, and you can then feel more relaxed, which is crucial for a speedy recovery, knowing you're covered for at least the rest of the month.
The month after surgery, do a show, even if it's a catalog show, so you can submit something. If this doesn't work, it's still OK. You can not submit this month, as you're still covered from submitting the last month.
The 2nd month after surgery, it will then be necessary to submit a show, but by now you should be at least 6-8 weeks post-surgical, so it shouldn't be that hard to do. If you're limited in lifting, just tell the host, and I guarantee she/he will be fine with helping you load/unload your stuff.
Make sense?
It has always worked for me, which is why I decided to write.
When I became a Consultant, I had to have a colon resection, where they removed a foot of my colon, in my second month! I was in the hospital for 6 days...quite a party! Anyway, I did no shows my second month, then did a catalog show my third, plus a show for a neighbor who helped me load/unload the car, five weeks after the procedure, and everything was fine!
I just had an abdominal hysterectomy, with multiple complications. Surgery was five hours long, with two surgeons. I had to have 2 units of blood, plus treatment for prevention of impending pneumonia...it's probably about the sickest I've ever been. Hospitalized for 6 days. Again! Anyway, I had already submitted a show in December. I have shows for January, but not until halfway thru the month, so I anticipate being OK by then.
Hope this helps!! Best of luck to you!!

 

[Optimist78]

Hi All,Thank you to all who posted! It helped reveal the light at the end of the tunnel and a strategy moving forward. I have a few friends that I think could pull off a catalog show with flying colors - I just feel bad that I'm taking away a cooking show from them... They'd get so much more, ya know?I need to get ready for work now, so I'll try to post more later. Know that all the knowledge you've shared and well wishes you've sent are helping me sort this piece of the puzzle out. Thanks so much!!!~Optimist

 

[Sheila]

If they are brave, have them come pick up the tools and actually do an interactive cooking show where all the guests get up and help. If they are good friends, they will probably enjoy the challenge and the opportunity to help you. They could always call with specific questions. I'm betting that the guests will be super understanding and have lots of fun selling the various products to one another and/or trying to figure it all out! Is your recruiter or upline near by? If so, maybe one of them would volunteer to go and explain that it's your show and why they are filling in.

 

[jzramom]

Ask the ones doing catalog shows to rebook themselves w/in the 6 mos for the "live" show and they will qualify for 2 host specials at the second one. One as host, and one as the past host.