Since April, work really ramped up in intensity. At my 12-year annual review, I was offered overtime for the first time working at this company for this high visibility project. There was also a bonus offered if I completed all the designs by July 1. Knowing the mechanical designer for so long, I knew he was going to keep changing things past the deadline and there was no way to make that deadline for all the designs they wanted. Plus the new engineer keeps changing things, too, seems he's in no hurry either. Whew, my blood pressure shot through the stratosphere. I guess they weren't offered bonuses, just overtime. I got to take home my old computer (still has everything I need on it) after I updated everything.
Having missed the deadline, 8am after the long weekend, I get a call to head to the hospital to take tests. Then surgery is scheduled for Thursday. My friend helped me out with the ride to/from. While she was on her way, I called out at work. I only told them I was on my way to hospital that I might have surgery that day but I was told I can go back to work on Monday. I'll be going on dialysis in less than a month. I still have a little function in my kidneys so the hope is dialysis will allow the kidneys to recover a little.
So the boss asks me what happened. He asks in the middle of the hallway! I asked to meet with him and HR (his wife) together. Then I drop the news..."kidney failure happened. I'll be starting dialysis soon." Jaws dropped. I forgot to remind them about HIPPA. But I continued, "so this is considered a disability." Now they can't just fire me when I can't meet full time hours, 40/week. "As such, I need some accommodations. Right now that is in the form of time, starting with 2 weeks of dialysis training." They promised their full support. When the old engineer died, he was the last in management with any integrity. I haven't told them that kidney doctor wants me to take 3 months off work while I adjust to the new routine. They'll need to replace me to get anything done. But now, because I have the work computer, I have capacity to work from home. Work is work whether in the office or from home. We'll just have to see how that plays out.
