Today is my 3rd day back at work after an absence of 5 months due to sickness. Unfortunately I contracted Pneumonia back in June, spent a month in hospital due to complications which resulted in the need for lung surgery and it?s taken all this time to be fully recovered. It was very painful both physically and emotionally as I have 2 DSs under 4 and you?ll appreciate that I did not see them for more than once a week whilst in hospital and it was a good 2+ months before I was able to start caring for them adequately.
Anyway, my youngest who is 2yrs was poorly all over the weekend and against my better judgement I sent him to nursery on Monday so that I could ?show my face? at work. Needless to say the nursery called at 2pm to say he had a temp of 39.5 and I needed to collect him.
You can imagine my embarrassment at having to leave work only into my 2nd day back and then the guilt on seeing how ill my child is and how happy he was to see me. He cuddled me and whispered into my ear that he loved me.
Anyway took him to the GP blah, blah, blah but the upshot is that he is not going to be well enough to attend nursery for the remainder of this week at least.
Faced with being judged for not being in work after making an appearance I felt compelled to send my son to my MILs 40 miles away where he?ll be cared for so I can go to work?I am not going to see my baby now till the weekend and I am so upset at having to leave a sick child just be work conscientious.
DH said if I am so upset I should let my employer know that I have not taken the decision to be at work lightly, it sounded like a good idea but should I even bother?
i. I chose to have kids
ii. The law does allow that I stay home if they?re sick
iii. My employer has never given me any reason to think they are in any way displeased with me
iv. Would they really give stuff?
What do you think, should I outline an email and send it my line manager and HR?