Appointments and work

[lapenguin]

My ds has had a few hospital appointments, a couple have fallen on my days off and the ones that haven't aren't too bad as I work at the hospital. However next week he has to have a barium meal at a larger hospital. I got the letter last Friday afternoon after work (I work in clinics so it's closed over the weekend) and told my manager Monday morning. I have been told I can't have it off as any sort of leave (annual or unpaid). The consultant ordered the barium as a sort of urgent matter and we are due to see them again (and hopefully surgeons) in a few weeks.
I don't know what to do 😔 my partner works nights and has had booked that night off as he knows he won't be able to sleep before shift, but he will be coming off a night to go to the appointment. DS is an active handful so it will take two of us to distract him, persuade him to drink the barium shake and keep still for the xrays. He's a real mummy's boy so I know it will be easier with me than without.
The problem with rebooking is we would then have to rebook the consultant appointment that I already have off and we have to give two months notice for annual leave days usually, about four months with summer (we've been told no holiday time available until September)
I suppose this was more of a vent but any advice is appreciated.

Sympathies sounds stressful. I'd say send DH alone and if it has to be rebooked because ds won't cooperate at least you had a bash. He might surprise you, nurses can be v persuasive.

Thanks! Im going to try and see if I can persuade a half day at least as today it looked they could spare someone for the morning but the afternoon they can't, but I suppose it will be my only option otherwise. This work family life balancing is hard!

Really surprised your manager isn't allowing you this off. What would they do if you were sick or if you had a bereavement? Attending a child's hospital appointment is up there as an important life event that annual leave was designed for. If you work in the public sector do you not get paid emergency leave or does it not count as emergency?

At least your OH can make it so try not to worry too much. DS (the child who literally can't stay still to the count of 5, we've tested him!) had a chest x-ray a couple of years ago so he'd have been only 3 and he was surprisingly good for the nurses, they are experts at getting children to do what needs to be done.

Sadly it doesn't count as an emergency :/
That was my argument, they would manage because we have done and with a lot less staff!
A colleague gave them over a months notice for an appointment and they still weren't going to allow it. Its that time of year where if you didn't book it off at the start of the year then you aren't getting it because everyone else has already booked it. Though annoyingly there is only one person booked off next week so it is a pretty fully staffed week and I still can't take a day off!

Hopefully he will be good as gold for the nurses, he was for a previous xray, I suppose its the fact he has to be starved for 6 hours previously and be given a strange drink and have to lay still while they take multiple xrays, the whole thing last about 20 minutes, I feel bad for a poor tired OH 🙈 I suppose there is always something to worry about as a mum!