no, it's not good news as in "in your second trimester". it's bad news. or, more accurately, potentially bad news. i've been off work with a horrible case of the flu, but now have a new heart murmur and some "suspicious nodules" that need to be biopsied. so, i'm scheduled for biopsies and tests on my days off, and i'm still spewing green snot and coughing up if not a lung, at least a lobule or two every now and again. i've used up as much sick time as i can without going into fmla, and i'm afraid to do that now because i might need it more later, so i'll drag myself to work this weekend.
i guess i'm asking for two things. first, some virtual hugs from my friends here on allnurses -- assuming of course that my tendency toward blunt honesty doesn't mean i have no friends.
and second, what do i tell my boss and when? do i just tell her "i've had a bad case of the flu" and leave it at that unless or until either the cardiac work-up or the biopsies yield a real, fmla-inducing diagnosis? or do i prepare her for the idea that i'm possibly really sick and not only won't be able to do all the extras i'm currently doing for her, but won't be able to come to work at all?
wow! i was quoted on a nurse desk calendar? what was it that i said? i didn't know and no, no residuals!
ruby - i wish i could remember! it was a couple of years ago...i do remember it was one of your classic, no bs, common sense bits of advice. i remember thinking it was like seeing a familiar face.... ah, funny how we connect as on-line friends!
Don't tell your boss anything unless you will be needing to not be at work - wait till you know for sure. No need to bring in the vultures with all their questions and doubt. Times like these are when you may find that you are not such good pals with your boss. IMHO, I'd rather not find that out, I just keep personal things as quiet as possible.
Best if you end up finding you need to be gone for a while, that you figure out a time when you will return, and present it that way if possible. That way, you stop that "do we need someone to replace her" stuff off of the table, and they can plan.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
*snuggles ruby*
*hands over the tessalon, real pseudofed and a tumbler of the good bourbon*
no advice sweety, but i do hope you feel better soon.
*removes ppe and backs away*
you need ppe to get near me -- i've infected my husband and possibly the dog with the fluorescent green snot virus. as far as the other . . . work-up starts next week.
I was in a similar uncertain situation a few years ago. Except in my case, I'd been chronically ill for years before I became a nurse (brain tumor as a teenager and all the long lasting effects that come with it) and my boss knew my history. When I had an MRI that revealed a possible increase in the size of the abnormal area and it was unclear whether it was tumor recurrence or the evolution of post-operative scar tissue that had been missed on previous scans, I went with my gut and told my boss. I had been at my job for just over 2 years at that point and she and I had never really talked but in this case, being up front with her was the best thing I could have done. She was more than willing to help when things came up (several urgent/emergent appointments, hospitalizations and scans followed over the next 15 months) and I wouldn't have been able to manage my getting-more-complicated-by-the-day situation and my job without her support.
So I would say do what your gut tells you. It's usually right.
And thoughts and prayer for your health. Take care, Ruby.
:hug::kissI'm with Ahsley.......my prayers for you to be better and soon. I would hold out any inside thoughts. I would tell her that you have to go through some testing to find out why it's hanging on so long, but you MIGHT need a little more time.
mc3, ASN, RN
931 Posts
ruby - i wish i could remember! it was a couple of years ago...i do remember it was one of your classic, no bs, common sense bits of advice. i remember thinking it was like seeing a familiar face.... ah, funny how we connect as on-line friends!
please keep us posted, ok!
mc3