Sick kid, work, ugh VENT

ASmallWonder

Took Aiden to the doctor today and the diagnosis is start of a double ear infection and also potentially pneumonia or bronchitis. He's on meds but needs to be home again tomorrow.  I'm "working from home" today and DH did the same yesterday.  DH has to be in the office tomorrow and me?  Well, there's one other admin in my group and she supports the big boss - I'm her backup.  Got a text from her this morning that her father passed away so she's out today and will also be out tomorrow.

I really have no options.  I have to be home with Aiden.  I feel horrible for the other woman and obviously she WILL be home also.  We're just never out at the same time and I'm getting the "of course do what you need to do for your family.  We need to find alternate coverage for 'big boss'."  "We" includes me and I don't know WTF they expect to be found.  There are no other people.  Blah. 

ByeBabyBunting

that sucks

could you maybe go in for a few hours after DH gets home?  

aforst

Could you and your H split the day?  Sometimes DH and I will do that if both really need to be at work, at least part of the day.   I will go into work as usual (or early if I can) and leave around lunch time.  H will go in when I get home and stay until he needs to leave.  Or, the other way around if it works better for our schedules.  At least that way you would be there part of the day.

I assume you don't have any family that could help out? 

 

mben1119

Boo. I hope LO feels better soon. I agree with PP-Can you and DH split the day? 

ASmallWonder

All wonderful suggestions and unfortunately, none of them work lol  H works too far away for a half day and his day is very "by the clock" so his stuff has to follow a schedule.  Mine is more a "we need you here in case."  Schedules need revising, meetings booked, etc.  We called my ILs and they can't come (they live a few hours away) and both my brother and dad need to work and have less flexibility that we do.  I don't have any SAHM friends :-/  Such is life, right?  The kiddo comes first but feeling torn is really hard.

seahorse102410

I'm so sorry.  This has happened to me but you know work will survive.  It just does.  People will just have to get over it. 

mben1119

Does anyone at work have a sitter, teenage daughter, anyone they can recommend to you to watch LO?

ASmallWonder

Spooko:

Do you have any kind of babysitter that you usually use? IDK what your work is like but is there any possibility you could bring him? Or at least be home and on call and bring him in if you need to do something?

I just told them that I'll hop online as often as I can (which, with a sick 2.5 year old is hit or miss) and for them to call my cell with anything critical.   

HenHen25

I'm sorry that really sucks. I hope you can figure out a solution and that A feels better soon. 

write2nicole

It sounds like she is asking you to contact people in the office to see who can answer phones and help with whatever else the big boss needs. Also it might help if you can contact big boss directly or otherwise to see if there's anything big boss needs taken care of today or tomorrow that you can handle from home - or find someone else to handle.

If your job is about covering "just in case," then everyone will understand and make do, but she's asking you to coordinate and communicate with everyone. I mean, her father just died and you are "working from home." It's a PITA, but it's not that big of a deal for you do manage that, right?

ASmallWonder

write2nicole:

It sounds like she is asking you to contact people in the office to see who can answer phones and help with whatever else the big boss needs. Also it might help if you can contact big boss directly or otherwise to see if there's anything big boss needs taken care of today or tomorrow that you can handle from home - or find someone else to handle.

If your job is about covering "just in case," then everyone will understand and make do, but she's asking you to coordinate and communicate with everyone. I mean, her father just died and you are "working from home." It's a PITA, but it's not that big of a deal for you do manage that, right?

Yeah, I did reach out to the big boss and let him know to call me directly with anything urgent.  They just like to have a body there for who knows what.  No one else can manage his calendar or take his calls except myself and the one other person.  But I've been transparent about what I feel I can do and they've seemed ok.  It's more me being stressed that I rarely need to back her up, I need to now and I can't but they'll survive.  It's not like they're surgeons  

numeria11

I hear you we are in basically the same situation here.  DD's been running a fever since yesterday afternoon and most likely we are headed to the doctor tomorrow if she's no better.  It sucks and I get it believe me.

AmyAmy72

Hope he feels better! Can you split the day with DH?