How does anyone keep a job as a special needs parent????

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I am feeling really down and could use some sound advice right now. As most of

you know my daughter Lexi who already was diagnosed with pauciarticular juvenile

rheumatoid arthritis at 3 yrs old, was also recently diagnosed in Dec. with

ulcerative colitis. We have been dealing with not only the diagnosis but

getting her pretty serious symptoms under controll, as well as start Remicade

infusions and deal with the odd side effects over the past few months. Add on

top of that the normal illness that most young kids get, and she has had a rough

4 months or so. My frustration is that I am now in risk of losing my job as a

special ed teacher in 12 because I have had to miss so much work for

doctor and specialist appts plus her illness. It seems that it is almost

impossible to keep a full time job when you have 4 children, much less a child

with medical needs that flare up like this. They know what has been going on at

my work but in my bosses words, " While we are empathetic to what you are going

through, we are also having a problem with your excessive absences. " What I

would like to know is how they expect me to control this stuff right now? I am

supposed to have an " attendance meeting " with my boss on Tues. afternoon and I

am not sure if they will try to get me to " promise " not to miss work or what,

but is there anything that protects me from being let go when you have a family

member or child with a serious illness? I'm so down right now - I am the major

financial earner in my house and being special education I would've thought they

would get this!!!! any thoughts would be great right now...

Thanks,