INTRODUCTION: This is a real letter I have had to send my boss after returning to work from being newly diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic. People have not been speeking to me at work since I returned and ive been pritty much ignored. I work for a very large company and I have worked with some people for 10 years. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do I would love to hear them.
Hi .....,
I wanted to let you know that I have heard some disturbing news about what has been happening at work while I have been away. As you are aware I raised some concerns with you surrounding "odd" behaviour from many of my colleagues especially from the .. team. I was quite distressed to hear tonight that ... ......... has been investigating my time off after being newly diagnosed with diabetes type 1, with other diabetics at work to see how my time off compaires with there own experiences with getting the diagnosis. The one diabetic I will mention here although I hear there where several, is .. ......... who works on the ..... ..... desk who is very well known for having the same condition. I feel I now have to justify the five weeks I have had with all the people they have spoken too, of which I am aware is most of the department.
Including ...... ............. who tonight after hearing how I felt about it can confirm that this actually happened. To me this explains that I have returned to such a cold reception from .... and much of the department, also their current undermining behaviour with me. They collectivly feel I have taken unduely time-off, I hope this wont now become a witch hunt or affect my proffesional relationship that I have kept with people, particularly ......
Diabetes Type 1 affects people in different ways, when I was diagnosed I can only say having such dangerously high sugar levels as I did makes you feel like your going to die, even though I felt this way I still had good work attendance, I still stayed back late and did the best I could to do the job I was assigned to do. I am also seconded and as you are aware I am currently working for the oportunity to further my career, I do not get any financial benefit from my role, Further to this while I have been off I have currently only been paid for 25 hours per week as officially im on a part time contract when actually I was working between 36 - 40 hours per week and in some cases even more depending on work load. I did this even though I knew something was seriously wrong with me.
In the first week of my diagnosis, I had to visit the hospital at least 3 days in a row and my GP twice. I had to have 2 sets of blood tests then rushed to hospital to get my first insolin shot, which I could not do myself. I was told this had to be done twice a day for the rest of my life. My colesterol was also dangerously high to the point they had grave concerns that I should not be allowed home.
Week 2 I had to make dramatic changes in my diet, all the food I had was wrong this took 3 hospital appointments to see the dietician, These appointments took approximately 4 hours each time as I had alot of questions about what was required.
Week 3 I had 2 GP appointments to see the diabetic nurse and 2 hospital appointments to see the nurse to check on progress since my blood was very difficult to control at first.. They decided to up the insolin dose they also started talking to me about accepting the possibility I was on symbostatins the rest of my life. I belive I called you at around this time to update you on my progress and offered to work from home.
Week 4, I had 3 more hospital appointments. They had to check my feet for nerve damage and/or gangreen as diabetics have to watch for this they also had to check to see if my kidneys where damaged. Dont know about you but urine tests on demand is not fun to do, and yup more blood tests to monitor progress unfortunately they could not find a vein very easily so i had to go through the process several times.
Week 5, Now I was hoping to return after the forth week however after realising that I still had not had a hypo the hospital was at the time discussing if I should actually be admitted and have a hypo induced, so I would know the signs and what to look for I also had an appointment with the GP to check on other tests they had done and a further dietician appointment. I was also expecting an eye test appointment of which I am still waiting for.
I am sorry that at this time I didnt feel it was appropriate of me to attend work, and I would have worked from home.
Dont get me wrong I wasnt expecting flowers or anything, I did not expect people least of all ... to be discussing my diagnosis and time off with my colleages I also was depressed to hear that they feel my lifestyle choices was the cause of my diabetes. Even so it would be completely inopropriate if this was the case but "Type 1 diabetes" is genetic this is an auto-immune desease where somthing triggers my Genes into attacking my B cells so i dont produce insolin like a normal person, This is not because I was overweight and drank redbull in the morning.
Having to face work tomorrow will be difficult knowing that people have this opinion of me, I think its unfair that I now have the feeling there out to get me and make my name mud, when I have worked so hard for nothing extra.
I dont know how to approach this situation, I will talk with you tomorrow via a call about this matter.
Many Thanks
...............
Hi .....,
I wanted to let you know that I have heard some disturbing news about what has been happening at work while I have been away. As you are aware I raised some concerns with you surrounding "odd" behaviour from many of my colleagues especially from the .. team. I was quite distressed to hear tonight that ... ......... has been investigating my time off after being newly diagnosed with diabetes type 1, with other diabetics at work to see how my time off compaires with there own experiences with getting the diagnosis. The one diabetic I will mention here although I hear there where several, is .. ......... who works on the ..... ..... desk who is very well known for having the same condition. I feel I now have to justify the five weeks I have had with all the people they have spoken too, of which I am aware is most of the department.
Including ...... ............. who tonight after hearing how I felt about it can confirm that this actually happened. To me this explains that I have returned to such a cold reception from .... and much of the department, also their current undermining behaviour with me. They collectivly feel I have taken unduely time-off, I hope this wont now become a witch hunt or affect my proffesional relationship that I have kept with people, particularly ......
Diabetes Type 1 affects people in different ways, when I was diagnosed I can only say having such dangerously high sugar levels as I did makes you feel like your going to die, even though I felt this way I still had good work attendance, I still stayed back late and did the best I could to do the job I was assigned to do. I am also seconded and as you are aware I am currently working for the oportunity to further my career, I do not get any financial benefit from my role, Further to this while I have been off I have currently only been paid for 25 hours per week as officially im on a part time contract when actually I was working between 36 - 40 hours per week and in some cases even more depending on work load. I did this even though I knew something was seriously wrong with me.
In the first week of my diagnosis, I had to visit the hospital at least 3 days in a row and my GP twice. I had to have 2 sets of blood tests then rushed to hospital to get my first insolin shot, which I could not do myself. I was told this had to be done twice a day for the rest of my life. My colesterol was also dangerously high to the point they had grave concerns that I should not be allowed home.
Week 2 I had to make dramatic changes in my diet, all the food I had was wrong this took 3 hospital appointments to see the dietician, These appointments took approximately 4 hours each time as I had alot of questions about what was required.
Week 3 I had 2 GP appointments to see the diabetic nurse and 2 hospital appointments to see the nurse to check on progress since my blood was very difficult to control at first.. They decided to up the insolin dose they also started talking to me about accepting the possibility I was on symbostatins the rest of my life. I belive I called you at around this time to update you on my progress and offered to work from home.
Week 4, I had 3 more hospital appointments. They had to check my feet for nerve damage and/or gangreen as diabetics have to watch for this they also had to check to see if my kidneys where damaged. Dont know about you but urine tests on demand is not fun to do, and yup more blood tests to monitor progress unfortunately they could not find a vein very easily so i had to go through the process several times.
Week 5, Now I was hoping to return after the forth week however after realising that I still had not had a hypo the hospital was at the time discussing if I should actually be admitted and have a hypo induced, so I would know the signs and what to look for I also had an appointment with the GP to check on other tests they had done and a further dietician appointment. I was also expecting an eye test appointment of which I am still waiting for.
I am sorry that at this time I didnt feel it was appropriate of me to attend work, and I would have worked from home.
Dont get me wrong I wasnt expecting flowers or anything, I did not expect people least of all ... to be discussing my diagnosis and time off with my colleages I also was depressed to hear that they feel my lifestyle choices was the cause of my diabetes. Even so it would be completely inopropriate if this was the case but "Type 1 diabetes" is genetic this is an auto-immune desease where somthing triggers my Genes into attacking my B cells so i dont produce insolin like a normal person, This is not because I was overweight and drank redbull in the morning.
Having to face work tomorrow will be difficult knowing that people have this opinion of me, I think its unfair that I now have the feeling there out to get me and make my name mud, when I have worked so hard for nothing extra.
I dont know how to approach this situation, I will talk with you tomorrow via a call about this matter.
Many Thanks
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