I don't know if this post is in the right section, but I am really scared that I am going to lose my job because of my illness. I was hired here, at a lab in October. Two weeks later I had a miscarriage. It was very early and didn't seem to affect my health beyond the normal pain and stress an early miscarriage causes. Two weeks after that I developed an infection and had to have a D&C to empty part of the retained embryo. I missed a few days of work from that, but recovered quickly. Had the procedure Friday, back at work on Monday. Suddenly after a few days, I started having terrible pains in my legs and back, with tender point pain. I developed huge bruises all over my body with no reason and I felt like I had the flu. My joints ached and I could barely stay awake. After finding nothing on any of my labs, I was referred to a rheumatologist for a diagnosis, which he gave as fibromyalgia, plus ankylosing spondylitis. So after only a month of employment, I had to take a week off. Then it got worse and I had to take more time off. I went to work sick and my co-workers complained that I looked sick and that it "depresssed" them to have to work with me. It took all I had to drag myself to work and I got yelled at when I called in sick! What did they want??! In constant pain, sick from all of the crappy worthless drugs the doc had me on at the time and I could not make it through an 8 hour day without taking a rest. So I told a co-worker I thought I could trust that I was going to lay down for awhile. About five minutes later, my boss stormed in with hell in his eyes. She went and called him behind my back. I got in huge trouble, got wrote up and almost lost my job. Now my boss knew that I was sick, and still does.

Right now I am working 10 hour days, and I just cannot continue. It is wearing me down so much, I am missing out on raising my son. I go to work, can't cook a decent meal, and spend the rest of the night in bed. I have started to fall asleep in my chair at work, I cannot help it. Someone caught me doing that, and Im sure called the boss. Right now I take a nap on my lunch hour-I have to. The problem is my boss went and changed my schedule to where I only have a half an hour and then must float arounf the hospital campus helping out in different clinics. Physically I can't do it, so I complained. I wrote my union and am gong to the doctor in a few days to see if she can write my boss a letter stating that Ihave a chronic disease, and that I need a rest break, especially for 10 hour days. I have heard hints that I am in danger of losing my job and am terrified! Can I get fired because of a chronic disease?
Everyone thinks I just have a bad attitude, and don't want to work. Its not that, its just that I am too tired to pretend to be enthusiastic. I am not that way with patients, however. I dont' know what my boss expects-Im good at my job (lab tech) accurate, good with patients and I am not a fussy, anal type. I just feel like my illness is being overlooked. Plus my boss is listening to gossip and taking it as truth.

I just want to know if legally, they can fire you for this? Aren't they supposed to make any job accessable for people with disablilites? What if I was deaf? or had a heart condition? I bet they would take it seriously then. Im looking for work elsewhere, but I like my job here and the pay is real good. My boss suggested both a medical leave or going to part time, but neither is an option I can afford. Can anyone give me advice on how I should handle this? I dread going to work each day, wondering if its going to be the last day...

Sarah