Electra & AML: My Work

(See all posts related to Electra's ongoing treatment)

There's been one aspect of this whole affair which has really made things a lot easier, and it's something to which I feel I should give proper credit: my work. I'm not sure what company policy is in discussing the company by name in a public forum, so I'll leave it out for now; suffice to say that if you know me in person, you either know for whom I work or can ask me.

Overall, my job is pretty good. The people I work with are great and the environment is very welcoming. Although it's not what I would do with my free time were I a billionaire, as jobs go it's pretty decent, albeit underpaying. However, in response to this particular crisis, my workplace, and my line manager in particular, have really gone beyond what one could reasonably expect.

I called my line manager on January 1st, the day after Electra was diagnosed, and he was kind enough to answer; had I been in his place I probably would've ignored a work call on New Years Day, so he's already earning some brownie points. In my discussion with him, I explained the situation and prognosis, and my hope to be able to spend more time than usual with Electra while she underwent treatment, especially during the gaps between her parents' visits. His response, in so many words was "Don't worry about it. Focus on getting her well and let us know how we can support you and we will do so".

And this has been the case in practice. I spent the first week working remotely from Worcester, and met with my manager when I got back to Guildford (the city in which my office is located). I sat down with him to discuss a plan and he was again very supportive, indicating that I could take time off with shorter notice than normal, work remotely when necessary, etc.

The plan I've come up with is to spend roughly every other week in Birmingham (previously in Worcester), and to work remotely from Electra's flat. I'm fortunate in that much of the job that I do can be accomplished remotely, and others in my organisation work remotely with varying degrees of regularity, so the action isn't unprecedented. I've brought up a monitor and keyboard, bought a desk and chair, and have thus setup a little office in Electra's place. I work during the day (connected to the company's VPN), and visit Electra at night. During the other weeks, I work from the office in Guildford.

Being able to do this has truly been a boon to my sanity and Electra's comfort. Dealing with this situation is never fun, but would be so much worse, were I required to see her only on weekends and evenings; the latter is especially inconvenient and was untenable while she was in Worcester. I've observed this with one of my closest friends, whose boyfriend at the time had to undergo cancer treatment. She was told by her firm that she was to be at her desk during standard business hours and could visit only on her off time. Needless to say, this made things much more difficult.

During an ongoing treatment like this one, it is often the little victories that matter, and carry the most weight. This particular victory isn't really little, but obviously pales in comparison to any pending wins on the health front. But because my employer has been so understanding and so flexible, it has permitted me to spend more time with Electra when she needs it most, and that's a win for both of us, and I respect and commend them for that. They have earned quite a bit of loyalty from me for their actions.