Thought you guys might like this one as I just dealt with the same infection and emergency, but luckily my new employer was understanding.
However, when I was 19, I had an employer demand from me a doctors note for the only time I called in. I was in the process of being hooked up to an IV while I got yelled at on the phone by said boss. My neck lymph nodes were bulging so much I couldn’t breathe through my airways due to an infection, so this was a very real emergency.
I provided the note when all was said and done and ended up getting written up anyways despite the promise not to do so with a doctors note handy.
$14k ER bill, and was making $7.35 an hour at the time. Was the worst time of my life.
There are employers out there who give a damn about flexibility to these situations. My current employer didn’t ask for a note and just requested if I didn’t want to use PTO I could make up the time later in the week. Y’all aren’t alone. I’m so much better and there’s zero stress this time.