I’m an attorney in the US. About 2 months ago, my husband found out that his cancer had returned aggressively. Lungs, liver, adrenal. About a month ago, a tumor was found in the brain. The docs were going to operate, but further tests showed that it's also in his spinal fluid, which is pretty much game over.
That first month, my boss was sort of a jerk. He had a meeting with me to see what my work schedule would be. He was urging me to go part time or take a leave of absence. I had to fight so hard to remain full time. The only way he agreed was when I said my husband planned on continuing to work full time through treatment. What was I supposed to do? Sit and watch him work? We also had a vacation to Disney planned, and he told me that I shouldn't take the vacation because of my low hours (I took a week off when his cancer first came back while we waited for pathology results – but it wasn't really off. I continued to answer emails and had zoom meetings). During this meeting, I gave him a stack of about a dozen documents I drafted that I needed him to review so I could move forward on my caseload (he's a micromanager). Fast forward a week or two, and HE leaves for a week long vacation. Has he reviewed any of the documents? No. Am I now fielding motions to compel because he's not doing HIS job? Yes. AND he tells me l'm not taking responsibility for my cases.
I took last week completely off, as my husband was supposed to have brain surgery. I initially intended on still answering emails like before, and I was, while I was sitting in the waiting room while my husband was being prepped. Then the surgeon came in and said there was a change of plans. Instead of removing the tumor, they're going to test his spinal fluid due to suspicion it has spread there (it has.. and I told my boss) And since then, l've done nothing. No emails, no client reports, no phone calls. It feeis liberating.
Then Friday I get an email from his secretary that I’m expected to be in the office on Monday because we have a responsibility to our clients. Nope. Not going to happen. I’m more than just a billable hour.