- Location
- near Glasgow, Scotland
Hi everyone
Not posted anything in a while but always checking out the threads and keeping up-to-date with what's going on with you all.
Just wanted you all to know about a personal achievement in my life..I've had Crohn's for the best part of 25 years now, diagnosed in 1990 after 2 years of symptoms. I was 23 years old, and 5 stone in weight.
A small bowel resection, 8 weeks in hospital and all the usual meds you are familiar with since then to keep me going. Life was good and I eventually managed (after years of trying) to gain permanent, full time employment in 2004 with a well-known UK Govt. Department. Not easy going with a health condition but I did it!
Things went well for a long time but in 2011 - after 18 months of recurring pain, diarrhoea and countless tests and procedures, it was decided by my consultant and surgeon that further surgery was required to remove two blockages and an area they thought was a tumour.
To cut a long story short, I had another small-bowel resection in November 2011, planned surgery to which my employer was fully informed. The surgery was something I hope to never experience again ever - I will not go in to detail as no two surgeries are the same and my personal experience was just that - personal to me. Recovery was slow, hindered by a massive wound infection shortly after I was discharged from hospital.
After a few months off work, I was informed by my front-line manager that the business could no longer support my absence. Throughout my career with this department, I fully informed them of all planned procedures and clinic appointments etc. regarding my illness. I subsequently saw a consultant - 6 months after my operation as my own consultant had left the unit and a replacement was not made. Only at this point was I prescribed medication (Questran sachets) to control the excessive diarrhoea I had suffered since surgery. Toilet trips in excess of a dozen times a day made it impossible for me to travel to work and maintain regular, effective service. Regardless of this, I was duly dismissed from my role by a manager who (obviously) had never taken a single day's sick leave in her entire career...this happened in May 2012.
I found this treatment by my employer to be utterly unfair and unjust and decided (after some weeks of deliberation) that I would not accept their decision and took the Department to court.
I attended court for 3 days in February this year, and to be honest, I found the experience to be one of the most harrowing of my life - I was made to feel like a criminal, like I was being accused of some wrong-doing. When my employer's witnesses took the stand, their arguments were weak, had no substance, and the judge made mincemeat of the lot of them. Their lawyer was ill-prepared, and it was glaringly obvious he didn't have much to go on. It was a catalogue of errors on my employers part. The guidance my managers had used was shown to be flawed and inconsistent, and the managers themselves were proven to be completely and utterly incompetent
On 27 March this year (one month before the judge anticipated his decision), I had a phone call from my lawyer to tell me that I had won my case! I took a massive government department to court and wiped the floor with the lot of them!
I have now been reinstated in my job and will be compensated in full for the salary I have lost over the past 7 months, with no break in my pension contributions and I now await a return-to-work date.
I will go back to work with my head held high, and my employers will hang theirs in shame.
The small man (or woman in this case) has a voice, and if you shout loud enough your voice will be heard.
I had months of worry, sleepless nights and anxiety over what the future held for me. I left my work with my head held in shame. At one point I even felt I was not strong enough emotionally or physically to cope with the pressure of a court case.
But I fought my corner and won!!
To anyone facing disciplinary action from an employer because of their Crohn's - fight, fight, fight, and never let the b@stards get you down.
Ellie :dance
Not posted anything in a while but always checking out the threads and keeping up-to-date with what's going on with you all.
Just wanted you all to know about a personal achievement in my life..I've had Crohn's for the best part of 25 years now, diagnosed in 1990 after 2 years of symptoms. I was 23 years old, and 5 stone in weight.
A small bowel resection, 8 weeks in hospital and all the usual meds you are familiar with since then to keep me going. Life was good and I eventually managed (after years of trying) to gain permanent, full time employment in 2004 with a well-known UK Govt. Department. Not easy going with a health condition but I did it!
Things went well for a long time but in 2011 - after 18 months of recurring pain, diarrhoea and countless tests and procedures, it was decided by my consultant and surgeon that further surgery was required to remove two blockages and an area they thought was a tumour.
To cut a long story short, I had another small-bowel resection in November 2011, planned surgery to which my employer was fully informed. The surgery was something I hope to never experience again ever - I will not go in to detail as no two surgeries are the same and my personal experience was just that - personal to me. Recovery was slow, hindered by a massive wound infection shortly after I was discharged from hospital.
After a few months off work, I was informed by my front-line manager that the business could no longer support my absence. Throughout my career with this department, I fully informed them of all planned procedures and clinic appointments etc. regarding my illness. I subsequently saw a consultant - 6 months after my operation as my own consultant had left the unit and a replacement was not made. Only at this point was I prescribed medication (Questran sachets) to control the excessive diarrhoea I had suffered since surgery. Toilet trips in excess of a dozen times a day made it impossible for me to travel to work and maintain regular, effective service. Regardless of this, I was duly dismissed from my role by a manager who (obviously) had never taken a single day's sick leave in her entire career...this happened in May 2012.
I found this treatment by my employer to be utterly unfair and unjust and decided (after some weeks of deliberation) that I would not accept their decision and took the Department to court.
I attended court for 3 days in February this year, and to be honest, I found the experience to be one of the most harrowing of my life - I was made to feel like a criminal, like I was being accused of some wrong-doing. When my employer's witnesses took the stand, their arguments were weak, had no substance, and the judge made mincemeat of the lot of them. Their lawyer was ill-prepared, and it was glaringly obvious he didn't have much to go on. It was a catalogue of errors on my employers part. The guidance my managers had used was shown to be flawed and inconsistent, and the managers themselves were proven to be completely and utterly incompetent
On 27 March this year (one month before the judge anticipated his decision), I had a phone call from my lawyer to tell me that I had won my case! I took a massive government department to court and wiped the floor with the lot of them!
I have now been reinstated in my job and will be compensated in full for the salary I have lost over the past 7 months, with no break in my pension contributions and I now await a return-to-work date.
I will go back to work with my head held high, and my employers will hang theirs in shame.
The small man (or woman in this case) has a voice, and if you shout loud enough your voice will be heard.
I had months of worry, sleepless nights and anxiety over what the future held for me. I left my work with my head held in shame. At one point I even felt I was not strong enough emotionally or physically to cope with the pressure of a court case.
But I fought my corner and won!!
To anyone facing disciplinary action from an employer because of their Crohn's - fight, fight, fight, and never let the b@stards get you down.
Ellie :dance
congrats! I don't know if I could go back to work with such a bunch of *jerks* but I guess you're a bigger woman than I!
