As those of you who follow this Blog regularly will know, I am still working and hope to do so for at least two more years. I also have a number of health issues. One of course is Parkinson’s and one of the others is arthritis which is becoming quite difficult to manage.
I am going to try to minimise my risk out in the commuity prior to my operation. That will include masking up in public and maybe ordering groceries online. My health feels vulnerable right now with everything that is going on, not least of which is a full knee replacement surgery booked for 29/11. I am paying for this privately due to the huge waitlist for publicly funded surgery.
I will wear a mask if I am going out and if using public transport or going anywhere where I will be in close proximity to others, so that I hopefully will not catch Covid and risk not having my surgery.
Am I over-reacting?
My journey with Parkinsons 
I don’t think that you’re overreacting at all.
Your employer has a duty of care to provide you with a safe workplace. If you have vulnerabilities, they need to be factored into the equation.
You have upcoming major surgery, which could not go ahead if you contracted an infection. Post operatively, you will still need to be careful. A friend who has had both knees replaced told me that before any dental procedures, she has to take antibiotics because any infection goes to the site of the replacement. I’m definitely not a doctor so I’m just repeating what I’ve heard, but her surgeon was adamant the she must not get an infection anywhere.
The Parkinson’s is a further issue. I have stringently avoided Covid for the same reason that I assume you want to avoid a superbug. I think the sum of the combined illnesses is greater than just Parkinson’s plus superbug… the whole would be greater than the sum of its parts. Each would potentially amplify the other.
How lovely of your coworker to agree to swap cases. Is it possible for bothof you to liaise with infectious patients remotely?
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Hi Rebecca. Thanks for your feedback. I am lucky that my coworker is so supportive. I am going to talk to my boss tomorrow so we can come to an agreement regarding this kind of scenario.
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Talked to my boss today. She was very supportive. She is even going to ask the biggest boss to approve me having special paid leave the week before so I have a gap where I am not exposed to risk to keep me healthy for my operation.
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Fantastic outcome. 👏🏻 It’s great that you have such a supportive administration.
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I know. I feel very fortunate
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