Support a Single Mom's Health and Family

Hello, I'm Shannon. I'm 43 and a single mom. I'm going through some really scary severe health issues, and just was fired from my job because of calling off when I was sick. Technically I was fired for attendance points but I maxed out my points because I was extremely sick. For context, 2 - 5 minutes late is 2 points, 5-15 minutes late is 5 points, calling off (no matter the reason and no matter how far in advance) without securing your own coverage is 10 points. 40 points is automatic termination, supposedly with some exceptions for illness since I worked at a restaurant and you would think they don't want sick people handling food.

February 21st my son and I started coughing and running fevers. By midnight we were having chills and sweats and clearly had the flu. February 23 was my next scheduled shift so Saturday the 22cnd I posted my shift in the team works app and in the group work chat on Whatsapp. Nobody picked up my shift and I was too sick to try and call people to beg them to cover it. I couldn't even stay awake long enough to eat soup, and I was also caring for my sick teen.

I again posted my shift for Monday the 24th a full 24 hours in advance (on the 23rd) in both team works and the group chat. Everyone again ignored it. I again was too sick to try to call/text everyone. I had 19 points for the quarter before I got sick. So I was at 39 points calling off just 2 days for flu. My boss got someone to swap shifts with me (because they couldn't even just let me have time to recover) so someone worked my Tuesday shift and I was supposed to work their Friday shift.

Friday the 28th I was so sick I couldn't go to work, instead I was at urgent care, and I was so sick they sent me to the emergency room. I messaged my boss and was told they had to take me off the schedule for a week but then we'd chat and go from there.

I had xrays, IV fluids, IV steroids, blood work, several oral medications, and breathing treatments. They also ran a CT scan with contrast due to concerns of pneumonia. I was officially diagnosed with bronchitis, and prescribed a ton of medicine and an inhaler, and told me I couldn't go back to work until March 10th. But the CT scan also accidentally found some very concerning things.

1) my thyroid is severely enlarged. It is constricting my windpipe, vocal chords, and larynx as well as putting pressure on a bundle of blood vessels in the throat and pressing on my esophagus in my chest. It is full of nodules in both lobes, 1 of which is ringed with calcification which could indicate cancer.

2) my cervical and thoracic spine have collapsed in around my spinal cord, my cervical spine has several bulging discs, but more concerning is my thoracic spine is actually compressing my spinal cord in a dangerous spot. The ER doctor said spinal Stenosis, with spondylothesis and spondylitis, with the compression of the spinal cord indicating surgery may be needed to prevent paralysis.

I sent all my proof to my boss but got silence until this past Friday March 7th. My boss reached out and asked if I could come in for a chat. I had to press them but got them to admit that yes I was fired. At this point I had been out of work 15 days and was still recovering from bronchitis.

I am applying for new jobs and will also be trying for unemployment, however the labor board says I probably don't qualify because I was technically fired for maxing out my attendance points. But I am also trying to set up all the tests and specialist appointments I need to start the journey getting both my thyroid and my spine taken care of, and I do not know how long this is going to take or if I will be permanently disabled because of this. I have had trouble walking and severe back pain and limited mobility/range of motion for years but assumed it was from arthritis.

So I don't know when or IF I will work again, and in the meantime I am struggling to make ends meet. My last paycheck was February 26th, and that is gone. We need groceries and bills covered while I'm getting my health taken care of and figuring out everything. If you could donate even just the minimum $5 GoFundMe allows, that would help us so much. If you can't donate, sharing this would also help us a lot. Thank you for reading. ❤️