Question:
Can anyone give me an idea of what to tell my employer about my surgery?

I    — Melissa L. (posted on July 24, 2000)

July 24, 2000
I told my employer exactly what surgery I was going to have and why. You shouldn't have to hide this syrgery from anyone! If you feel uncomfortable about telling them exactly what you're going for, tell them you're going in for surgery to fix one of your comorbidities. Like arthritis, sleep apnea, ect..... But if you feel comfortable telling your employer do so, you may be suprised by the support you receive. I know I was. And regardless your job is protected, you have the right to take up to 12 weeks medical leave. Good Luck! Niki
   — Niki G.

July 25, 2000
Melissa, Telling my boss was a difficult thing for me too. Read as much as you can about how other people did it and ask as many people as you can about how they did it. Some combination of what you find out will be right for you. Here's my story: I had refused to attend an out of state conference several months before surgery - I told my boss I wasn't going anywhere until I got my health under control. He knew about my apnea and blood pressure and since he's not blind, he knew how overweight I was too! He dropped the subject of the conference. A few months later I sent him an email stating that I just couldn't talk about this openly yet, but that there was a good chance I would be having surgery in a few months. (At this point I had my first appt with the surgeon scheduled, but had not been there yet.) I simply wrote that this was something I probably should have done a long time ago and it had now caught up with me. I did not tell him anything specific. His response was supportive and he just asked that I keep him informed of the timeline and "if there is anything I can do..." Then I did something sneaky. I told one person in the office who I knew would not be able to keep a secret for very long. She has struggled with her weight too, so I knew she understood the surgery option and about co-morbidities etc. and would simply love to be the "source of information." Please don't get me wrong - I like this gal a lot and she does not stretch the truth - she simply has a little trouble with confidentiality. This is part of her personality and it's part of working in a very small office where we all kind of know each other's business at some point. I did tell a few people myself, but mostly I just knew that everyone was aware of what I was doing. I work in a small agency - there's about 20 people total. Everyone has been very supportive. Good luck to you!
   — Diane S.

July 25, 2000
My surgeon wrote a letter to my employer simply stating that I was having major abdominal surgery and approximately how long I would be out. When I told my boss, I simply stated the same thing. Neither he nor the HR manager asked any probing questions. If they had, I was prepared to say "Thank you for your concern, but I rather not discuss it". They were both very supportive during my time off. What you tell your boss and fellow employees is up to you. Do what you feel comfortable with. To this day (5 months), I haven't told anyone at work.
   — Gina E.