Most open heart patients if having a 7 am surgery can be up and sitting in a chair that night. Out to the floor within 24 to 48 hours and walking about 25 feet by discharge. If he is not walking then have him go to rehab for a couple of weeks...whatever insurance will pay. Do not start FMLA on the day he has surgery and certainly do not take it while he is hospitalized. FMLA should only be used if someone needs to keep him safe. Drive him over and drop him off on surgery day. Waiting around doing nothing is time wasting. Can he answer his own questions on admission? Just be available by phone then visit him after work. Take your FMLA when he gets discharged. Encourage him to walk a lot and do things on his own as long as he does not lift weight. Not everyone can be paid with FMLA based on benefits. When I worked, I only had so many hours per year to use as sick and vacation time.
FMLA can be used in partial days too. Can you work half days (20 hours a week) from home to keep up some income and help your employer keep your responsibilities current?
So, my husband had open heart surgery when in his mid 50s. Aorta and aortic valve replacement.
I took off part of the day that they did the angioplasty to figure out what caused the aneurysm and the whole day of the surgery. I worked during the day and visited him in the hospital at night. Took off the day he came home, but that was it.
If your husband needs rehab, you need to make it clear to the discharge department that there will be no one at home to care for him.
Hopefully you saved up vacation time and personal time because it seems you can take them while on leave. Can you work from home? Recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks.
Will he be doing Rehab? If so, you don't have to leave your job till he comes home. Once he recuperates, you don't need to be with him during the day.
PS as flyer says you don't need to take your leave all at once. My Dad was 65 when he had open heart surgery to replace a valve and 3 bypasses. They discharged him early because he was doing so well. They have them up and around immediately.
Crow81, after reading your profile, I assume you are the one who is working full-time and will use FMLA [The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993} time-off to care for him, is that correct? And that it will be unpaid leave?
Double check with your Human Resources to be sure the company doesn't offer an "Afleck" type insurance that pays you during FMLA. Sometimes you have to ask. If at all possible don't use the whole 3 month leave, save some time in case you have a medical emergency.
Did the surgeon say how long your husband will need time to mend? Would you be able to work part-time toward the end of mend, as not to use up FMLA?
Not everyone can be paid with FMLA based on benefits. When I worked, I only had so many hours per year to use as sick and vacation time.
I took off part of the day that they did the angioplasty to figure out what caused the aneurysm and the whole day of the surgery. I worked during the day and visited him in the hospital at night. Took off the day he came home, but that was it.
If your husband needs rehab, you need to make it clear to the discharge department that there will be no one at home to care for him.
Will he be doing Rehab? If so, you don't have to leave your job till he comes home. Once he recuperates, you don't need to be with him during the day.
PS as flyer says you don't need to take your leave all at once. My Dad was 65 when he had open heart surgery to replace a valve and 3 bypasses. They discharged him early because he was doing so well. They have them up and around immediately.
Double check with your Human Resources to be sure the company doesn't offer an "Afleck" type insurance that pays you during FMLA. Sometimes you have to ask. If at all possible don't use the whole 3 month leave, save some time in case you have a medical emergency.
Did the surgeon say how long your husband will need time to mend? Would you be able to work part-time toward the end of mend, as not to use up FMLA?