No Family Leave for a Freelancer

One of the drawbacks of being a fulltime freelancer is that my business is about deadlines and eager clients and if I’m not completing projects, I’m not going to be paid. I have written in the past about the advantages of working for oneself and these advantages still outweigh the disadvantages. Yet, it’s only recently that the disadvantages are troublesome.

My elderly mom, who lives about 400 miles away, recently had heart surgery. It was supposed to go a lot smoother than what it has been and she’s been in ICU for over two weeks, keeping my family on edge with worry. I have two siblings who live near my parents and divvy up time between caring for my diabetic father, who misses his wife dearly, and staying close to my mother to offer support and encouragement. My older brother is retired, my older sister has taken family leave from her job and my younger brother, who lives further from my parents than I do, is able to take time off from his work due to an understanding boss. This leaves me, the only sibling who cannot pitch in as much as I’d like since I have me and only me to depend on when it comes to paying the bills.

The thing is, a few days away from the office wouldn’t hurt me financially. Ideally, I could even pack up a laptop and files and work from anywhere, as long as anywhere has Internet connection via cable. Where my parents live, which is way Upstate New York, there is only dial-up, which wouldn’t work for the files I need to send via email on a daily basis. Therefore, my seven-hour trip to see my convalescing mom was tucked in between a Friday and Sunday, leaving little time to help or get a better idea of just how she is progressing. Prior to my mother going into surgery, I apologized for not being able to be with her, but she said she understood. My dad understands, too. Still, it doesn’t assuage the guilt and strong desire of wanting to be where I’m needed while knowing the necessity of maintaining my business.