If your illness prevents you from performing your job, can you a

to adjust your job assignment based on doctor's assessment of your health condition?  I am not sure what illness you got, you should be able to return to your work gradually instead of completely away for a period of time then suddenly back to work full time.  I could not imaging what illness would keep one completely away from work for so many months.  Even cancer treatment, I have seen patient going back to work while still having RT or Chemo