CRPS/ RSD friends - I need your help. I have finally hit a breaking point and I can't think through what to do next. Can you please provide your input and help me see all the sides so I can make a decision on Monday? Here's the situation:
I've had CRPS since July, but wasn't diagnosed until early October. I have been struggling with anxiety for awhile from this condition, particularly since November, but it's become debilitating recently - around mid-January. My therapist wants me to go on medical disability to accomplish 2 goals - restorative sleep (I'm having trouble sleeping, but I also need to be taking naps, but can't worth my current work schedule) and to reduce my anxiety. My orthopedist agrees. I discussed it with my union rep and thought I would qualify for paid disability, so after much debate and soul searching, I finally agreed to medical leave. Once HR processed the paperwork, they determined I was ineligible for paid leave but eligible for unpaid leave. The union contract lawyer agrees with HR's decision, so paid leave isn't an option, unless my status at work changes, which it might in June, but I need a solution for now. Obviously, I cannot afford to live with no income, so I'm now trying to figure out what to do. Here are my options:

- use 1-2 weeks of vacation starting Tuesday (Monday is a work holiday) to rest and hopefully reset. After that, a modified work schedule until the anxiety is brought under control.
- do a modified work schedule now (I currently have 2 doctors' notes restricting my work hours to 6 hours a day instead of 7, though I have almost never worked only 7 hours a day, with 40 minutes of work and 20 minutes of rest every hour). In March, use 1-2 weeks of vacation when I start my mindfulness based stress reduction course.
- do a modified work schedule and use no vacation. Do note that while HR has indicated they will accommodate any reasonable request, it is unclear whether I will retain my salary and/or health benefits. Under the law, they don't have to if they normally don't for part-time employees, but since we don't have part-time employees, it's unclear what will happen and HR won't say until they get a note.
- unofficially not work. I was given permission by my bosses to stop working until I'm healthy, but there's nothing in writing protecting me if something goes badly.
- some other option I haven't thought of

Please give me your thoughts. I'm overwhelmed and need help. Ultimately I have to make my own decision, but I need thoughts on pros and cons of each. I can't see them. Thank you all so very much.