Dear ,
Last week, I had to call 911.
The pain in my lower back was so intense I couldn’t move. Six paramedics arrived in my bedroom, trying to manage the pain just enough to get me out of the house and into an ambulance. Ketamine and Toradol helped me barely get there.
As they strapped me into a chair and carried me downstairs, I had two thoughts:
- Thank goodness
I changed into clean underwear. (Anyone else hear their mother’s voice in moments like that?)
- One of the paramedics complimented my French manicure as I was loaded into the ambulance and I remember, she also wasn’t that concerned about putting on gloves when she helped lift me saying something like “I’m not worried as much as I would be with some other patients.” Hmm, classy nails
elevated my status I guess.
And then in the ER, a nurse admired my jewelry, even asking if it was real. (Still not sure how I feel about
that…)
But here’s the thing I realized:
First, mom was right about the clean underwear thing. These first responders, although wonderful, they are human and do judge.
Even in the middle of chaos, pain, and total vulnerability, I was still me.
The woman who wears classy jewelry. The woman who prioritizes clean underwear and fresh nails.
The woman who leads with grace, even when she can’t walk.
This wasn’t just a health scare. It was a reminder:
-Your identity doesn’t vanish in crisis, it gets clearer.
-Resilience is not just about pushing through. Sometimes,
it’s in the details that anchor us to ourselves.
-Leadership isn’t just boardrooms and big moves. It’s how we show up when things fall apart.
Take care of yourself. And the next time life hits hard, remember, even if you’re being wheeled into the ER on ketamine, you’re still you. You can be your best, even when you are feeling your worst.
(And yes, always wear clean underwear. Matching if you can 😉)
