Just Breathe

Parents anxiously await the first breath of their newborn, a frantic cry signaling life. I laugh at myself when I decide to take the stairs instead of the elevator and I’m out of breath. I chalk it up to old-age or just being out of shape!

We too often take the simple autonomic function of breathing for granted until we're unable to. It's been 25 years since I lay in ICU after a military training accident while on a summer assignment before my third year at West Point. I was utterly confused when I saw my parents enter the room because I thought I had just spoken with them on the phone a couple of days earlier.  

Actually, it had been 21 days since I'd last spoken with them because I had been in a medically induced coma with a grim prognosis of only a 30% chance of surviving.  

How could this be?  

I felt perfectly fine, well-rested and ready to get back to West Point for my junior year.  Unfortunately, I was unable to breathe despite my feverish attempts to "will" myself to breathe on my own.  

Thankfully, I was able to be weaned off the ventilator and make a full recovery.  

You may not experience a life-threatening illness, but it's essential that you have the tools to cope with life's roller coaster.

Focus on Your Next Breath, It May Be Your Last

I refused to believe that I could not breathe on my own until I failed on the first attempt to take me off the ventilator. I lasted about 30 seconds before they had to reintubate me.  It became readily apparent that it was going to be a long journey and each breath was a victory. 

Each incremental "win" serves as the foundation for the next battle that you undoubtedly will face in life.  It’s funny, my daughter who turns 19 today has come to the realization about the complexities of life. In one of our thought-provoking conversations, she stated in her nerdy way.

“My life is like a derivative and I can’t figure it out!”

Unlike her, I never got an “A” in Calculus, but life would not be worth living if we had it all figured out. However, we can focus on the moment and rejoice in the opportunity to be a little better than we were the day before.

Will it matter?

West Point prides itself on offering a unique 47-month experience that prepares its graduates for a lifetime of service to the nation. It was readily apparent that I would need at least a semester to recover.  

Despite having met all the academic and physical requirements to graduate with my class, the institution denied my request to graduate with them.  As a result, I graduated 6-months later without all of the fanfare of the traditional military academy graduations.  

Yes, it matters! I was devastated and angry!

However, the experience taught me about patience, perseverance, and empathy which far outweighs the discomfort I felt in June of 1995 when my classmates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas without me.

Be Kind to Others, Do Your Best

In today's toxic environment, we vilify nearly every profession, but I think the medical profession still garners respect from the general population. I am eternally grateful to my respiratory therapist who cared for me during my time in the hospital.  

Now, I understand why most folks are sedated while they're on a ventilator because it is one of the most disorienting and frightening experiences. However, Wanda was able to skillfully remove the fluid from my lungs without me feeling like I was being suffocated and provided encouragement. 

Of course, she could have just made her rounds like some of my other respiratory therapists and "checked the box" but she was willing to invest in me. 

So, the next time you feel like just "calling it a day" and doing the absolute minimum; dig deep and see how you can make an eternal impact on the lives of others. Sometimes if you just take a moment to focus on how you can be kind to someone else, it allows you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the moment. This can give you the time and space needed to breathe.

As we head into the end of the year and holiday season, it can be a stressful time which some may feel overwhelmed by expectations both personally and professionally. 

Yes, it may feel like a rollercoaster, but I encourage you to be kind and, “Just Breathe!”

Now Go!