The Reports of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

It drives me crazy when people complain about “having too much to do.” I wonder, “Who are you complaining to, yourself?” The fact is, we put most of the work piled upon us ourselves. People who are highly capable or have any sense of duty to others, to family, to community, to workplace, etc., have a bad habit of saying, “yes,” to practically everything that is brought to them. Big mistake.

No, it’s not the truth that will set you free. It is the word, “no.”

In recent weeks, I’ve been saying, “no,” a whole lot. Well, more accurately, I’ve been non-responsive to a lot of inquiries, professionally and personally. In fact, I was literally non-responsive for a couple of days in June and July.

I was in the middle of delivering a training session at work. Around ten o’clock, I started feeling so poorly I literally had to turn to my partner and say, “You have to finish this session without me. I have to go home now.”

On the way home I started having difficulty focusing. I missed my exit to my home. I had to pull over and vomit on the side of the road. For those who do not know me well, I have an iron stomach. I.never.lose.my.cookies ...

By the time I got home it was all I could do to make it to the bed. The next morning I was so delirious I could hardly form coherent thoughts. My wife was asking me if I wanted a ride into the hospital or for her to call an ambulance. I.never.take.the.ambulance ... I asked for an ambulance. I couldn’t stand without assistance.

Long story short, I spent a few days in the ICU at Piedmont Hospital with what turned out to be a staph infection. After three weeks of antibiotics via IV, I found myself very weak but glad to be alive. Had my better half not been home that morning, it may have not turned out so well. I was so far gone I would not have been able to make a phone call later that day. For the first 36 hours in the ICU I had difficulty finding words and sometimes couldn’t express them when I found them rattling around my brain. Fun times!

I recount all this not for sympathy - I’ve gotten plenty love and support from my family, close friends, and very generous co-workers at Coca-Cola. I recount it out of a nagging sense of guilt for being figuratively non-responsive. For most of the past four weeks I have gone completely dark - ignoring phone calls, voicemails, instant messages, social media tags, etc.

So, if you’ve been wondering why the always chatty, always ready for debate, always ready to serve isn’t responding, it’s because while the reports of my death are exaggerated I’ve been busy making sure that was the case. :)

I would like to especially thank my team at Coca-Cola for being so generous and supportive. And the folks at Techbridge blew me away with their expression of concern and support (and food!). I am truly blessed to be among the best people at home and at work.

I will eventually catch up and return your email, voicemail, fb msg, linkedin request, etc. Thank you for your patience! -Kim

P.S. For those of you who have or have had life-damaging and life-threatening illnesses or chronic disease, you have my deepest respect. It was a fight to stay spirited for a month of health challenges. I can’t imagine what you may be facing or have faced.