Ricola v Carvedilol, Amlodipine & Lisinopril

I was not feeling well. I had developed a congested feeling in my chest and a nagging cough. I didn't feel like I had a fever, but that nagging cough was troublesome. I've always been a fan of Ricola, so I bought the family size bag, and every so often I'd pop one and I was able to manage the cough. But I kept feeling worse.

It turns out that I was retaining fluid in my chest because of undiagnosed high blood pressure, leading to strain on my heart and lungs. I was undiagnosed because I tried to treat my condition on my own without the diagnostic tools and knowledge of medical professionals. I was foolish, and I could have died had I not eventually gone to the emergency room and gotten professional help for my condition.

Today, I am doing well and recovering my health thanks to healthcare professionals and three medications that are far more powerful than Ricola -- Carvedilol, Amlodipine and Lisinopril. First and foremost, let me be a cautionary tale for those who would neglect their health to their own detriment. But there's also an allegorical perspective here that can help us in broader ways.

I recently had a tree branch come down and poke two holes in my detached garage roof. I wasn't horribly concerned, but we had a roofer come out to patch the holes. He did, and while he was at it, he showed us several spots where the roofer hired by the previous homeowner had installed some vents improperly causing almost imperceptible rotting in spots on the roof. He'll be repairing those areas as well before they lead to significantly more damage. This is something I would not have seen, because I am not a roofing expert.

As a business coach and organizational dynamics professional, I know things and see things that my clients do not. I help my clients see and fix things that they might have otherwise attempted to treat with Ricola, when what they really need is expertise and professional remedies.

Think about your profession. What do you know and do that the average person does not and cannot? We add value to other each other and thrive when we all rely on the professionals around us to do things the right way.

(You can see my medical story here.)