I tend to be a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we have to wait a long time to find out that reason, and sometimes not long at all. Some things we may never learn the reasons for in this lifetime. I recently found out one of my reasons, and I thought I’d share.
Remember back when I almost bled to death? It was certainly an experience I wouldn’t want to repeat, but I was glad it allowed me to be genuinely empathetic for a fellow woman going through a similar experience these past few weeks.
Turns out my current boss had the same thing happen to her right before I was hired. She fought the doctors trying to give her the first blood transfusion until her doctor told her, “Look, you’re going to die if we don’t do this. You don’t have enough blood in your body. If you get injured at all, you’ll bleed to death.” So she gave in.
It crossed my mind that I was so grateful I had already experienced this, and my supervisor had too, because we 100% believed our colleague and understood and fought for her with HR and got her the time off she needed and made arrangements to fulfill her duties while she’s out recovering.
When I had my dreadful experience, I knew that my co-workers really thought I was being overly dramatic, and they were honestly tired of my shit. While I was truly just doing my best to not die before my surgery could happen. It wasn’t pleasant, but having that in my history made me so much kinder to this hyster sister.
When she told me she had to lie down to brush her teeth, I knew it was true. I’d lived it. When she told me she just didn’t have the strength to sit at her desk all day, I believed her. When she told me her whole body hurt, so badly that it was making her throw up, I understood.
I just left the hospital I was in for my surgeries after visiting one of my staff members who had a hysterectomy today. For the past several weeks she’d been feeling worse and worse and taking lots of sick days, and ultimately ended up in the ER needing a transfusion.
My co-workers and I put together a goodie bag and took it to her after work today. I really tried to think about what items I would have wanted at the hospital and/or home following my surgery.
Somebody brought me fuzzy socks and foot lotion, which was super nice. Another friend brought me nail polish and remover, which was AWESOME, but kind of specific to me and my addiction. I got magazines and lip balm, which were great.
But it hit me one evening this week, the thing I wanted so badly and never thought of until later…granny panties. I sent my cousin to the store to buy me the biggest ugliest granny panties she could find. A big package of them. And they were heaven. I mentioned this to my boss, and she said, “ME TOO!”
I wondered if it’s weird to have your supervisor give you underwear. But whatever, I did it. And she was so grateful, as she had NOT thought of that.
Sometimes your worst experience allows you to do something crazy like buy somebody ugly underwear, knowing that it will be a gift that will mean the world to them. Follow your heart, and just do it. Women have to support other women. Period.