Category Archives: My Work

Sick as a pig

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As I write this post, I feel like death warmed up. Never in my life have I felt so sick. It started on Sunday afternoon and instead of me resting, I simply thought a couple of medi-keels and throat spray would sort it out. I went to work on Monday because I had “so much to do” – sound familiar?

As I got home on Monday night, I jumped straight into bed, thinking I could ‘sleep’ the flu away. Tuesday was spent entirely in bed, no TV, no mags, no blogging. But when I woke up on Wednesday, it was worse. I realised I would need to get to the doctor. But as per usual, I thought I would get as much done before going to the doctor so I quickly scooted off to my dietitian appointment at 7am and into the office to sort out some emails.

When I finally got to the doctor, she was horrified. I have blisters all down the back of my throat and my muscles ache so bad, I groaned when she touched my legs and my ribs. I am sore, there’s no doubt about it. Very sore. It’s only when she said she needed to do a throat swab to rule out swine flu that I suddenly stopped and started to take notice. Swine flu? She reassured me that it was just the strain going around and I had the same symptoms but nothing to worry about. But it’s still not the words I wanted to hear.

I’m at home, in bed, feeling very sorry for myself. But I’ve learnt some hard lessons from it all:

  • Nothing else is as important as my health. When my body speaks to me and tells me there’s something wrong, I need to listen. AND obey.
  • Work can wait. In fact, the share price doesn’t drop if I am not there. Work carries on without me.
  • My colleagues are supportive. The power of the pig is strong. I mentioned the words swine flu and boy did they kick me out the building! I guess it’s not fair to go to work sick but how many of us do?
  • I usually take my chances and go running when I feel a cold coming on. I ran on Sunday morning and I wonder if it wasn’t all too much for my body to handle? Did I ignore the signs? In a way I am so desperate to get back into running. Wits and Old Ed’s is coming up soon and I want to run.
  • I need to look after myself all over. Sticking with the pig theme, even my dietitian told me I must stop eating like a pig (my interpretation).

The test results for my throat swab come out on Friday but I have been booked off from work regardless. Even if it’s not pig, it’s still flu. As frustrating as this is for someone like me who never takes sick leave, I have no choice.

On the topic of pigs, one of my Twitter BFFs @lucypeta has a pig as a pet. His name is Merlin. Here he is, giving me a smooch hello! *love him* Isn’t he just gorgeous!

“All I need to know about life I learned from my dog” – Loren

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I work with a girl named Loren. I’ve known for some time now that she does some sort of therapy work with dogs. That’s pretty much all I knew until I was asked to ‘interview’ her for an internal newsletter. What I learnt about her filled me with incredible admiration. Here’s why…

Loren has always had a love for dogs. As she told me, “Dogs have been sent to us for a purpose.”

She belongs to a non-profit organisation called “Paws for People®”.

Together with her Shiloh Shepherd, Willow, they provide animal assisted activity/therapy for motivational, educational, recreational and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance the quality of life for people. Their time is spent in old age homes and hospital visits, specializing in Oncology and Pediatrics. They are also involved in the Pet Education programs at schools to teach children how to interact with dogs. Loren has also just started training on the R.A.D.I.C.A.L. program for children with reading disabilities.

Not only does the therapy work strengthen the bond between Willow and herself, but as Loren explained, she’s also able to share Willow with others. Willow brings so much joy and Loren loves seeing the smile on patients’ faces as Willow gives them the opportunity to forget their pain and suffering at that moment.

Loren says, “I am merely a facilitator and Willow does all the work, whether it be lying on the bed with a patient, taking a patient’s socks off, walking down the passage with the patient or just sitting quietly. What’s important to me is that I have made someone’s day and that I have made their stay in hospital etc… a more pleasant one. I can have the worst day ever, but after the therapy visit I have forgotten all about it. Visiting these patients makes me realize that there are people with bigger problems out there and I have every reason to feel grateful.”

There aren’t a lot of people in this world that have the heart and dedication to do what Loren and Willow do. I think both Loren and Willow are pretty amazing…

Running marathons instead of rat races

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Ask any South African what they enjoy about the Comrades marathon and somewhere in the conversation, they will mention the excitement around the cut-off guns. The screams from the crowds as the clock ticks down, the agony as some runners are reduced to crawling and the tears on the faces of those runners who don’t make it.

It was the same watching the Comrades marathon on TV on the weekend. As the clock ticked down and runners were left with less and less time to complete the race, runners were encouraging each other on, supporting one another, urging each other not to quit. When a runner would fall on the grass on that last stretch and not have the energy to get up, other runners would stop and help out, grabbing their heavy, tired bodies and pulling them over that finish line. Supporters were screaming and encouraging the runners. It was nail-biting!

The races I run are certainly not as long or dramatic and we don’t drag each other over the finish line, but in many races, especially those such as Two Oceans, runners will not let one another fail and we will support each other to the very end. If I stop to walk, those around me encourage me to carry on. When it looks like I cannot go on, other runners will shout out support and advice as they pass me, even grabbing my hand or pushing my back, saying “Come on 8408 (my race number), you can do this!”

Running is the one sport where it’s all up to the individual but where we all want each other to succeed.

Yet, it’s a pity I don’t see that same sense of camaraderie in the corporate world…

You see, my own experience of late is that if you are down, very few colleagues stop to help you up. If you’re struggling and on the verge of quitting, it’s rare that anyone will urge you to continue. No one stops to look at the full picture or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. In fact, in the rat race of the corporate world, it’s become a matter of survival of the fittest and each person has their eye on the finish line. The competitiveness has over-shadowed team spirit and people are walking over one another to get to the end.

We all have different goals even if we are all running towards the same finish line, but it’s important to stop and help those around you who are struggling or who may be needing that extra little push to get to the end.

When you run at my running pace of 8 mins/km, you inevitably land up at the back of the pack. A typical half marathon takes me 3 hours to run. But let me tell you, there’s something magical about running with the back-markers. A certain sense of camaraderie that I cannot explain. But also a vibe where we all realise that some of us won’t make that cut-off gun.

I wish my colleagues would only realise that in a race, the real reward is when you stop and help someone over that finish line so that in the end, you both achieve your goals.

Stop running. Seek help.

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I’ve never shared this secret with anyone, but I had such a big fear of public speaking that a couple of years ago, I sought the help of a psychiatrist to help me overcome that fear.

At the time, it was part of my job to present to a crowd of approximately 80 people on a monthly basis. The ironic thing is that the feedback from my boss was that colleagues loved my presentations and so, at every opportunity, she would volunteer my name to present.

I hated it. I hated it so much. I couldn’t sleep. I was sick the night before. It became so bad that for one whole week every month before the meeting, I was a nervous wreck.

So I started to see a psychiatrist.

It’s not like the movies. I didn’t get to lie on my back and talk about my feelings. He didn’t have a soothing voice and a notebook and pen. In fact, it was tough. He gave me homework to do!

The biggest question he taught me to ask myself is: Is it true?

So when I worry that people will laugh at me, I ask “Is it true?” No, they won’t. They’re even more terrified of standing up and presenting than I am. It’s a fear that majority of humans have.

When I think I will forget my words and people will judge me, I ask, “Is it true?” No. I have never forgotten my words and if I do, it’s fine. Move on.

It’s not so much as overcoming the fears, but being in control of my anxiety and stress.

When I look back now, I realise just how much I’ve grown and how far I’ve come.

Yes, I still feel incredibly nervous when I have to speak in front of people. I have come to terms with the fact that this is only natural and will never go away. It’s good to have that rush of adrenaline.

If I thought I was being treated for a fear of public speaking, I was mistaken. In the end, I landed up learning the skill of trusting myself and not allowing that horrible little voice in my head to convince me of things that don’t exist. You see, sometimes you need to stop running and face those fears.