Shivers, IVs & Kayla

Months ago I told myself: it’s always darkest before the dawn. And today proved it.

The morning was deceptively calm. Clear skies, smooth ride, traffic whisper-quiet. I had to be at work early, and New Edition was blasting Cool It Now like it knew. I should’ve known..days that feel this good always come with a sting.

I pull into work. Everything looks fine. The office is a little cold, but I shrug and leave my jacket on. Still, the chill creeps in. I grab my coffee, thinking it’ll warm my soul..but it’s not enough.

Then it hits me. Shivers. Violent, uncontrollable, from head to toe. My body feels like it’s caught in a blizzard, moving to its own rhythm.It was a reaction to something deep that my body refused to ignore.

Malik and Taye, my coworkers, start giving me that side-eye. “You don’t look right,” they say. I try to laugh it off. But their concern is real. they insist I go home. Great advice, except my hands are shaking so hard I can’t even imagine gripping a steering wheel.

Enter Daia, my Manager, She swoops in with that authority and calm that only she has and guides me to a qiiet corner. The decision is made: ambulance.

The EMTs arrive, and I’m strapped to the gurney, trying to preserve whatever dignity I have left. Then Shanice, our ever-curious receptionist, walks in, all smiles. Fantastic. Now I’m battling a hormonal storm and mentally bracing for the office rumors: “She was convulsing!” “They had to shock her!” Let me be clear: never a seizure. Just my body throwing a fit in the most dramatic way it knows.

The ER visit itself? Standard medical chaos.

Gown: Check.
IV insertion: Check (a bit rough, but survived).
Two IV bags of fluids later, I’m on my way home.

Daia had already handed my keys to Kayla, who transformed immediately into Nurse Bougie. She didn’t just check my vitals....she held space for me. She fed me fluids, offered warmth, reassured me, stayed on the line when I shook with fatigue. Every touch and word reminded me that I wasn’t alone. Flu-like virus? Check. Bed rest? Check. Love, patience, attention, fierce loyalty? Triple check.

It’s in moments like these that you discover who truly has your back. Who sees you//not just the strong exterior, the work persona, the “I’ve got it together” mask..but the full, vulnerable truth. And when you find those people, you hold them close, because they are rare.