Hey, {{first_name | Fam}}!

Y’all, sorry this newsletter is a week late. Last week, I felt like I was surely knocking on heaven’s door.

Here’s what happened.

It started with a stomach bug I caught at a restaurant. It left me attached to the toilet and so dehydrated that my blood pressure dropped to 82/55 (pretty sure it’s not supposed to do that), and I nearly passed out in my kitchen twice. Once that was over, I had to deal with the repercussions of being 30+ years old and not stretching after the gym. What started as a little shoulder pain turned into a nearly debilitating tension headache, with sensations that felt like knives being driven into my head. My vision was blurred, and light hurt my eyes. I was also still weak, hardly eating, and barely hydrated, so I had to stay with my family for 24/7 care (they even had to help me go to and from the bathroom because everything my body was going through made it hard to move with stability).

Then I remembered: I have Black friends in the medical field. A nurse practitioner, a pharmacist, a physician assistant and a physical therapist. Basically, an on-call Black medical team. Look at God.

The nurse practitioner gave me an at-home IV drip. My pharmacist friend told me what medications to request and avoid. My PA friend did a free consultation and wrote me a prescription for the pain. And once I was mobile, the physical therapist helped me work the kinks out of my neck and shoulders that were causing the severe nerve pain in my head.

They got me back on my feet, and yes, they saved me from what would have been a very expensive ER visit. But here’s what I keep coming back to: I am so blessed to have medical professionals in my circle who believed me without hesitation.

And these are the same people I can lean on if I ever have questions about what other medical folks are telling me. In a world where Black pain is so often ignored in the medical field, having people who hear you the first time is priceless.

By the way, this isn’t a replacement for emergency care. If something feels serious, go. But having people in your corner who can tell you what’s normal, what’s not, and what to do next is a lifeline. It’s so important for us to build circles like that.

I’d love to hear about a time when your network of Black professionals (healthcare or otherwise) came through for you in a time of need. Reply and share your story! I’d love to feature some in my next newsletter.

As for me, I’m hosting the Black Travel Summit in Milwaukee tomorrow, and I’m feeling great thanks to an awesome group of Black people who had my back. After that, I’m headed to Chicago to check out the Obama Presidential Center. Stay tuned for more on that.

Thoughtfully,
Nicole