Page 26 - That’s Crazy ebook

That’s Crazy

I did not realize that I had no support in managing this

conference, so much for titles and positions. I was working 12 hours
a day for 3 months straight. The clients were constantly changing the

agenda and the logistics of the conference. My immediate supervisor
was not offering any kind of additional support. She would see me as

she left for the day at 5:00 pm and when she arrived at 8:30 am the

next day. By this time, I was getting angry because it was just too much
to pull off by myself. On the other hand, it was great training and it

provided me with power as we got closer to the event. Because my
immediate supervisor took the hands-off approach, she left herself

vulnerable. I was the only one who knew all the details of the
conference. As we got closer to the conference, I had worked so much

I was beginning to get sick.

The first month on the job I ended up in the hospital because I

had been walking around with a fever of 102 for three weeks and I
had lost 20 pounds. When my temperature reached 105, I was

admitted to the hospital. I stayed for a week and submitted to all kinds
of test, never to find out what was causing the fever, after a couple of

days in the hospital and Tylenol, my fever finally broke. At that point,

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, some new disorder
that no one knew anything about. I believe it was God’s way of forcing
me to rest.

I returned to work and continued to prepare for the conference.

For me it was not about that company, it was about my reputation and
I knew I could not fail, especially as the only black female manager in

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