I Can’t Have a Rupturing Appendix Right Now, I’m Leading a Client Call Later Today
Miles Tone sat on the edge of the examination table, clutching his lower right abdomen, while the ER doctor explained that his appendix was dangerously inflamed and required immediate removal.
“Okay, I hear you,” Tone said, pulling out his phone with his free hand. “But I really cannot do an emergency appendectomy today. I have a client presentation at two o’clock. Can we slot the surgery in for Thursday evening? I have a gap between five and six.”
The doctor explained that an inflamed appendix is not an elective procedure and that it could rupture at any moment.
Tone winced as a sharp pain hit him, but he kept his eyes on his calendar app.
“Right, but if it ruptures, what is the actual downtime?” Tone asked. “Because our yearly offsite is next week. Can I still lead the afternoon breakout sessions? I am willing to compromise on a mild cough if I can take it on mute. But I cannot be completely offline.”
The doctor reiterated that surgery needed to happen within the hour and instructed the nurse to prepare the operating room. Tone sighed, rubbing his temples.
“This is just really poor timing for my body to do this,” Tone said. “I do not have coverage for organ failure right now. If we do the surgery now, will the anesthesia wear off by tomorrow morning? I am supposed to interview a new regional director. I can probably conduct it from the recovery ward if the hospital WiFi is stable.”
When the surgical transport team arrived with a wheelchair, Tone asked them if they had a laptop charger he could borrow for the operating table. “I’m not saying no to the surgery,” Tone said, lowering his voice as the nurse unlocked the wheels on the bed. “I’m saying let’s also be realistic about the stakeholder landscape.”