We have all heard stories of workers who don’t have any more sick days and risk losing their job if they take off anyway. Perhaps you’ve even been in one of these situations yourself. A FedEx worker in Alabama had to, unfortunately, experience this when she thought she was having a heart attack during her shift. I already had little faith in jobs caring about their employees, and this doesn’t make it any better.
Kals shared her story in a video on TikTok. In the video, her Apple Watch reads a heart rate of 154 BPM (beats per minute). While exercising, that sounds normal, but not so much when you’re just sitting. She was feeling frightened and in tears as she explained that she felt chest pains and sensations all over her body, from her neck to the tips of her fingers. On top of that, she was feeling dizzy and said that it didn’t feel like she was having a normal panic attack like she’d experienced in the past.
Kals went on through tears to tell her viewers she had 34 more stops to make and would be going to the emergency room at the end of her shift. She went on to say, “I’m suffering because I don’t want to get fired.”
Why did she fear that? Because her manager once said, “Doctor’s notes don’t deliver packages.” She shared direct messages from her manager. They were “passive-aggressive” toward her in the past when she had to call off work. It kept her feeling on edge that any day, she’d be fired.
At the end of her shift, Kals went to the emergency room as promised. They gave her an aspirin and told her that she was suffering from anxiety and dehydration. Kals stated in the prior video that she was drinking water all day and staying out of the heat. Even with the ‘treatment’ at the hospital, her symptoms didn’t go away.
At this point, I was invested in Kals’ story. She explained she went to her doctor the next day, who was able to diagnose her with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.) This condition typically causes an increased heart rate, as it affects the nervous system and a person’s blood flow. You may experience fainting spells, brain fog, heart palpitations, and even exercise intolerance.
POTS can definitely cause an array of symptoms that can make you feel as if you’re experiencing a cardiac event. My wife was diagnosed with POTS many years ago before it was better understood due to COVID-19. She too struggled with workplaces not being totally understanding. Living with POTS can post a challenging journey at times. It can turn a regular day into a struggle, especially as a FedEx worker who may require minimum exercise.
As for Kals, many individuals shared the advice that no job is worth your life. They urged her to seek help for her symptoms instead of continuing her drive. Far too many jobs are quick to replace you if something happens to you, and management doesn’t think twice about assisting you during your time of need. It definitely makes you take a second look at things and consider what is most important to you.
