My head is pounding. I’m going to be sick. I roll onto my side and dry heave--I haven’t been able to eat anything all day. I didn’t want to tell Tim I felt sick to my stomach. Today was too important. Oh shit, what have I done? I remember going into the conference room with lunch, thinking I could go lie down in my office if I could just make it through this one task.

I didn’t really think I had a stomach bug. What happened? As I take stock of my surroundings, I ...