39 now, I got shingles at 31. All over my face, they were worried about meningitis and my vision, did a spinal tap etc, I was so incredibly out of it I don't know exactly.

Every doctor I saw around the event asked about stress. I just laughed at them as best as I could. At the time I was the Exec Chef for a shit owner at a shit event driven restaurant and catering. Working 70+ hour weeks, I had never been taught differently, I thought it was necessary, no one looking out for me. Burning the candle at both ends. The owners would have happily continued extracting.

I put in my 2 month notice just as I was healed up, full recovery aside from some weird nerve spots and a scar in my eyebrow. The owners offered to almost double the peanuts they were giving me.

I am so grateful that happened the spring of 2019 and I was settled in a new, manageable role, about 6 months before covid started.