My wife Katie and I set off for a blissful getaway to Costa Rica to bask in the sun and waves. It was perfect, initially. But as the trip wound down, I started feeling off. I dismissed it as a minor bug. Upon our return, severe symptoms hit—sweating, vomiting, and crushing fatigue. My body felt like it was shutting down. Katie, ever the voice of reason, insisted I see a doctor who ran a battery of tests to deliver the shocking news: typhoid fever, a severe strain of salmonella. It was a wake-up call like no other. I was immediately put on IVs. Each morning, I dragged myself to the hospital for more treatments. The fatigue was overwhelming, but I refused to let it show. After treatment, I’d head straight to the office, determined to maintain a facade of normalcy. I kept my condition hidden from my team. I didn’t want to scare them or disrupt their focus, so I soldiered on—which you always have to do—even with a potentially life-threatening illness.