In February, I had a 3-week stint that involved multiple trips to urgent care, consultations with assorted doctors, pain medication, and three outpatient procedures. In case anyone was confused on this point, a kidney stone that gets wedged in your ureter is no joke. I’ve had cystine kidney stones (an uncommon chronic type of kidney stone, caused by the body’s inability to correctly process the amino acid cystine) since I was a teenager, and for years I’ve been able to manage them with medication, hydration, and a steadfast belief that I can pass the stones at home without medical intervention.
But this time threw me for a loop, and because it was unexpected, I wasn’t prepared for how to handle my clients while out of commission. Thankfully, I had a light client load at the time and I wasn’t incapacitated for the entire three weeks. I was able to shuffle around my schedule, and the client that was on a specific time track was extremely understanding of my situation and covered for me during those times I simply could not make it happen.
Even with those lucky breaks, it was an additional concern and stress point while I was working my way through the medical process. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid. I have no paid sick leave, short-term disability or any form of income replacement insurance. There are no other staff members to jump in and pick up the slack. If I’m unable to fulfill a contract, it’s unlikely I will maintain the client or that they would be willing to recommend me to other organizations. Being self-employed is a constant hustle and because I was focused on keeping afloat with my current clients, I wasn’t developing new or enhanced client relationships, so I’m still dealing with the fallout.
So now that I’ve gone through this situation, what did I do to prepare for future medical emergencies?
- Contacted the staff of Senator Warner (D-VA) to express my support for a portable benefits pilot program (this program unfortunately did not make it out of committee, but with the rise of the gig economy, it seems likely that something will pass eventually)
- Made a list of individuals I know in the communication field who could potentially pinch-hit for me with a client, if needed
- Expressed my thanks to my current clients for their understanding – this may be business, but we’re also people and relationships matter
- Made a concerted effort to attend more networking events, both to mingle with potential clients but also to meet and learn from other self-employed or freelance consultants about how they’ve handled this and other issues
Did this solve my problem? No. There are many pluses to being a one-woman shop for both me and my clients, but one of the minuses is that I don’t have staff ready and willing to temporarily run my business in the case of an unexpected medical crisis. I still don’t have safety net benefits. It’s a work in progress, but I am at least better mentally prepared and organized should something similar happen again.
Fellow freelancers: How have you prepared for emergencies that temporarily keep you from working?
Sorry you had to go through all this, Sarah! Thanks for sharing your struggle – I agree with the rise of the gig economy people like you are paving the way for solutions for everyone.