We are honored that our Founder & CEO, Corrine Heck, has been featured in the Viewpoint section of SAF's Floral Management Magazine for a second time in their March 2020 Edition! Lots has happened since her first Viewpoint back in 2018, so make sure to check out the full, new article below to get the "details!"
Late last year, my life came to a standstill when I received an unbelievable diagnosis: I had a brain tumor.
Hours earlier, I’d signed a contract to partner with Accent Decor, a company I’d dreamed of working with since I started Details Flowers Software five years ago. That’s right: My biggest professional win coincided exactly with the most devastating personal news.
When I heard the diagnosis, I fell to my knees. When your health and life are at risk, you find yourself in a virtual tailspin, unable to find balance. And you, your loved ones, and your team members have many questions.
In retrospect, it’s wild how quickly things change. Before my diagnosis, I was living a healthy life. I’d lost 50 pounds through diet and exercise. In September 2019, during SAF’s annual convention, people complimented me on how fit I looked and how bright I appeared. I was relishing the experience and making new industry friends.
Then, on the convention's final day, I slipped away from meetings to enjoy some downtime with my husband, Gregory. That’s when it happened: an uncontrollable seizure. One moment, I sat on a lounge chair, watching floral friends walk along the beach. The next moment, I was fighting for consciousness. Something was majorly wrong with me. I needed answers — and fast!
But when I got the diagnosis three days later, I was not expecting to hear the words “brain tumor.” I didn’t feel prepared. Then again, how do you prepare for that news?
My doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville estimated that the fist-sized tumor had been growing for at least 20 years; it was pressing on essential areas of my brain that controlled motor speech and the ability to walk. They thought it was benign but couldn’t be sure until pathology was performed. The tumor had to come out.
The surgeons wanted to get me into the operating room immediately, but I had a packed calendar of industry events that I couldn’t (or didn’t want) to miss. I asked to postpone the big day — my brain surgery. The surgeons agreed, and off I went with anti-seizure medication in hand and ten days of pondering the inevitable.
My life moved at an extra fast speed. My days were filled with MRIs, EKGs, and doctor’s appointments. I finally took up challenging tasks so many of us put off: writing a final will and trust with my attorney and ensuring my business and family were protected.
My own mortality is something I never gave much thought to before my tumor. I realized how ill-prepared I was to face something of this magnitude. Fortunately, with the help of Gregory, my community, and my team, I got it all done, but spending hours poring over documents — during what might be one’s final days — is something that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
The week preceding the surgery, Gregory and I made the best of every moment while in Las Vegas for an industry event. I treasured everything. There wasn’t time to be unhappy or impatient. I had already changed — for the better.
My family and I documented everything in those final days. We didn’t know if I would be the same person after the surgery or remember any of my prior life. As the big day neared, I made peace with the outcome, whatever it was. I said everything I felt needed to be said to everyone critical.
After eight hours on the operating table, I woke up. And guess what? I knew exactly who I was, where I was, and everything that had happened. Less than 24 hours later, I was walking. Two days later, I was home. A week later, I was back at work doing what I love, with the people I love, for an industry I love.
And that’s the lesson I want to share. This is your life. Don’t waste another minute on something that doesn’t bring you absolute joy or serve a higher mission. You owe it to yourself to follow your passion, to live each new day as if it were your last — and to enjoy more flowers!
Follow Details on Instagram!
