“It’s ok to reminisce about the past, but not ruminate about it. - Nicole Malachowski

Everything that she needed to be a good fighter pilot, such as discipline, focus, commitment, determination, and confidence are the traits and the characteristics she needed to survive the worst depths of her illness and to thrive today, even though she still lives with chronic symptoms.

You're having to navigate a system that doesn't believe you, doesn't support you, and honestly has not much right now to offer you in terms of care.

I now know that your job shouldn’t be your identity. Boom, I go from this elite, high-performing person, physically and mentally, to just being completely broken overnight. I’m this independent confident type A fighter pilot, and now I can’t even go to the restroom by myself or bathe by myself—overnight,”