Just Keep Swimming: A True Story of Our Yearlong Battle for Life

Imagine hearing the words "I'm going to die" from the person you love most, all while the clock seems to freeze at 8:30 AM on an ordinary Saturday. This is a story about facing those unimaginable moments head-on, and how resilience can be your strongest ally when life turns upside down.

October 15th, 2022, started like any other Saturday morning, until it didn't. The clock was stuck at 8:30 AM, at least it felt that way, as my wife screamed the words that would echo in my mind for months to come: "I'm going to die, I'm going to die."

Within what felt like mere seconds, her body gave in, and she collapsed. Panic surged through my veins as I dialed 911, my hands trembling like autumn leaves caught in a windstorm. My eyes darted toward our children, ages 3 and 6, who stood frozen, unable to comprehend why their mother was being whisked away on a stretcher, her face the color of alabaster.

I followed the ambulance's flashing lights in an Uber, my heart pounding as we pulled up to the hospital. There, the doctors gave me the harrowing news: my wife was critically ill. The stroke had caused severe blood accumulation in her brain, which had then extended into her upper spinal cord. Her chances of survival? Heartbreakingly minimal.

Fighting Against All Odds

From that moment, life went into overdrive. My wife was transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, her condition so severe that she suffered cardiac arrest along the way. Emergency neurosurgery was her last hope, a lifeline we clung to amidst the chaos. As she was wheeled into the operating room, I was left in the quiet storm of my own thoughts.

Although she survived the surgery, the relief was short-lived, overshadowed by the enormity of the battle ahead. My first night back home was haunting; the house felt empty. Seeking comfort, my children and I huddled together in our king-sized bed, each of us a small island of hope in a sea of uncertainty.

Riding the Rollercoaster

The rollercoaster we were on had more climbs and drops than we could have ever imagined. Just when we thought we were gaining ground, an abdominal perforation struck like a bolt from the blue. It felt like dancing on the edge of a razor blade; she was almost lost to us again. The alarms on the hospital monitors became a jarring symphony, ushering doctors into a frenzy of action to save her life, yet again.

Hospital corridors turned into haunting labyrinths as we navigated from one wing to another for tests, consultations, and countless medical procedures. For five soul-crushing months, the hospital walls saw more of us than our home did. Two of those months were spent in the TICU—Trauma Intensive Care Unit—a place that would test the resolve of any human being. Days blurred into nights, time losing all meaning, as we oscillated between hope and despair.

Then came the aftershocks—double vision that made the world a dizzying canvas, and six drains snaking from her body as if she were a machine in need of constant upkeep. Eating became an exercise in medical engineering, sustenance coming from tubes rather than the family dinner table.

Another Surgery

In July, the surgical lights glared down once more as we prepared for another operation to fix the abdominal perforation. The tension in the room was palpable, like the charged air before a storm. What was supposed to be a two-week recovery stretched into a grueling six weeks.

As the days ticked by, we found ourselves redefining what 'resilience' meant for us. We began to form a new "normal," stitching together the threads of our lives against the backdrop of an extraordinary situation. With each challenge we overcame, it felt as though we were penning a new chapter in a handbook of resilience—one that we never knew we'd have to write.

Finally At Home, Forever Changed

We're finally back home, but it's a homecoming with a twist. We returned not just with our bags, but with new perspectives and a greater sense of what's important. This experience has been our toughest teacher, forcing us to reevaluate what we once considered the "norm."

We're not invincible heroes; we're a family who faced hardship and came out the other side wiser and more grateful. Simple joys like sharing a meal or hugging our children have a new depth of meaning now. Though the road was long and fraught with challenges, it’s paved the way for us to cherish life and each other like never before.

A Symphony of Gratitude

To my friends, family, all those in our WhatsApp group, my exceptional work team, the dedicated doctors and nurses, the personnel at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and everyone who sent prayers and well-wishes—your support has been our lifeline. We could never have navigated this odyssey without you.

Life Lessons from the Darkest Hours

Your love and support have not only sustained us but also taught us invaluable lessons that we'll carry forward. Here's what this journey has imprinted on our hearts:

• Live for Today: The best day could very well be today. We often live for the future, overlooking the present.

• Uniqueness of Each Day: Don't compare today with the past or future; each day is unique and offers its own opportunities.

• Mind Over Matter: Medical interventions often target the symptom, not the root cause. Your mindset can affect your health just as much as any medicine.

• Power of Positivity: Your brain is the command center, and its state can be positively influenced to improve your health outcomes.

• Importance of Belief: In our darkest hours, believing that things will turn around can be incredibly empowering.

• The Creator's Interface: Spirituality or faith can serve as an interface to higher powers that guide us.

• Happiness vs. Pursuit of Happiness: Enjoying the happiness you have is often more fulfilling than continually seeking more.

• Resilience Through Trials: Being a founder prepared me for the emotional rollercoaster, teaching me the value of resilience in face of immense adversity.

  
  

  Photos from Our Toughest Days