Through the Valley-What I Learned The Day My Husband Nearly Died

In this deeply personal piece, I dove  into the profound lessons I gleaned from the terrifying day when my husband faced a life-threatening situation. Join me in this reflective journey as I unveil the transformative power of faith, hope amidst the shadows of adversity.

Every year on our wedding anniversary we go on a adventure to celebrate our love.

On November 2, 2024, my hubby took me on a cruise to the Bahamas. We we’re having the most incredible time. The next couple of days would be some of the most difficult moments that would shake my faith to my core.

Towards the end of the cruise he complained of a headache, and he kept saying he was very hot and wasn’t feeling well. He was sweating profusely and no amount of air conditioner would cool his body down. I began to see how uncomfortable he was feeling, so I escorted him back to our room and laid him on the bed to sleep for the rest of the evening. The next couple of days as our cruise was coming to a close, he was very incoherent and this was not like him. When our cruise was over, we headed back home. The car ride back home was silent, neither one of us whispered a word the words that I spoke to him were not reciprocated and at this point I began to get a little concerned because I had never seen him show these symptoms of sickness before. I began to intercede in prayer for him. 

On Monday, November 11, 2024, he went to work like a normal day, and he was home by 5:03 PM. We proceeded to have dinner as we always do when he comes home from work, but this day, this day was different. 

His face had a dazed and confused look. I asked him if he was hungry, and he couldn’t decide whether he was hungry or not. There was a blank look on his face. It was as if though nothing was registering in his mind. The next thing that happened was something that you only see in movies. As I handed him his plate and said, "here is dinner baby", he tried to grab the plate to take a bite but struggled as his his eyes rolled to the back of head, his tongue cemented to the roof of his mouth and his body began to convulse, it was as if he turned to stone as he hit the ground. As the stream of blood flowed from his mouth, covering his shirt and spilling onto the floor, I questioned, where was this blood coming from? The harsh reality was, I didn't want to know..could it be a stroke? Was it a heart attack? Time stopped right before my eyes. I didn’t know what was happening at the moment even worse that he literally was dying in my arms.

I panicked in despair, and I froze!  All I could scream out was, "Lord don't you take him from me"

I said “Jesus! Jesus”, like talking into a megaphone, What do I do?  

I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed 911.

As I frantically spoke to the operator, my words were tangled up and my tears were flowing like a raging river, and I couldn’t contain them as she kept telling me to calm down that the ambulance was on its way. 

I then began to pray over my husband I prayed psalm 91 over him. 

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.”  I declared the word of God over him, and I repeated it several times over and over. I distinctively remember the 911 operator telling me to keep praying over him.

In my desperation, I cried out bitterly, God! HELP! Please, don't take him from me not  yet, and I looked down at my husband, and I knew beyond a shadow of doubt he could not hear me.  I knew he was unable to comprehend what I was saying, but in a loud declarative voice I said it anyway.

Baby!! Don’t you dare leave me, YOU CANNOT leave me!! I told him. 

The 911 operator then told me to take my husband’s pulse. I then proceeded to apply my hand in front of his nose to feel if he was breathing and at first, I could not feel him breathing and the second time I took his pulse. I felt something, but it was faint, and I was so relieved. 

It took the paramedics 5 minutes to arrive, but to me it felt like it was the longest, most intense 5 minutes ever. The paramedics proceeded to lay him on the stretcher and took him to the to the hospital. While at the hospital, they ran several tests on him to determine what was wrong with him. They transferred him to the to the critical ICU unit.As I was shown into his room, everything looked grey; my beloved husband, all the equipment on him, the walls. I sat with him for ten minutes, told him how much I loved him.

Then I squeezed his hand. There was no response. I thought: "My God, please take care of him." I couldn’t hold back the tears and had to rush from the room; I didn’t want him to hear me or see me crying. I sobbed to a nurse: "I don’t even know if my husband is alright. Please can someone tell me what’s going on! 2 days later they informed us that he had meningitis."He was in intensive care and doctors were still doing tests to determine what kind he had.

It had never occurred to me a strapping man like my husband could be struck down with this life-threatening infection. 6 foot two and as strong as an ox. Joe would be the last person I’d expect to be at risk.Witnessing him lose his memory was heartbreaking; it was truly devastating to see such a vital part of him fade away.

The next couple of days we lived in the ICU, they were a blur and some of the hardest days I had to walk through.  

I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat. I felt so sick, I  hadn’t showered in days.

I kept having horrible flashbacks of that dreadful moment when his body hit the kitchen floor, and he laid there lifeless. 

Some call it PTSD and I feel for all of those that have suffered or are suffering from this, my heart goes out to you. 

All I could do was pray and pray some more and sit next to my husband’s bedside in the ICU room and read the powerful living word of God over him.

I remember one day talking to my dear friend Tilly. 

She asked “how are you doing, Alexa”?

It didn’t register because my main priority was taking care of my husband that I didn’t think about myself.

I then asked myself, how was I really doing? “Was it well with my soul”? 

The words to that song beckoned me to examine my heart.It was a battle and I said  "God, this is hard. I'm tired. please help."

My husband means everything to me. He's the only person who knows me inside out, seen the best and worst in me and still loved me regardless. He healed so many things that he didn't even break. He is my best friend, my safe place and I'll love him forever and I just couldn’t fathom my life without him. Every day with him is so special and I don’t want take the moments  that we are together for granted. 

Through these difficult moments I kept my eyes on Jesus because I knew that if anybody could heal my husband and heal my grieving heart, it could only be him. 

Deep in my heart I knew God was always present, and he is always closer than we think. He meets us in our grief and pain.

Our church community so swiftly & tenderly covered us with so much care and love. We are so so grateful & humbled to be surrounded by the kindest people in the world.

My dear husband Joe is healing and getting better every day, we know that God is walking beside us.

God has a huge purpose and plan for my husband’s life. I don’t know what it is, but our God knows. 

I never doubted the Lord's presence, and I never turned from my hope for my husband’s healing.

God works in seasons, and no season lasts forever. If this is a season of pain for you, know that God does some of his best work when you are in these challenging seasons. There is a purpose in the pain, beloved.

Hear the word of the Lord for you: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). Find a quiet spot and listen for God's “megaphone” to speak hope, faith, healing into your weakness, fears or whatever you are walking through. 

One very valuable benefit of this painful season is that it taught me to never doubt in the darkness what I know to be true in the light. That when Jesus died on that cross, he said it is finished!

As I look back at these moments I could feel God’s hand was in everything, every moment, every breath I took, every breath he struggled to take, every prayer I prayed and declared over him, all the tears I shed.  He was working, making a way where there seemed to be no way. 

The Holy Spirit showed me that I needed to surrender and trust & have unwavering faith in God for my husband. He already healed him, and I needed to stand in the truth of that. In my humanity I had been afraid to leave him alone because I feared that he may have another seizure. The enemy whispered in my ear;”He’s not healed” so don’t leave him alone.

I instantly put Satan in his rightful place, and I declared with my mouth out loud:”My husband is healed in the name of Jesus.”

God is our healer, he is with you and for you and has plans for you. No matter how dark or desperate your situation might be. Go to him with every moment of pain you feel. He is the only one that will comfort you and give you what your broken heart needs. "Cast your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you"

1 Peter 5:7.

 By casting our cares, we can experience relief, comfort, knowing that we’re not alone in our struggles. 

The word also says: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”

James 4:8

Trust him fully as your healer, and allow him to guide you through your journey. 

Where we are weak in our human condition, He is strong. Before you know it, you will look back from a new vantage point, realizing there was a great purpose in your  season of pain and priceless things gained along the way. 

It's important for us to feel connected and not go through life in isolation. Seek out a community that can embrace and support you; it can make a world of difference. With God, and those who love you,  You Will Never Walk Alone. Hold on to his promises in the truth of his word. Allow him to meet you where you’re at and heal the parts of you that you didn’t realize needed healing. 

God hasn't forgotten about you, and He has heard every single prayer you’ve prayed and sees every single tear you have shed. 

He is trustworthy, loyal and OH! how he LOVES YOU. 

Below are some scriptures that I read and declared over my husband while he lay in his hospital bed. Use them for yourself and your loved ones.

Psalm 23:4 

Psalm 91

Isaiah 53:5

John 14:1 

Philippians 4:6-7

Much Love! 

Alejandrina Carroll 

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