An essay by an American woman whose husband almost died because of energy drinks and came out of a coma when their son was born

Many people cope with overwork and lack of sleep with the help of energy drinks. They would do well to think about how horse doses of caffeine and sugar affect the body. As recently as April of this year, a teenager who whipped energy every day died due to an overdose of caffeine in South Carolina. On the verge of death was an American Austin (last name is not called). He has been pouring energy drinks on stress at work for months.

His wife Brianna, who was nine months pregnant at the time, recently described on Facebook how her world almost collapsed. The illustrations for this story were created by photographer Sarah Endres. In the photo — an ordinary family. Father, mother and a small child. But my father has something terrible with his skull…

Source: Bored Panda

Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful adventures that can be experienced. You're creating a new life. And you feel an extraordinary love for someone you haven't even seen yet. Austin and I were so looking forward to the birth of our baby! We dreamed of bringing him home and surrounding him with love.

…I distinctly remember how my mother-in-law woke me up that ill-fated morning. "Austin is in trouble," she said. What exactly happened to him, she did not know.

The trip to the hospital took two hours. There I found out that my husband, the father of my child, the man I love with all my soul, has a severe brain hemorrhage. Because of what? Doctors came to the conclusion (after six tests for toxins) that this happened due to excessive use of energy drinks. Austin started drinking them after he moved to a new job where he worked like a damn.

The operation had already lasted more than five hours before we were allowed to look at him. While everyone was looking at an almost unrecognizable face, from which several tubes were coming off, I saw only the faces of Austin's parents. The light was leaving the mother's eyes, the father could hardly restrain himself from bursting into tears. They desperately clung to the hope that their child would wake up. And I was thinking about whether our child would see his father.

The next day, the brain surgery continued and ended seemingly safely. I sat by Austin's bed for days on end. He was in a coma. I prayed and did not lose faith that he would pull through. No matter what our life would be like afterwards, I felt that I was ready to go through anything. If only he would get out.

I literally lived in the hospital for two weeks. And then it was time to give birth.

We planned for Austin to be present at the birth. He will support me, hold my hand and cut the umbilical cord himself. But instead, he was lying unconscious on a hospital bed.

Perhaps you can call it a miracle. Austin woke up the same day our son was born. I had to wait a week before seeing my husband. Until then, I didn't take my eyes off my son and cried. He looks so much like his father.

Leaving the child in the care of my mother-in-law, I hurried to the hospital. I couldn't wait to tell my beloved that the birth was successful. Austin's condition stabilized, but he had to go through countless more surgeries and procedures. My husband first looked at his son when he was already two months old.

Austin is home now. We cannot say that we live a normal life. Doctors come to us so often that I have already lost count. But the main thing is that my husband is alive. And continues to fight.

Every morning I wake up before dark to feed my son and take care of my husband. To conduct physical therapy and speech therapy. I help him wash, walk… Yes, in general, in everything.

It's very hard and I'm very tired. But I'm doing my best. And I will do it.

Austin is not the same as he was before. Not the person I once fell in love with. But I fall in love with him again and again every day. To make his life better. So that our son has a father.