Hectic work schedules and lack of much-needed sleep has all of us relying on Energy drinks to get through the day. While chugging cans of energy drinks, seldom does anyone pay attention to the amount of caffeine and sugar they are putting in their bodies and how it may affect them. Due to energy drinks being a relatively new invention, unfortunately, there isn’t much research about their harmful effects.

Image credits: Shutterstock

A teenager in a South Carolina lost her life back in April due to caffeine overdose aggravated by energy drinks. Similarly, Austin, a new father, relying on energy drinks for months due to a hectic work schedule luckily survived but suffered permanent body damage. His wife, Brianna, nine months pregnant with their first child, decided to share the heart-wrenching story of how her world almost crumbled in front of her on social media.

Image credits: Shutterstock

Read her story if you are unconvinced of the malignant nature of Energy drinks.

Brianna defines love as being selfless. She says it’s not just the mundane and little things like coffee dates or romantic dinners. It’s being able to sacrifice what you thought you could never ever give up. She talks about her pain. How the emotional turmoil of nearly losing her husband left her in a daze. How she felt like the world was closing in on her and she found it hard to breathe, think, even react, all the while carrying her first child.

Image credits: Endres Photography

She expressed her joy at being pregnant. How creating a new life with your husband is one of the most beautiful journeys one could embark upon. In her case a baby boy who she was ecstatic to bring into this world and into her home, to raise him with her husband. Give their child the life, love and attention he deserves.

Image credits: Endres Photography

Then one unauspicious night, she went to bed only to be woken up in the morning by her mother in law to inform her that her husband, Austin had been in an accident. One can only imagine the horror she faced knowing her husband was in the hospital but not the reason why he was there.

Image credits: Endres Photography

She made the two-hour long journey to the hospital where she found out that her husband, the love of her life, the person she planned to raise her children with had had a brain haemorrhage. After running several tests, the doctors concluded that the incident took place due to his unhealthy consumption of huge amounts of energy drinks. A habit he had recently acquired when he started working for longer hours.

Image credits: Endres Photography

20 amazing Shayaris by Mohamed Zubair that define Love, Loss and Life

By the time Brianna got to the hospital, He was already being prepped for surgery. It went on for five long hours, after which his family was allowed to see him, his face was hooked up to all kinds of machines and tubes. She describes the agony his parents felt when they laid eyes on their son, lying motionless, fighting for his life. The way the couple held on to each other sobbing is enough to make one’s heart tremor. As a mother to be she could feel their pain of not knowing if the son they created and raised together would live or not. The family she had a become a part of and loved was torn by grief.

Image credits: Endres Photography

There was another brain surgery the next day, which left him with an irreparable hole in the front of his skull, strokes, seizures and things they probably had never imagined facing. After two weeks of being stuck in the limbo of not knowing if he will make the next hour or not, his family decided to go back home for it was time for Brianna to deliver their baby.

Image credits: Endres Photography

Like every woman, she had planned for her partner to be with her every step of the way. It was unthinkable for her them not experiencing their big moment together, him not being there to hold her hand or cut the cord when the baby came out. So it happened that the miracle of their son’s birth was followed by the miracle of Austin waking up. She went a week without seeing him then left the baby with her in-laws and went to visit him. To tell him about their son.

Image credits: Endres Photography

They saw through more medical procedures and after two difficult months, he met his son. A sight, everyone was grateful to see. Shortly afterwards Austin could go home. It didn’t mean everything was normal, there were still countless visits to the doctors and hospitals but they were willing to fight through it all.

Image credits: Endres Photography

Brianna wakes up every morning to take care of the two people she loves the most: her husband and son. She prepares food, helps her husband with personal hygiene, does physical, speech and occupational therapy. With helping him and looking after their eight-month-old, her hands are full but they make it work. The struggle is still going on but like she said love is selfless and you never give up on the people you truly love.

He isn’t the same man I fell in love with, but I still fall further everyday, We are fighting to help him recover. To make his life better. One day we will get there.
Until then, I will never give up on him. Because love is selfless, and I love him more than life itself.

This is one story that Brianna shared but we’re sure there are many other of people suffering medical conditions due to over-consumption of energy drinks, which just have not been shared yet. There needs to be a conversation about the health risks of these drinks for the Briannas of the world, so there aren’t any more families torn apart by grief.

Article by BornRealist