Jonathan Severance
When Harriett, the author’s wife, is stricken by a life-threatening case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome during the COVID-19 era, their world is turned upside down. What begins as a trip to a walk-in clinic soon spirals into a nightmare of paralysis, respiratory failure, and a harrowing ICU stay. The author bears witness to each moment-becoming her patient advocate in the ICU and sending daily reports to family and friends.After two weeks on a ventilator, Harriett reaches a critical turning point with a tracheostomy. She makes rapid progress and is transferred to a long-term acute care hospital. But due to strict COVID-19 restrictions, the author is unable to visit, forced to navigate his own deep isolation while continuing to advocate for her from a distance.Through grit and perseverance, Harriett regains her ability to walk, culminating in a triumphant hike up Mount Monadnock-a site rich in family history-alongside her children and grandchildren. Doctors call her progress miraculous.But this is more than a story of survival. It is a journey of faith, love, and transformation. As the author faces his darkest days, he reflects on a lifelong spiritual search-his forays into Zen Buddhism and other Eastern traditions, his eventual embrace of Christianity, and his ongoing practice of Contemplative Prayer.Drawing from archived text messages, hospital records, and deeply personal reflections, The Light in the Window weaves together a detailed medical account, a love story, and a testament to the profound support of friends. It is also a tribute to the dedication of medical practitioners and the power of prayer.Dramatic and poignant, this memoir reminds us that even in life’s darkest moments, light can be found.
