His Last Breath
A Soldier, His Wife, and the Man Who Died to Save Them
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The Morning Of It was the second worst day of my life. Friday, April 19, 2019, Good Friday and a most beautiful Spring day. The Sun shone brightly, thawing the frozen ground, premature green sprouts peeking through the thawing soil. I was ready to begin a new day after a restless night, my feet planted on the bedside rug, I inhaled a deep breath, then slowly exhaled asking the Lord to guide me through another day caring for my husband, Chris, who was recently on medical disability for severe depression and anxiety. This was a challenging time for us both, having little control in the past eighteen months over his healing journey. We were forced to surrender medications, counsel, and treatment options to those specifically trained to handle depression and anxiety. Feeling powerless to help my husband, I focused on what I could do for him, which physically included balanced meals, encouraging exercise, and sufficient water intake. Emotionally I spoke words of hope, listened when he felt the need to talk, often highlighting his gifts and strengths. I quickly dressed for the day, assuming Chris was enjoying his much-coveted coffee in his upstairs refuge room. Chris was expected at a Hospital Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at 9 AM, where he went for six hours daily, five days per week to establish a psychological healing plan led by nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and a psychiatrist. When I realized the time, I wondered why Chris hadn't come down for his daily oatmeal. To announce the time, I went to the closed door at the base of the stairs and heard our two dogs whining and scratching. As I opened it, they charged out from the base of the stairs with a bound. After calling Chris’ name twice without a reply, I immediately felt a wave of fear and the onset of panic. Frantically, skipping steps to the top of the stairs, my eyes fell upon a massive upheaval of reality. Shock. Utter disbelief, dissociating my mind from my body. Confusion. I glanced for a brief second at his lifeless face while quickly turning away, bending over, vomiting screams of "NO, NO, NO!" over and over.
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About the Book
Marriage is hard. A Christian marriage with a spouse who diverts from their marriage vows is beyond hard. Discovering mental illness in your spouse decades later is shocking and oddly validating, since the dots finally connect. In His Last Breath, author Michele Arnoldy offers an unguarded chronicle of life events that redirected the road she was traveling. She explores the complexities of mental health and trauma on her journey toward healing. Arnoldy shares how her marriage, initially full of hope and promise, pivoted into dismay and betrayal. She tells how she endured substantial loss with the unanticipated ending of her marriage and numerous relationships, financially, and life as she knew it. She writes in raw detail of the painful moments, the priceless lessons learned, and the revelation of her hope-filled future, including: • understanding the power of forgiveness; • realizing faith instead of fear; • celebrating in her darkest hour; and • overcoming depression and despair. His Last Breath offers a powerful testament to the human spirit’s capacity for resilience, growth, and transformation during life’s most difficult challenges.
About the Author
Michele Arnoldy is a mentor at heart. For eighteen years, she’s spoken into young women’s lives, molding their spiritual journeys as women, wives, and mothers. After a long career in emergency nursing, she retired, returned to school, and fulfilled her dream of becoming a certified life coach, speaker, and leadership trainer. Within a few years, her private practice evolved from individual life coaching into couples, coaching their marriages. Michele has sense retired, but continues to utilize these skills as an international crisis first responder, drawing on her nursing, chaplaincy training, mentoring, and coaching expertise. Arnoldy finds joy in serving others and responds to God’s call to go serve others in need. Half of her bucket list is completed, hoping to fulfill all twenty-three in the future. Michele has three sons, two daughters in law, and five grand littles. She resides in a charming old English cottage in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her two doggie roommates, Macy and Sadie.