Alisha, 34, Wakes Up, Forgets Last 10 Years & Marriage to Best Friend: 'I Remembered Losing the Pregnancy'

When a woman woke up in a hospital after a coma, she couldn't recognize the faces around her. It wasn't long before she realized she had forgotten the last ten years of her life. Even more heartbreaking, she didn't remember the most important aspect of her life—her marriage.

Life isn't black and white, and we often overlook the gray regions, utterly unprepared for what's about to come. No matter how hard we try, we cannot always decipher what the future holds or tackle the many challenges coming our way.

Everyone longs to lead a happy, fulfilling, and trouble-free life, but many may face endless trials and tribulations in its pursuit. The story we're sharing today is about a woman whose life came to a halt after an unexpected incident turned everything topsy-turvy.

Alisha Gerrard from Liverpool, United Kingdom had been battling health complications from a young age. She had rheumatoid arthritis since age six, and when she turned 12, she developed ulcerative colitis.

That, in turn, helped her talk to him and ask questions he willingly answered.

Alisha said she managed herself well, despite her ailments. But, one day, during the winter of 2020, her arthritis took its toll, and due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, she couldn't visit her doctor in the hospital.

When the pain became unbearable, Alisha consulted a rheumatoid specialist nurse over the phone, who reportedly suggested two new treatments: Methotrexate and Morphine. The Liverpool resident claimed that both medications were administered without a blood test.

Only two weeks after the treatment, she became so unwell that her husband, Philip "Phil" Gerrard, had to take her to the hospital's emergency section. Alisha said her condition was so critical that she was on the brink of death, with only 40 minutes to live.

After a month in the hospital, Alisha went home, but within ten days, she reportedly returned to the same emergency unit with only 20 minutes to live. Her mom stayed beside her as she fought for her life. Per Alisha, she died an hour later in the operation theater.

Despite her serious condition, Alisha's doctors saved her life, but they reportedly put her in an induced coma to prevent her body from going into too much distress. When she finally regained consciousness, she found herself in a strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

Alisha said she woke up in the ICU attached to a life support machine and heavily intubated. She recounted being clueless about where she was or what happened to her. For four days, she watched the doctors and nurses around her with numerous questions in her head.

Eventually, one of the doctors explained to Alisha that she had suffered a bad reaction to the medications prescribed for her condition. But that wasn't all. A brain bleed had wiped out a decade of Alisha's life from her memory, leaving her with no recollection of her past.

Alisha recounted being unable to ask her loved ones why they had suddenly aged so much and why she didn't remember any of it. She also didn't remember marrying her best friend and the love of her life, Phil, and their seven-year-long marriage.

Waking up From a Coma & Battling a Range of Emotions

After regaining consciousness, Alisha struggled physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Because of the tracheostomy tube in her neck, she couldn't talk or ask questions, which meant nobody in her family or friends knew about her memory loss.

When Alisha's mother visited her in the hospital, she said her grandma had been looking after her. Initially, the UK native thought her granny had been by her side while she was in a coma, only to realize later that she had died and was watching over her from the heavens.

In addition to comprehending her grandma's death, Alisha had to deal with the fact that she was married to someone she had only ever considered a good friend. "I don't remember my wedding day," revealed Alisha, who went to stay at her parents' home after leaving the hospital.

Although the house seemed familiar, Alisha was stunned to see how much everyone had aged. Her younger brother, who was 11 years her junior and had been a high school student and a football player, per her last memory, was all grown up. Alisha was shocked to see that her brother had a job, knew how to drive, and was in a relationship.

Despite remembering nothing about her marriage to Phil, she still knew him as her best friend. That, in turn, helped her talk to him and ask questions he willingly answered.

Her regular conversations with Phil helped her remember essential details from her past. "I remembered losing the pregnancy," said Alisha, who learned from her husband that they lost their unborn child.

Gradually, Alisha managed to recall details from the last ten years of her life in bits and pieces—a life she had once lived, which only felt like a dream. Her husband expressed how difficult it was to comprehend everything, but eventually, he saw it as a way of rebuilding their relationship.

Phil described how the life-altering experience brought him closer to Alisha and allowed them to reminisce about their past life. He also got to have many experiences and adventures for the first time, like watching movies and TV series and visiting their favorite places again.

The duo, who reside in Clubmoor, plan to rekindle their love and have a second wedding, as Alisha has no memory of their original wedding. Phil proposed to his wife again on February 14, 2023, and they plan to exchange their vows on their tenth-anniversary celebration in December 2024.

Alisha, 34, who has fallen for her husband all over again, admitted to feeling like she's in her 20s while rediscovering her past life with Phil. Despite having no memory of the last ten years and waking up to a changed world, she felt like a strong person with her entire life ahead of her.

Reflecting on helping his wife remember her life and their beautiful bond, Phil, 38, said it was a slow process but worth all the effort.

Alisha's Takeaway from Her Life-Altering Experience

Alisha's terrifying health ordeal left her with multiple physical and mental struggles, but given a choice, she said she wouldn't change a thing. The challenges she overcame made her courageous, resilient, kind, and grateful, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity for what she lost, Alisha has chosen to look at the brighter side of life. She refers to herself as a "warrior" and is content with her life and the people in it.

Most importantly, Alisha is thankful for her husband, whose love, support, and dedication helped her overcome the odds. The proud wife penned a touching post for Phil on December 24, 2022, alongside a lovely photo of the couple with the Christmas reindeer filter. The caption read:

"This man. I'm an incredibly lucky girl to have this man as my husband. My best friend. My rock. My love. My everything. Always & Forever. ♡"

Alisha and Phil's incredible story proves that true love survives any kind of trial. We hope this beautiful couple continues to prosper in love and create golden memories together!