From Tragedy to Triumph: How a Near-Fatal Infection Sparked a New Passion for Life

When life-threatening events strike without warning, they often leave us forever changed. Such was the case for Kevin Carey, coordinator of creative writing at Salem State University and author of seven acclaimed books, whose story exemplifies resilience in the face of unexpected medical trauma.

In fall 2019, while preparing to teach an evening class, Kevin experienced a frightening episode where his vision suddenly distorted, resembling "an old Zenith television set, all wavy lines," and he temporarily lost sight in one eye. Recognizing the severity of his symptoms, Kevin managed to inform his students he thought he was having a stroke before being rushed to the hospital. What followed was a harrowing medical journey that nearly ended tragically – twice, Kevin was almost sent home without proper diagnosis or treatment.

The initial hospital couldn't identify the cause of Kevin's symptoms, and remarkably, someone suggested he simply go home and see an ophthalmologist the next morning. Fortunately, Kevin's wife, a former nurse, questioned this approach, and Kevin was transferred to a Boston hospital. Even there, after two days without answers, he was again nearly discharged. It was only when his wife questioned why he still had a fever that medical staff conducted a blood culture, finally revealing the life-threatening bacterial blood infection. A piece of bacteria had traveled through his bloodstream, through his heart, and lodged in his brain, causing the stroke-like symptoms.

The treatment involved eight weeks with a PICC line delivering antibiotics directly to his heart. Though physically challenging, this intervention saved Kevin's life – a life that might have been lost if not for his wife's medical background and willingness to advocate for him when systems failed. As Kevin later learned through conversations with others, many people with similar bacterial blood infections don't survive. This sobering realization reinforced how close he had come to a very different outcome.

While recovering from this traumatic experience, Kevin's literary career experienced a breakthrough. After years of rejection, his middle-grade novel "Junior Miles and the Junkman" finally found a publisher. The book, inspired by an exhibit of recycled art figures Kevin had seen years earlier, tells the story of a 13-year-old disabled, bullied boy whose deceased father leaves him a junk sculpture that comes to life. This heartwarming tale about overcoming grief and obstacles resonates with Kevin's own journey of resilience.

Kevin's path to becoming a published author wasn't straightforward. Despite initially focusing on fiction writing, he found his early publishing success in poetry. Rather than fighting this unexpected direction, Kevin embraced it, building a network of poet friends and developing his distinctive narrative poetic style. This openness to following where his talent led him, rather than forcing a predetermined path, characterizes Kevin's approach to both his art and his life.

The parallels between Kevin's medical crisis and his writing journey are striking – both required persistence, adaptation, and a willingness to accept help from others. His story reminds us that sometimes our greatest challenges become our most formative experiences, and that the path forward often comes "out of the blue" in ways we could never anticipate. As Kevin puts it, "If you have a dream, if you have something you believe in, don't give up a day before the miracle happens."