No easy way to say goodbye

I got the call from Chris around 2 in the afternoon. Addison went into arrest. He may go anytime now.

I dropped everything and headed for UCLA with Parker in tow. On the way, I picked up Chris from work.

Entering the ICU, we saw Addison lying unresponsive in his bed, trapped behind an unfamiliar, swollen face that masked the little boy we all love so dearly. Tubes were everywhere, connecting him to a growing arsenal of life support machinery. At the foot of his bed, Eric and Amy wept as their greatest fear became more of a reality.

In some ways, this reminded me of my father's last days in the ICU. You're filled with utter despair and helplessness as the situation refuses to turnaround. You wonder what good is modern science if it doesn't help you when you need it most? Eventually, you're forced to decided whether or not to let go. But how? With my father, we chose to remove him from life support based on the man he was and what we believed he would have wanted. A tough decision but still a hundred times easier than the decision Eric and Amy have to make. Addison is just under 3 years old. He hasn't grown, seen the world, or defined his perspective on life. There's no easy way to let go, especially after fighting so hard for so long.

The doctors have suggested they wait 24 hours before making any decision.

I guess this is it. A last chance for God and science. Will either answer our prayers?