Summary

Karina panics and rushes Richard to hospital. Tests reveal pneumonia has accelerated his breathing loss. A machine now breathes for him. Richard cannot speak around the tube, so he cannot tell Karina he is cold and terrified by the feeling of being breathed for.

Kathy DeVillo arrives from Caring Health to guide them through the situation. Richard has two options. He can have surgery and live, but require 24/7 care and great expense. The disease would continue to progress, and carers often get compassion fatigue, similar to PTSD. Or, Richard can be “terminally weaned,” turning down his BiPAP until his lungs fail (269). Richard panics, but his machine breathing stays unnaturally steady. Some people choose the surgery to keep them alive for a specific event. Richard would like to see Grace graduate in two years, or meet his grandchildren. Kathy leaves them...