I have a dear friend whose daughter was injured in a car accident a decade ago.  She amd her husband have devoted their lives to ensuring that their profoundly brain damaged daughter has the best life possible and they worry about the future when they will no longer be able to cope.  She has a mental age of about two and cannot speak.  Shortly after the accident and the brain damage had been recognised her heart stopped.  Quick action by the nursing staff saved her but the doctor apparently asked the nurses why they were so quick. Her parents love their daughter and have given up an enormous amount to ensure her life is as rewarding as it can be but she says she agrees with the doctor.  Though they would and have done everything to make life as fulfilling as possible, B is in great shape apart from the brain damage. Caring for her impacts on many other lives too.  The extended family have been very supportive but an enormous amount of supportive services are also tied up in her care. Her Mother ponders the question of whether she should have been allowed to die and tends to agree with the doctor. Is death such a disaster? I have signed a living will to ensure extreme measures are not used to keep me alive.  I want every measure to be taken to save my life if I arrive at the hospital with serious injuries but after this assessment I want a judgement made as to whether the cost, pain and medical involvement will be worht the effore.

Every life is worth fighting for. We have a responsibility to fight for life untill God makes his final decision. I have a severly disabled daughter. And yes. Life would be much more easier without her, But if she is starving to death because she cannot eat. I couldn¨t just sit there and watch her die of hunger when there are feeding tubes. She had a feeding tube put in 6 years ago . She is still happy to be here. I´m certinly happy I did not make my life easier sacrificing hers. She´s here for a reason. My tiny, selfish human mind cannot understand why, so I rely on God for guidance and strength. Life is not made to make sense or be easy. Death is a gift, but that does not gives us the right to give up on those we consider “too much work for nothing”. That´s not for us to decide no matter how ugly, uncomfortable and inconvenient a life is to us.