Susannah would have been 5 today (3/21).

[YPestis]

I thought I read that they didn't have to take a decision to remove life support because she passed away naturally? http://www.titus2.com/blog/index.php/20 ... ll-update/

Regardless no snark from me and no expectation that anyone should even think about handling he loss of a baby with 'grace'. I'd give anyone a pass for anyone behaving anyway from stunned silence to throwing a batshit crazy fit. It must have been the darkest day of their lives. As much as I hate the thought of more babies being born into that family, I do hope that this pregnancy is healthy and safe for Melanie. No-one deserves to lose a child like that.

Well, I remember Nathan wrote in his original blog post that they decided to remove the baby from the vent after speaking with the doctor. I don't know if they edited their post or I misread. However, I remember they said they decided to forego anymore medical intervention and just hold the baby until it dies. Imagine my surprise as I figure they would want every medical intervention done. Instead, they were pretty realistic about the baby's chances.

[kb2]

If a person is pronounced brain dead, they are considered fully dead and the decision to stop the ventilator is legally with the doctors. However, to respect the family of the deceased, doctors will often talk with the family or other loved ones and allow them to determine a time to stop the ventilator--in case someone wants to be there to say goodbye or there is another circumstance to take into account. So it's possible for there to be a situation where someone passes "naturally," and the removal of a ventilator is inevitable, but the family still decides when to remove it. From what the Maxwells describe--no movement, no brain activity--that may be what happened.

I think the saddest thing I've ever seen is a baby who didn't move, and that's how they describe Susannah. I feel very bad for them.

[Justme]

There was a new comment posted asking if they ever determined the cause/illness. Steve said "nothing official".

[ShellyWelly]

They didn't go crazy with DO EVERYTHING in the face of futility and they let their baby girl die peacefully in their arms. It was a sad situation for everyone but I always had a sweet spot for Nathan and Melenie for suffering through that with such grace.

We faced the same situation with our daughter, regarding removing her from life support. And in a situation like that, you just do what is right for your child. In the instant our daughter found peace, we lost ours. But we knew it was the right thing to do for her.

I think the saddest thing I've ever seen is a baby who didn't move, and that's how they describe Susannah.

After our daughter was born, she was put on ECMO (a last ditch life support effort) and she was heavily sedated. She didn't move at all. And you're right ... it's SO sad. I remember being elated, when they let up on the sedation, to see her mouth move just a tiny bit ... and seeing her move her toe.

Losing a child changes you to your core. You are never the same again. My heart goes out to Nathan and Melanie for what they've been through.

[Eclipse]

The situation is tragic and I would never wish this on anyone.

Does anyone know if the family's Steve's obsession with death was as intense before this tragedy?

[WonderingInWA]

I thought I read that they didn't have to take a decision to remove life support because she passed away naturally? http://www.titus2.com/blog/index.php/20 ... ll-update/

Regardless no snark from me and no expectation that anyone should even think about handling he loss of a baby with 'grace'. I'd give anyone a pass for anyone behaving anyway from stunned silence to throwing a batshit crazy fit. It must have been the darkest day of their lives. As much as I hate the thought of more babies being born into that family, I do hope that this pregnancy is healthy and safe for Melanie. No-one deserves to lose a child like that.

I don't remember where it was on the blog, but they did know there was something potentially wrong with the baby before she was born because they were lining up specialists to do surgery on I believe her digestive system. And then after she was born and was non-responsive, that plan was pushed to the wayside and they focused more on getting her to make a movement and get her blood pressure stabilized.

I don't know much about trisomy babies, but my guess is she probably was one. Just looking at the way her ears were set low and turned and her non-responsiveness outside the womb makes me think so (not sure if that's 18 or 12?). A poster on the blog asked sometime afterward if they had concluded why she died, and Steve responded (like he did again today) that there was no final conclusion. So if they knew they had a trisomy, they have kept that information to themselves. And that's their choice, certainly.

She was a beautiful little baby. I cannot imagine the anguish they went through during that time (and I was a blog reader back then, and cried right along with their family as the days passed along). So, as bat-shit crazy as Stevie is, it was the one time I gave him some slack because what anyone would need in a situation like that is faith.