Hi ya'll.

Wow, that is sobering news.  I will be available to talk anytime so just give me a call.

My first reaction is 100% against doing the full replacement. I don't see that getting him 5 more years is worth the risk of surgery.

About 15 minutes before I opened the e-mail from Mary I was watching the news and they were doing a story on Iraqi war vets who had injuries that would require 100% 24/7/365 skilled nursing care and I told wife-Mary that if I were ever in that situation from a car wreck, bike mishap, etc, that she should not let me live like that (I am telling you, my sisters, that too- save this e-mail). If it come to a decision to pull the plug or let me live like that, then pull the plug.

I guess this means that I would be infavor of not doing surgery and putting it in God's hands.  However, if you all did not agree with that I can CERTAINLY understand that and would support you 100%.

I think that we should give Aunt Rita's views a lot of weight, but I don't think that we should burden her with the responsibiity of making the decision for us.

She is the only one of us who knows what it is like to be of that age and her perspective is unique.

From the e-mail that Mary sent I am only 99% clear on what Aunt Rita is saying, not 100% clear. My interpretation is that Aunt Rita is saying that we should not have intervined 2 years ago when he got the new pacemaker.  If that is not a correct interpretation please correct me.  Either way, I think that we should give her advise a lot of weight in the decision making process.

I know this is not easy and please feel free to call anytime.  Love to all,  Tom