Choosing to remove a loved one from life support can be a painful and heartbreaking decision. Nobody hates to make this choice, yet there are times when it is the only one available. This choice became a reality for Ryan Finley when his wife Jill fell into a coma.
Ryan discovered Jill unconscious and not breathing. Until the paramedics arrived, he did everything he could to help her regain consciousness. Ryan gave CPR while hoping for the best even though he realized the prospects were minimal.
Jill’s breathing was sluggish and her heart was weak, but paramedics were able to revive her. In order to reduce the damage to her oxygen-starved brain, she was flown to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital quickly and put in a suit that decreased her body temperature. She, unfortunately, fell into a coma.
Although Ryan never gave up and prayed every day, the days turned into weeks and he was informed that Jill had little to no chance of recovering. Ryan had to make the hardest choice of his life when the doctors advised him to think about turning off Jill’s life support.
The entries Ryan made about that day in his diary are, to put it mildly, heartbreaking. “Today might be my worst day ever. In essence, I have to determine whether she will pass away or not,” Ryan reportedly wrote. He made the call after attempting to put himself in Jill’s shoes and concluding that she wouldn’t want to live her life that way.
The entire family said their goodbyes, and Jill was still there when the machine was turned off. She wouldn’t pass away straight away, the doctors said, because she was going through the “last rally.” Jill began babbling, much to the amazement of her husband, who was going through a great deal of pain.
Jill immediately requested a ride to Ted’s or Melting Pot, two of her favorite Mexican eateries, from Ryan. Regardless of how absurd that sounded, Ryan was confident that his loved one would survive. He was correct, too.
Jill underwent heart surgery, recovery, and independent breathing. Jill claimed that she didn’t recall anything about her time in a coma but had trouble with her short-term memory and pronouncing some phrases. Other than that, she was in good health and prepared to seize the second chance that God had given her.
The couple is happy to be together and is more in love than ever. Now, Jill told TODAY, “we cherish every day, every minute, and every hour.” Not because we didn’t before, but it puts things into better perspective.
Ryan’s tale serves as a monument to the strength of faith and optimism. It serves as a reminder that miracles may happen and that we should never lose hope, despite the fact that everything seems to be working against us. It’s a tale that encourages us to treasure the time we spend with our loved ones and to maintain optimism even in the face of adversity.