Understanding Brain Death
The concept of brain death may be one of the hardest things for many families to comprehend. The doctors have said that your loved one is medically and legally dead. Once your loved one is brain dead, there is no chance for recovery. Because the ventilator is breathing for them, they have normal color and warm skin. Yet, as you watch them and touch their warm skin, they appear to be asleep. You keep waiting for them to open their eyes and speak to you. This expectation is normal.
When the brain ceases to function, the person is permanently unable to think, breathe, see, hear, or feel. Without oxygen, the heart stops beating and vital organs such as the liver and kidneys are unable to function. Brain death is irreversible, and only medical equipment, such as the ventilator, can keep the heart, lungs and other vital organs functioning.
