Thursday, August 07, 2008, Episode #5372

Katie ponders the risks of her pregnancy.
Aboard the Shady Marlin, Nick and Katie recall their time on Catalina Island. It was like they were the only two people in the world, Katie muses. And they have their memories of it, Nick adds, but Katie points out that the baby inside her isn't some memory. It's real, and it's only going to get more real, especially to Bridget. "It's our baby," Nick states. Katie reminds Nick that she would never have survived long ehough for Bridget to save her if it wasn't for him. Nick agrees and tells Katie that she's responsible for him and Bridget being together, which is why what happened was pure and honest. "We thought you were dying," Nick points out, but Katie counters that she didn't die, and now she's pregnant with his child. She doesn't think they can hide that from Bridget, so how do they tell her? Nick asks Katie what Dr. Caspary said. The doctor confirmed that this is a very high-risk pregnancy, Katie explains, and there are no guarantees that she can carry the baby to term. She knows they can adjust her medication, but that might bring on a rejection episode, and that makes her wonder if she has a right to bring a child into the world if she can't raise it.

Nick tells Katie to have faith that her baby is part of some larger plan.
Nick tells Katie not to talk like that, but she reminds him that it's true and this child may never be. They agree that this could be potentially harmful for both her and Bridget, so Nick wonders if they should hold off on making any decisions about telling Bridget until Katie is further along. At least until they're sure that the baby has a reasonable chance, Katie weighs in. "Let's wait till we're sure about a lot of things," Nick adds, trying to believe that this is happening for a reason and that "the man upstairs" has a plan. He suggests that they take it a step at a time, stay positive and just do the best they can for now. A grateful Katie hugs Nick, who still looks concerned.

Ridge asks Bridget how they can go on without their dad.
At the Marone mansion, Ridge meets with Bridget and Brooke so Bridget can answer Ridge's questions about Eric. He needs to understand what's going on before he visits Eric in the hospital. Bridget explains about Eric being on a ventilator to help him breathe. Ridge assumes that this is just to supplement Eric's own breathing and help him recover, but Bridget points out that machines are usually only involved when things are getting worse. "At this point, a full recovery is highly unlikely," she grimly states, and the prognosis is not favorable, so she fears that they have to start preparing for the inevitable. Ridge is shaken by just the notion of being without his dad and the strength Eric always had to offer. Brooke tries to reassure him and admits that she's just as stunned to think about a life without Eric. "How do we get along without our dad?" Ridge asks Bridget. Brooke asks what Eric's chances are. Bridget agrees that miracles happen, like with Katie, but she feels that they have to accept that even if Eric survives, he might be compromised physically and mentally, and he may not be the man they knew anymore.

Bridget points out that decisions might soon need to be made about Eric.
Ridge can't accept the thought of his dad never drawing another design or spending time with the grandkids at Big Bear telling ghost stories. He thinks there has to be something they can do. Bridget tells him that she can't stand the thought of losing their dad, either, but they're out of options. Brooke sighs that they might just have to accept things as they are, but Ridge asks if that wpuld leave Eric attached to a ventilator forever. Bridget tells him that there might be a time coming up where the family might have to make a very difficult decision. "To take him off life support, to let him die," Ridge solemnly surmises, refusing to think that things are truly that hopeless. Bridget agrees that it's hard to think about it, but they have to face reality and consider Eric's quality of life if he's only being kept going by the machines.

Brooke tries to comfort her daughter.
Brooke tells Ridge that everyone would look to him as the head of the family if any decisions have to be made, but Ridge can't see how he can make decisions when he barely understands what's going on himself. Brooke asks Bridget if she has spoken to anyone else in the family yet. Only Donna in the hospital, Bridget explains, because she didn't have time to warn Donna before Donna saw Eric being attached to the ventilator. Bridget breaks into tears as she recalls that day; she knows she's a doctor, but... Brooke comforts her daughter, recognizing how hard it must be for Bridget to see her own father in the hospital in such dire condition. Bridget says that she spent time with Donna, and she thinks Donna is starting to understand. Brooke predicts that Donna must be in agony, because Donna loves Eric so much. Ridge admits that even he agrees, despite their differences, that Donna loves Eric, so his heart goes out to her. Bridget then reveals that she checked Eric's paperwork on file and found that Donna not only holds his financial power of attorney, but also his health care proxy, so Donna will be the one designated to make any medical decisions if Eric can't. Ridge can't believe that Eric would place that decision outside the family, but Brooke reminds him that Donna is family, too. Still, Ridge refuses to accept that Eric's going to die. But if they come to the point where they have to make any decisions, he wants the whole family, including Donna, to make that decision together and do what's best to end Eric's suffering.