BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Barbara Howe has been breathing with the help of a ventilator at Mass. General Hospital since 1999. She cannot eat or speak. Her doctors say she is suffering and they want to remove her from life support.

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Amalia Barreda Reports On Case

That's not what her daughter wants, and since Carol Howe is her mother's health proxy, a judge has taken her side in an emotional legal fight.

NewsCenter Five's Amalia Barreda reported that Carol Howe says attitude and faith are what have kept her mother alive for so long and despite the advanced stages of her mother's illness, her mother does appreciate her family's visits and she's pleased the hospital can't remove her mother's life supports.

"It is painful to a point, but I know I'm doing what she wants me to do and I want to honor her wishes," said Carol Howe.

Her 78-year-old mother Barbara is now in the advanced stages of Lou Gehrig's Disease and has been on a ventilator at Massachusetts General Hospital since 1999. In April 2001, Carol received a letter from Barbara's primary care physician, J. Andrew Billings, that said, "After three weeks I will discontinue all measures that keep your mother alive without contributing to her comfort."

As her mother's health care proxy, Carol said she knew she had to fight because her mother had made her wishes very clear before she became sick.

"She told me she wanted all aggressive treatment done unless she became brain dead or semi-comatose. And I'm talking for her today, feeling, what she would say if she could sit up in the bed, she would say, 'Continue until God takes me. I don't want Dr. Billings taking my life, I want God taking my life," said Carol.

Claiming the patient was suffering, MGH continued to push the issue of removing life support, taking the matter to court and losing.

"Fortunately, Barbara spoke to Carol when she was able and explained when she wanted to stop living and they had a lot of discussions about it. So, in a case like this, it's very clear that Carol really is speaking for her mom. She loves her mom and is looking out for her best interests," said the Howe's attorney, Gary Zalkin.

On Wednesday, MGH's chief medical officer talked about the case.

"I think in her best interests is to continue to do what we've been doing, which is to provide for her care, her comfort and making sure that she can live her life in dignity, but not artificially prolong her life beyond what it should be," said Dr. Britain Nicholson.

Carol said her mother has lost one eye because of the disease, but that Barbara is still able to signal to them with her other eye. Carol said when her mother is no longer able to do that, then she will ask for removal of life support.