You are an F2 doctor currently working in ITU at St Georges Hospital. One of your patients is Mr Joseph Murray, a 28 year old solicitor specialising in family law, who sustained a grave head injury in a serious car accident.

Joseph has been on ITU for the past week. He has remained unconscious since admission and required assisted breathing. He is now on a ventilator and remains unconscious. His prognosis is very poor.

Joseph"s family - his mother, Ann, and his wife Maria - have been by the hospital everyday to check on his progress. Over the last couple of days, however, they have had to come to terms with the fact that Joseph is not going to recover.