Dutchers' Baby Daughter Clings To Life

Brandon Dutcher, vice president for public policy at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and his wife, Susie, have for more than three weeks struggled with doctors as they try to preserve the life of their baby girl, Anne Marie.

Placed on life-sustaining equipment at birth in a Dallas hospital, her internal organ disarray presented monumental medical problems. The heart/lung machine (ECMO) that has kept her alive eventually produces problems of its own, and that is the situation the Dutchers now face.

Here is Brandon's report earlier today: "Twice today Anne Marie came off ECMO (heart/lung machine) for 10-minute trial runs. Neither time was particularly successful. Nevertheless, the ECMO chickens have come home to roost (the complications now outweigh the benefits) so tomorrow morning she is coming off ECMO for good." ~ Brandon Dutcher

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