I don't want to die, if that's what you're asking me!

On an early February morning in 2005 my mom called me to tell me they were taking my dad to the emergency room. My oldest son was 5 months old and was just getting over pneumonia. Jake, had left for work and I was preparing a baby bottle when the phone rang. Although my dad had been in and out of the hospital for years for seizures, mini strokes,  and high blood pressure somehow I knew that morning that things were different. I called Jake to come back home and take care of the baby. I got ready and went to the hospital. When I got there he was alert but he had a fear in his eyes. His blood pressure was crazy high like 200 over 110. The nurses and doctors didn't seem to be very concerned. They were slow to get an i.v. started. Mom was nagging him about something from the previous day. But to me something was just different. At one point a nurse come in and said "Mr. Whitfield, do you have a living will?". He said he didn't know what that was. So she explained, "Mr. Whitfield, do you have a document stating that if you should die, do you want us to try to revive you?". He swallowed hard and started to cry. He said "I don't want to die if that's what you're asking me!". It was good that I heard him say that. I called my brothers and sisters and told them where we were and how concerned I was about the blood pressure. Everyone got off work and came to the hospital, which usually they didn't do because this type of thing had happened so many times and he was usually released in a few hours. But that day was different to them too. By lunch, approximately 4 hours after arriving, the doctors had still not started a treatment plan but decided to place him in a room. Jake picked me up to have lunch. I told dad I was going to leave but I would be back in a little bit. I told him I loved him. His very last words to me, ever, was "I love you too. Take care of that baby!". During lunch Jake and I talked about my uneasiness and decided I should hurry and get back. At the emergency desk the lady told me he had been moved to his own room, which was a short relief. When I got upstairs to the hall where my dad's room was I could see everyone of my brothers and sisters and my mom standing outside his door. The door was shut. I will never forget the look of terror in all their faces and I knew it was bad.