Eric Rallies As Decision To Remove His Ventilator Is Made

The Bold and the Beautiful recap for Tuesday, December 21, 2023, moved the needle towards the potential of a full recovery for Eric Forrester.

Bold and the Beautiful Recap Highlights

In addition, Finn and Bridget debated removing Eric from his ventilator while his family continued to fret and regret their decisions. Meanwhile, Zende and Luna bonded over compliments, insecurities, and well-wishes for Eric. Now, let’s dig deeper into the details of what went down.

Keep Intubated? Or Extubate Immediately? That is the Question. 

At the hospital, Bridget (Ashley Jones) thanked Finn (Tanner Novlan) for letting her help him out with Eric (John McCook). He appreciated her help. He has scheduled an appointment with a pulmonologist so they can get Eric breathing on his own again. The respiratory specialist feared infection. But the longer he’s on the ventilator, the worse it could get. Bridget and Finn know the risks if they take him off the ventilator. But if they don’t, he might never get off of it. They needed to remove Eric from the ventilator. 

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It was time to extubate Eric, despite the complications that could arise, especially the fact that he may not be ready to breathe on his own. Bridget knows Eric wouldn’t want to live a life incapacitated and trapped in his own body. They made the decision to extubate Eric easier. Bridget decided to reach out to the rest of the family and tell them what had to be done.

Decisions and Divine Help

At Eric’s mansion, Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) was upset that she pressured Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) to give Eric one last chance. (Reflect on what Thorsten Kaye & John McCook said about their real and reel dynamic here.) Steffy wanted to know if they made a mistake. Maybe he was ready to go? Was it wrong that they didn’t let him go peacefully?

Later, Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) read from Stephanie’s (Susan Flannery) Bible, a passage that she marked. That’s when Bridget called to tell the family they’re very concerned by the risk of infection and pneumonia. They wanted to take Eric off the ventilator. She needed them at the hospital right away. 

Zende and Luna Quality Time

At Forrester Creations, Zende (Delon de Metz) and Luna (Lisa Yamada) talked about Eric’s health. Zende had regrets he hadn’t said all he could say to Grandad. He already offered to finish the collection, but that didn’t go his way. And he didn’t want to get in the middle of Ridge and RJ’s (Joshua Hoffman) collaboration. After all, Ridge chose RJ to lead the collection. 

Actually, Luna thinks Zende inherited some of Eric’s swag. Happy about that remark, he, in turn, relayed how much he admires his grandad. He just wants the chance to put the fire he feels over giving back to Eric on paper. Furthermore, he genuinely doesn’t want to finish Eric’s vision for status or even prestige. He simply wanted to do this for Grandad. And no, he doesn’t want to butt heads with Ridge. But Luna noticed Zende feels passed over for RJ. 

The Power of Positive Thinking

Zende heard from Ridge, he’s headed to the hospital with Steffy and Brooke. Zende told Luna he trusted everybody was doing the best for Eric. Meanwhile, Luna wanted to know if there was anything she could do for Zende. He loved that she’s so chill, and can calm his nerves, and isn’t judgmental. Actually, he’s thankful for her presence. He said he could see why RJ’s crazy about her. 

Back at the hospital, the family tried to be positive about this extubation business. Clearly, they’re all scared about this being the right decision. But they know they must believe in Eric’s strength and resiliency. Bridget conveyed how removing Eric from the ventilator is the only move they’ve got. While Finn comforted Steffy, she took the time to apologize to her grandad. She prayed that he’ll understand their decision to give him the experimental treatment once he gets better. 

Finally, Ridge acknowledged maybe this isn’t Eric’s time to go. This was a chance for Eric to survive or go out on his own terms. He asked for a sign from his father. Before taking the ventilator off, Eric started to stir. Ridge was able to ask his father point blank if he was ready to be extubated and his struggling to open his eyes seemed to be his answer.

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