My Friend Is Dying

 I wanted to ask for prayers for a dear friend of mine. She has complete liver failure, she has been in intensive care for over 2 weeks now. She was starting to improve, and even Thursday was texting me telling me how much better she is doing. Sometime that night things began to go downhill, and she is now basicaly unresponsive...not exactly in a coma but not exactly awake. She has absolutely no liver function and now has hep c. Her ammonia is up to 123+%. I can't go see her because I am sick and can't take the risk of getting her sick. I am afraid she is dying. Please take a moment to pray for her and send some positive thoughts.

Many Many Prayers for both of you!

Thank you so much all of you. This means so much.

My prayers are with you!

Absolutely Sore, for you, for her and her family as well. I hope that they can find a way to turn things around for her...and that you feel better soon so that you can spend time with her.

Sandi

Prayers for you and your friend.

Sore, your dear friend is most definitely in my thoughts and prayers. I will also make sure that she is put on the prayer list at my fiance's church.

I hope you don't mind, but I want to tell you a few things about liver disease - my fiance was first diagnosed with cirrhosis, then liver cancer, and HepC. He had a successful liver transplant on 11/04/2012. A person can become gravely ill with liver disease - and recover. The liver is an amazing organ. It is the only one that can regenerate - the diseased part does not heal, but the healthy tissue can generate more healthy tissue. Yes, your friend's ammonia level is high (normal is 15-60mcg/dl), however, I'm sure they are treating it with lactulose and/or Xifaxan, which are both very effective. High ammonia levels (encephalopathy) can have all kinds of terrible symptoms - severe lethargy, sleepiness and confusion, are just a few.

Obviously I don't know anything about your dear friend's exact condition (ammonia level is just one component of the liver function panel). I just wanted to tell you not to give up hope. During our own journey with liver disease, I have personally witnessed someone with ESLD, in a coma-like state, on a ventilator, and on kidney dialysis, - literally at death's door - recover and eventually get a transplant.

You are right about not seeing her while you're sick - she definitely doesn't need any germs! However, if you can get someone to hold the phone up to her ear, please do it! Even though she is unresponsive, she can probably still hear you. Also, I don't know what kind of illness you have, but once you haven't had a fever for 24hrs, and you are not coughing, you should be able to see her (with a mask on - the hospital can give you one). You should ask her nurse, of course, but most hospitals have those same requirements.

Sorry, I didn't mean for this post to be so long - it just hit really close to home.......

If I can help in any way, please email me. Hang in there and hold on to hope.......

Post Edited (Splashdancer) : 4/1/2013 8:48:32 PM (GMT-6)

Sore

Thinking of you and hoping your friend shows signs of improvement. Don't give up. You will both be in my prayers.

Jane

Oh Sore, when it rains, it pours - her daughter is now in my thoughts and prayers. It's so hard to be a teenager and deal with something like this - they just can't see better days ahead, they just want the pain to stop NOW.

WHEN your friend pulls through this, if she can get 6 months of documented sobriety under her belt, she would be eligible for transplant evaluation at most of the transplant centers.

I can't stand it when a doctor tries to take away hope. I'm so glad her hepatologist stepped in and put him in his place! When my fiance was first diagnosed, his primary told us that he would die within the next two weeks, if he didn't get a transplant - he was nowhere NEAR that ill! He didn't get his transplant for another 9 months - he was still alive!

Please keep us updated on your friend and her daughter......

Thank you all so much. Her daughter is in an inpatient home for depression now, my friend says she is feeling better- she is still very groggy, and still in hospital in intensive care...but she said she is feeling better again from where she had been the other past days.

Will definitely continue prayers for them both!

Adding my thoughts Sore. And remember to take care of YOU as well.

Laura

First of all, thank you so much everyone, truly this has reinforced what a wonderful group of people is on these boards, and I feel blessed to have found you all.

JSue - I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

I wanted to give you all an updae, and I guess vent a little as well so I can "get it out" so to speak.

My friend's condition has become significantly worse...she is going to die and is not expected to make it through the rest of the day. In addition to her failed liver, her kidneys have failed, her lungs are filling with fluid, her blood pressure is 60/41. She has no urine output any longer at all and can barely breath - each breath is a struggle for her. They have moved into the phase of "keeping her comfortable" which includes hourly doses of morphine. Additionally, hospice care began today in the hospital.

I was able to go and see her last night and say good bye. She did open her eyes and focus on me for a moment, but was unable to speak - she is struggling to breath. But to know she saw me and knew I was there for her is what was important to me.

More importantly, her daughter was taken from her inpatient facility and flown to see her mother last night. The timing was good; any later and she may not have been able to say good bye with her mother knowing she was there. Last night was probably the last time she will be concience.

My friend is only 43...and just weeks ago we were making plans to get our kids together, etc.

This is the first time I have experienced a close friend being this ill, and the fact she is dying is, well, I think I am still patially in denial.

But I am thinking about life, in general. How blessed I have been to know her - she was one of those people who never knew a stranger...who has a sarcastic, witty sense of humor. What speaks volumes is that even her former co-workers are rallying behind her...she hasn't worked at the company in some months and so many are there for her. Neighbors. She is loved and she will be missed. And I am a better person for having known her.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and thoughts. Her family will continue to need those prayers, especially her 15 y/o daughter. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. And thank you.