My sister contracted HepC from her ex,and was diagnoised in 1997. It ended up turning to end stage liver disease. In past six to eight years I have drove her to all appointments, shopping, etc... I helped her to apply for housing, and basically was one to help her through the years. I finally got her on SSI, because ESLD effects memory, she had gotten esophageal varices, ascities, and at end heptic encephalitis. For a long time she held down her own despite all the complications. Then it seemed in September she got even more swollen from ascities, and was very ill off and on. At end of November she seem to get even more sick, more pain and came to stay with my Mom and me most of December. Then she went home, and her muscles got weak, but she refuse to come back over here to our house, so I was constantly calling her, and going over to check on her. Her last appt was December 22nd, but even with her reporting problems they did nothing to help or for comfort. I took her back home as swelling made her have back pain, shortness of breath, etc... Her birthday was January 2nd, fortunately her best friend Rick went over made her meals that weekend because that was last time she had a birthday her 51st one. This past Saturday the 10th she took her meds and then said she did not feel good. My Mom and me went by done her dishes, got her some things. Sherrie said her stomach was hurting, but it didn't really seem critical. I think she knew something was going down, as she did not want to come home with us. Well that night I could not reach her so I went over, and she said her phone had died, and other one was not working. It was so sad as she was moaning in pain, but due to a bad ER experience around December 16th, she did not want to go to hospital. I wanted to stay, but she said I am not going anywhere I will be here, so I left to come home as my Mom is 80 years old and had been ill as well. Sunday morning 11th her friend Rick and I coulod not reach her, so my Mom and me went over to check on her. As we drove we both had that gut feeling, and when we went in I touched her and she was still soft and warm, so I dialed 911, but then when I went around I looked at her eyes and they were fixed and dilated, her nose had been bleeding as I assume that is where all blood came from. I knew that my gut was wrong and she was gone. The responders confirmed that, and ME was called out. My other sister, nieces, nephews and three of kids came and we stayed through them taking her to coroners office. Then sat in her apt crying and reflecting, even having a laugh as Sherrie was a fun loving lady, with a good sense of humor. This has been the worse death in our lives, the family chain length is broken as they say, now we have to wait to reunite on other side. I am heart broken, empty, stomach in knots, hard time sleeping, and keep seeing her the way we found her. I have been cleaning up her apt but it's hard, but they only give you 14 days. I have arranged for her cremation, and when weather warms we will gather and release 51 balloons. I am truly not sure I will recover, I will go through the motions because we have to, but I have a deep lose as I was always doing things for her, and talk to her every day and night, so I am lost... I can't describe how I truly feel but I can imagine many of us feel the same range of emotions.
