November 25, 1946-March 20, 2017
By Shellyann36
@Shellyann36 (11384)
United States
April 7, 2017 5:52pm CST
Rest in Peace Aunt Helen.
As many of you know, my aunt Helen suffered from liver failure and was slowly dying. She passed away on March 20th. For years she suffered with GERD. It was so bad that she would often skip eating because it would never stay in her system and she would be in horrible pain. After taking over the counter antacids and several prescription drugs they finally overwhelmed her liver. She was on a waiting list for a liver transplant for at least three years. The funny thing is that when they found her a liver, her health had gotten so bad that she was no longer a candidate for the transplant. The last year of her life was not a pleasant one. When she became too frail to look after herself she moved in with my parents and would rotate back and forth from their house to my aunt Lois's house. The last six months of her life they took her off of all of her medication except one med that cleaned out her system after she ate. During this time she had several strokes and ended up losing control of her limbs. Hospice was brought in after one of her last trips to the ER. The doctors let her and the family know that there was nothing else that could be done for her. One of the doctors even suggested that if she was tired of living the way she was, that she should stop taking the lactose that cleaned out her system. If she did that, she would slip into a coma and eventually die. She fought to the very end. She did not give up easily.
Now, she is finally resting in peace and no longer suffering.
16 people like this
16 responses
@Juliaacv (50893)
• Canada
7 Apr 17
I am so very sorry for your loss. Its so difficult to watch someone suffering like that. My Dad passed away from liver failure, and I used to watch him the last few years, sadly I have liver disease but am not a candidate for transplant because my disease is genetic and my body would ruin a transplanted organ.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
8 Apr 17
@Juliaacv Thank you so much. It is difficult. I am sorry to hear that your dad also passed from liver failure. I hate to hear that you also suffer from liver disease. Many prayers for you and the battle you face.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@Juliaacv I will be praying for you often. Hugs!
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@jaboUK yes, this is the same aunt that has the shop. Thank you for bringing back that memory. There are many memories that I shared with her and my Mama. They were close in age and we all spent quite a bit of time together. From the time I was a tot, with them in the garden, to when she owned the store, and Mama worked there with her and I helped out. Good memories to bless me with. Thank you!
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@AmbiePam it does hurt and I think it is finally hitting me. I know I was the opposite of my Mama and my aunt Lois. I wanted her suffering to end. Even though she was not supposed to be in pain, after suffering several strokes she was only a shell of her former self. I know, that I do not want to end up in this same situation and I feel that anyone suffering in this manner is not truly living. I think it probably sounded harsh to my family. It has really touched a cord in me and thinking about the future.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@rebelann1949 thank you very much. 
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38867)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Apr 17
I've heard of GERD before, but maybe just from you, but I don't know anyone personally with it. I'd imagine if she would have taken the doctors idea of stopping that one med it still would have been hard on everyone and probably even worse than working with her as she and the other family members dealt with things with and for her.
I've talked with quite a few people lately that have been waiting for different surgical procedures and then when they were finally ready their health was worse and the doctors would no longer agree to have it proceed. I hope she didn't have that all of her life?
As I said in the other post, sorry about your loss.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@MarshaMusselman you probably did read about GERD from me. I have studied lots of information of digestive problems for the past few years. I even had a job posting on a digestive forum last year.
It amazes me that people have to wait for surgical procedures. I don't quite understand why that is. What were some of the reasons that these people gave you?
Thank you so much for stopping by and being kind.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@MarshaMusselman Thank you for explaining it to me. Heart problems would be a big deterrent. I am glad you got your surgery taken care of. I have never heard of the Martha Vineyards Detox diet. I will look it up.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38867)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Apr 17
@Shellyann36 One person needed a knee replacement or two. I think that some of us are told to wait until it's unbearable but then when that finally happens other things crop up making it difficult to have it done after all. The one person their heart got worse as they waited. Her and her husband used to shop for food together more than once a week or so because they both used the motorized carts. Now it's even harder for her to get around and she no longer comes in.
Usually, for many I think it's probably heart problems or that type of thing. For me, I was told to wait until it got worse and then when it finally did this past July it took three months just to see the surgeon and then another three to have the surgery. Even though it was a long six months, having it when I did really was the best time of year.
For one thing we were no longer cleaning windows. My work was able to manage without me since it's their slow time and I got my taxes in order before surgery.
I have relatives, cousins with colitis and one of them has the colostomy bag. Her older brother tried out the Martha Vineyards Detox diet and lost a ton of weight. He said he was able to quit taking his meds for arthritis as the pain went away and I think his colitis abated too. Whether he's still doing well with his health I don't know.
1 person likes this
@EMuhungi (1712)
• Nairobi, Kenya
8 Apr 17
@Shellyann36 I'm very sorry, may God rest her soul in eternal peace.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@EMuhungi Thank you very much. I know she has more peace now than she did while she was suffering. Bless you.
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@jstory07 thank you. I do have lots of good memories of her. 
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@LadyDuck thank you for your kindness.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@mom210 thank you for stopping by. It is good to see you!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
8 Apr 17
That brought tears to my eyes, what a struggle life was for her. I know she will be missed. It a bit scary to think i am a year older than she was. I'm sorry for your loss.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@PainsOnSlate please don't be scared. She suffered from GERD a majority of her adult life. I wonder if she had known what the medications she took would have done to her if she would have just suffered in silence. I do know that the GERD really pained her so I guess she just traded one bad for another. She probably was able to live longer by taking the medication for the GERD. Either way, it was a double edge sword for her.
'Thank you for your kind words.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@just4him Thank you, I am happy for the same reasons. She was worried about dying. I think that is why she hung on for so long. She was worried about past sins.
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
8 Apr 17
i am so sorry for your loss. how old was she?
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@ridingbet Thank you. I think it is really starting to finally hit me. She would have been 71 in November of this year.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67086)
• United States
8 Apr 17
Im so sorry to hear all this and for your loss. She sounds like a very strong person and im sure she was also a great person to know.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@Courtlynn thank you. She was a strong person right up to the end.
1 person likes this
@sunnysingh16388 (128)
• Shimla, India
8 Apr 17
So sorry to hear this sad news. I can feel that she was a fighter.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
9 Apr 17
@sunnysingh16388 thank you so much. She was a fighter all of her life.
@shaggin (72013)
• United States
17 Apr 17
Wow that is all so very sad. How awful that the things she used to treat the gerd ruined her liver. I had no idea that could happen.
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
12 Apr 17
Living with liver disease is a terrible thing. We feel doctors don't always give patients the best advice on how to deal with illness. So sad she had to suffer the way she did.
