NOLAGirl

Please reference my past post; "Dire Situation - Seeking Guidance" if anyone is looking for background on the circumstances that have led up to the present situation.



My mother was admitted to the hospital on 03/03/09; she was vomitting blood and her stomach was distended. After several days of tests, three blood infusions, and a trip to the ICU when her blood pressure dropped dangerously low, finally she seemed to be "out of the woods".

Test results became available a few days ago and the news was bad (cirrhosis of the liver), but there was hope that it had not progressed enough that it was the entire liver. The doctor spoke to her about seeking treatment to stay sober so her liver could "rest" and maybe there was a small chance she could have a few years. So from there my family was looking forward to her discharge from the hospital and optimistic about her treatment. It looked like a second chance.

Yesterday I recieved the worst news possible and I have been inconsolable. My mother's liver is in end stage liver failure. Right now the doctor is trying to prevent her from lapsing into a coma; I have been informed that there is no coming back once she has reached that point. I don't know the certainty of her lapsing into a coma, but all our family and my mother's friends have been asked to call her or visit the hospital to say "Goodbye". I don't know how long she has or if a miracle is even possible that she could turn around at this stage. I was under the impression that end stage liver failure is a death sentence without a transplant, that it's just a matter of time

So I guess I'm looking for resources on end stage liver failure. I want to understand how it works, if there is still hope. I need to know excatly what to expect because I feel like it is the only way I can cope. I want to be prepared for the worst.

Any person with information to offer, I would be grateful.