And another one gone, and another one gone...

[Eireann]

Well, nobody I knew had died in some time. And now the streak has ended. My friend's husband slipped away yesterday morning. He had been sick for quite some time, and finally, it became too much for him. He needed a liver transplant, but didn't get one. (I don't know if they couldn't find a match, or the waiting list was too long, or what.)

I wish I could be there with her.

[MoonCat]

Very sorry to hear that.

[AccountingDrone]

Well that seriously bites =(

And they are reportedly very close to being able to 3D print a scaffold and liver triggered stem cell replacement. And I think it really sucks because livers are the one organ of the body that can regrow from a piece as small as a golf ball if given a chance. [I wonder what would happen if someone wanted to have a portion of their liver cut out and frozen for future culturing in case of issues, along with a health slurp of bone marrow - another organ that can regenerate in an amazing way. I know a couple people also in te Rare Blood Type 'club' who self donate and freeze a couple pints of blood a year.]

[Eireann]

I know; we really, really need to be able to print organs for people who need transplants, and from what I can see, using the body's own cells to print said organs will eliminate the need for immunosuppressants.

My friend told me a little over five years ago that her husband needed a liver transplant. He's just been wasting away, as far as I can tell - I hadn't seen him in many years, so I don't know how he looked in the final stretch of his life. I remember, a long time ago, when the two of them had a Halloween party, and he was dressed as a vampire. One of the guests at that party died a few years later, and now, my friend's husband. (Unrelated causes, by the way.)