Sorry for derailing this thread. I don't mind if the moderator removes the posts not related to Matt.

My brother lost a battle with liver disease. Just after we moved (he lives with me due to the liver issues dating back 4 years) he lost the ability to walk one night after his abdomen and legs became swollen. The swelling damaged his spine somehow. The doctors were not able to operate because of liver failure. He made it all the way to rehab where he was learning to live life in a wheelchair and then an infection set in and within a week he was gone. Honestly i dont think the doctors knew what to do for him. We had him at UIC and then Northwestern. Both are great hospitals.