Jake the Dog
Storage is cool
Last Friday, the world lost Geoffrey Wayne Bendle. He was my brother-in-law, my sisters husband to be exact.
An otherwise healthy person, non-drinker & non-smoker, Geoff was diagnosed as having an extremely rare degenerative disease 2 years ago. There is no cure for what he had. The only way to treat the severe symptoms of arthritic like crippling pain in joints and chronic fatigue was with drugs. These drugs had many a side affect, one of which decreased lung function which and as a result, caused significant lung damage.
A few months ago, it became obvious that Geoff would need a lung transplant, he was constantly suffering through bouts of pneumonia and other chest infections and his lungs were getting worse and worse. Throughout this time he continued working as best he could, never complaining. Four weeks ago Geoff was hospitalised (for the 10th time) with lung complications and things rapidly went downhill from there. Two weeks ago his lung function was down to 35% and he was considered to be in a serious condition. He had to fight for every single and now painful breath, each breath being barely enough. Finally he was put in top of the transplant list, Australia and New Zealand wide. He spent his last 48 awake hours with family and two breathing coaches as we all helped him fight and make every single breath before he could fight no longer and was put in two life support machines which was the last resort. The doctors told us he would only last a few days yet he managed to last nine days, mostly asleep whilst we wished like we have wished before and hoped like we have never hoped for a set of lungs to become available. We lost him last Friday afternoon.
I just want to tell you guys how sad I am, as anyone who met him is, and that the world really is a lesser place for having lost him. He was one of those rare people that was a genuinely nice person. People say these kind things about someone who has passed away but Geoff actually was one of these people. He was kind and considerate and somehow managed to be laughingly cheeky without ever offending anyone. The way he fought through those 48 hours, having to make every single breath count, and for the 9 days on life support, has shown me just how courage and strength he had. I can only hope I can be half as strong when my time is up.
He was a good person and good for my sister. For many many reasons, I will miss him dearly.
He was only 35.
An otherwise healthy person, non-drinker & non-smoker, Geoff was diagnosed as having an extremely rare degenerative disease 2 years ago. There is no cure for what he had. The only way to treat the severe symptoms of arthritic like crippling pain in joints and chronic fatigue was with drugs. These drugs had many a side affect, one of which decreased lung function which and as a result, caused significant lung damage.
A few months ago, it became obvious that Geoff would need a lung transplant, he was constantly suffering through bouts of pneumonia and other chest infections and his lungs were getting worse and worse. Throughout this time he continued working as best he could, never complaining. Four weeks ago Geoff was hospitalised (for the 10th time) with lung complications and things rapidly went downhill from there. Two weeks ago his lung function was down to 35% and he was considered to be in a serious condition. He had to fight for every single and now painful breath, each breath being barely enough. Finally he was put in top of the transplant list, Australia and New Zealand wide. He spent his last 48 awake hours with family and two breathing coaches as we all helped him fight and make every single breath before he could fight no longer and was put in two life support machines which was the last resort. The doctors told us he would only last a few days yet he managed to last nine days, mostly asleep whilst we wished like we have wished before and hoped like we have never hoped for a set of lungs to become available. We lost him last Friday afternoon.
I just want to tell you guys how sad I am, as anyone who met him is, and that the world really is a lesser place for having lost him. He was one of those rare people that was a genuinely nice person. People say these kind things about someone who has passed away but Geoff actually was one of these people. He was kind and considerate and somehow managed to be laughingly cheeky without ever offending anyone. The way he fought through those 48 hours, having to make every single breath count, and for the 9 days on life support, has shown me just how courage and strength he had. I can only hope I can be half as strong when my time is up.
He was a good person and good for my sister. For many many reasons, I will miss him dearly.
He was only 35.
