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I've been going back and forth in my head trying to figure out what to write about. Since I'm not very original I've tried looking up topics to write about with no avail. So I think I'm going to write about what it's like to almost lose your best friend. It's kind of morbid but it's the only thing i really know a lot about. Rachel, she's been my best friend for almost eleven years and is constantly extremely ill. Last year she got sicker than I've ever seen her and probably than she's ever been. I knew Rachel was always sick so I kind of just pushed it to the back of my mind. I remember the Wednesday that her sister called me after school balling. I couldn't understand her and my first thought was that her boyfriend has broken up with her but that wasn't the case. She was calling me to tell me that Rachel was in Tampa General Hospital being preped to be air lifted to Shands Hospital in Gainesville. That's not even the worst part, Rachel was in a stage 5 comma and I was told there was a high chance she wouldn't make it. I've have never felt so sick in my life. That night we drove to Gainesville despite the fact that I had school the next day and cheerleading practice that night. When we got to the hospital I was told I couldn't even see her unless I was immediate family. Rachel was so bad she had to be into intensive care. So the whole night i stayed up and cried and prayed and begged to see her. At about seven a.m. the next morning they told me then would let me see her. I almost regret going into her room. I didn't realize how bad she was until I was at her bed side talking to her and not getting a response. I left within ten minutes because I couldn't handle different and dead she looked. Rachel's parents told me that because Rachel has a disease called Crones she's constantly in pain and to help her pain she takes Tylenol. Rachel had gotten sick Sunday afternoon and had taken tylenol like she would any other time. Because couldn't hold anything down she didn't eat or drink anything that day but she continued to take the Tylenol. By the end of the day she had taken close to the whole bottle. Her lack of food or drink caused her kidney's to shut down because the Tylenol was never flushed out. Rachel was in line to be put on a donor list but by Thursday morning she was in a stage 3 comma and she ended up coming home the following Sunday. Almost losing Rachel really really changed my life. Before that I took so much for granted. I enjoy my time with her so much more now because everytime I hang out with I think if what it would be like if she hadn't made it through. I try to explain it to people but I honestly think no one understands what it's like unless they experience it for themselves.