Thanks to all. To add a little detail, her rare condition was GPA vasculitis. She was first diagnosed almost four years ago in France. She was not able to obtain rituximab there. They sold their restaurant and moved back to VA, in hopes of treatment here. The first rheumatologist in VA refused to accept the French findings and started over again, doubting the diagnosis. She placed her on methotrexate and Prednisone, which are really ineffective. She obtained treatment two weeks before death. The life expectancy, without treatment, after dx, is five months. The one-year survival is less than 30%. With treatment, survival averages 8-9 years. This is from NIH. So, in a way, she beat the odds in surviving as long as she did, with no effective treatment...