Just ramblin'

[couchpotato]

Being that it is Saturday and it's always quiet on the board thought I would write in with an update. I'lm finding time to read postings occasionally and am always surprised at the number of newbies. You guys have found an excellent souce of support and information here and you'll find that regardless of the traumatic news that brought you all here, there is hope and love in abundance, all's not lost.

I had my 1 year PCR last month and I am still undetectable, so for me, it is over. Really, I didn't find the treatment itself all that difficult, sure, there were good days and bad, but all in all, it was completely doable.

Hubby had his 1 year (Nov. 16) post transplant exam on Thursday and has been given a clean bill of health! Well, when I say that, I mean he is as healthy as anyone can expect for all he has been through. He never had any rejection and now 1 year out, the chances are slim he ever will. We were hoping he would go back on tx this winter but the transplant team wants to wait because his liver enzymes have been normal for the past few months. They will wait and watch his blood work and then biopsy when (if?) things go wonky. I think there are differing views on that, but we have trust in this team.

So, on the 31st of Oct. we are flying to Mexico for 6 weeks of rest and relaxation! This is our reward to ourselves after the year that we have gotten through. Life goes on, right? Time to put some of this behind us and act like normal folks again.

Everybody, take care and keep the faith. We are warriors.

Mattie

[Healed24]

I would like to know where the Hep C article can be found. If anyone can tell me I would appreciate it. Eventhough I have yet to read the article I agree that if it's main purpose was to educate the public then they should show a "Average person". A person that looks like someone you would see in the grocery store, or in church. Now on the other hand if their purpose is to scare the public then showing somone that is disfigured would definately get the job done. I think that the effectiveness of advertising depends on the message that is trying to be portrayed. Now not having read the article, I can't give my personal opinion on it, but I do know that before I was diagnoised with HCV I never even worried about it (I never used drugs, was a virgin and didn't have any wild teenage years). An article that showed normal people do get it, would have really helped me. Just my opinion.

Brooke
GO BLESS

[derail]

sorry i missed you yesterday
real glad things are working out better for you guys
wow !yr time flies
i too have passed the exam last may 1 yr post tx clear and coming up on the 2 year plateau
cheers to both of you and remember the toast is cranberry juice daryl

[cuteus]

Yes, dinasty fan, I am, since 1996.  I am on LI and I try to go once a year. Of course it did not happen for the last two years due to hcv and to the fact that my daughter is not a good sport about baseball anymore.  This year I got a friend from another forum to come with me in a charter trip. It was an awesome game, even though they lost.  We have to do it next season. Hopefully they won't change too many guys in the team, tossed out for the new faces. I hate not knowing players when I go to the games.
Maybe we can get amerabrit to join in!

[Kanzou]

Your casita is 45 mins north of PV? A good friend has one in San Pancho (San Francisco) a few hops up the beach from the resort Costa Azul. Pre TP, 18 friends from across the US gathered there (pad next door too) for five days of fun and laughter. To avoid the crowds we gathered in late Feb. Great time except for those damn no see-ums.

[avidreader]

I also think it is very important as a group of people living with HCV that we be very careful not to divide ourselves into two groups ie: the "worthy" infected who picked up the virus via transfusion or medical procedure vs the "unworthy" poor who might have picked up their infection through IV drug use because of an addiction (a terrible disease in of itself) or because of the not uncommon indiscretions of youth who feel that they are infallible. If we divide ourselves and we weaken ourselves as an advocacy group.

[cougareyes]

Sadly the ad just hits the American public where their priorities are : vanity. Which is just to get people that aren't treating to treat; look at the sales of anything to do with weight, beauty, plastic surgery.
The fact is most people look good, even to this day; having HCV for 25 years and being on tx, people don't take me serious about how awful I feel.
The AIDS compaign was very successful, because it was the truth; and it's the same truth about HCV. Most people have been around forever with this silently wrecking havoc and possibly giving it to others. People need to know the face of HCV is THE FACE NEXT DOOR.
I hope people see this is just an ad to sell drugs, it is not an advocacy for HCV.       Peace