THE FINISH LINE with Victrelis

[beeblessed]

This is gonna be long…

It’s 7pm and I feel like I should be doing something.  What oh what could it be?? My cell phone alarm is ringing, but……I have no more tx pills to take!!  Wuuuu Huuuuuu!!  The Victrelis bottles are empty, the Monday – Friday pill case of Ribavirin is empty, and the fridge doesn’t have any syringes of Interferon waiting for the Friday Night Darts Club injections. I am done!  I have survived.  I am nauseous and exhausted today, relieved and happy, grateful and humbled.  The last 2 months have been extremely draining for me and I have missed many a post on UND and otherwise.  

How do I even begin to thank everyone in this forum?  For once, I am ‘almost’ at a loss for words.  Almost.  Where else could I make 43+ friends, have over 650 posts (to date) and receive 100 notes…in 10 months…from total strangers??  In the Hep C Community on Med Help, I have encountered the most supportive, honest, and knowledgeable problem solvers.  I have felt GUILTY for enjoying my time here but it gave me such a safety net and sense of purpose at the same time.  While family grows weary of the week by week details (of which I am certain I gave too much), this is full of members willing to listen and lend encouragement.  THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU & YOURS, right where you are.

This process has taken me through many stages: DENIAL – How can I have this??  I have no idea how I got Hep C; ACCEPTANCE – Okay, my tests keep showing my Viral Load is chronic; FEAR – My life just got shorter; DECISION – being African American, it made no sense to me to treat, as odds were so low, but the new P.I.’s offered much more hope, so I finally agreed; TREATMENT – September 1st,  2011 – March 16th, 2012.

I don’t have any labs to report at this time (UND at week 21) but expect to in one month.

For all my cyber-friends, official and otherwise…….YOU ROCK!!  I will always appreciate you more than you can ever know.  Wishing the very best for EVERYONE, and giving a special shout out to those who started this journey in September/October with me, just as scared to walk through that door:

Aj7538! Arlenedupee! Brianmo! Cieritaqt! Coeric! Dee1956! Dreamcat! Hondapatches! Jillybean! Indy531! Libzo2! Livingontheedge! Mykids247! Needinghelp213 (wishing you well) PJHep! Pooh55811! Screaming48! Starshine1ca! Vannh9!

Special thanks MUST also go to Frijole, for maintaining spreadsheets, from which I got most of the start dates.

Thank you to ALL the experts here for sharing your journies and advice, and also to the volunteer moderators (Claire and Emily).  And most, most of all, I give thanks to God, for whom I could never have done this without.  Time will tell if I am off and running to SVR-land (as ElPasolady would say)!

Blessings Always,
Bee :)

[libzo2]

Dear Bee, Your words felt like a hug.  We did it.  Many of us, the first starters, took the dive into that cold pool of the blind faith with these new miracle drugs.  I am so proud of us paving the way.  We were very couragous and hopefully giving hope to those who may be shakey about committing to start.  

The next step - securing that SVR affirmation at 6 months out - our final step in this life saving process.  I look forward to comparing notes.  

Bee you beat the odds hep sister and I am happy to have shared this journey with you.  Thank you

[pooh55811]

It is wonderful that you are free of pills and injections. Congratulations on finishing treatment. Now, SVR!

[leebambee]

Sounds like alot of ups and downs, I can relate. Most of us here can, I think.  It seems to be all uphill from here though.
Wishing you good health :)

[rockymoe]

Congrats! Now on to SVR

[frijole]

bee
you have a beautiful way with words.  Maybe you can take your Victrelis bottle raft and drift into the sunset.

But please, please, do not be a stranger here.  We still need your help, humor and support.  My very best to you on a Hep-C-Free life.

bean

[1oftheclub222]

Congrats!  Now it's time to heal from the experience and start living the rest of your life!