I was told almost 30 odd years ago , maybe 1991 that I had Hep C .
I learned between spinal operations that I was positive.
I had to have blood given to me even though I donated my own. The next surgery when I donated my blood they told me I was HCV Positive.
I didn't know how they missed it all those years of prior surgery's and my own blood donations. I never gave it much thought, I looked at it like it was Hep B. I had had tattoo's in the 80's,, but again I shook it off as if was no big deal.
Much was not known about Hep C back then. I went to my Internist after my spinal surgery's and he drew bloods, my liver enzymes were high, but nothing, nothing at all regarding following my Hep C.
I was obviously much younger, I was healthy, took herbs and vitamins, worked out, didn't drink, I would have never known that I was carrying around a silent killer.
I went almost my entire life not thinking anything about it.
As years went on, I left my healthy lifestyle and started drinking alcohol as all my enjoyment, socially, in home, in other words I abused it.
I was married to my first husband, until I met and married my 2nd husband, I've spent almost 30 years of my life being married.
My present husband and I moved to PA and in to our 8 years here, I finally went to a Doctor, I just was feeling off, and flu like, and it just seemed to linger. I was feeling pangs on the side of my stomach were my liver was, and I always assumed it was from over doing the alcohol.
I didn't have a doc or health insurance, so I went to this free clinic with in walking distance from my home . If any one had never been to one, its different Doctors donating their time, and yes, the wait is long.
This night I was seen by a woman oncologist who as she was doing a breast exam noticed the my chest had those spider veins and asked if I'd ever been checked for Hep C, when I told her I was told I had it, that's where my medical roller coaster began and what a ride.
I was then assisted in retaining health insurance and off to my first Doc.
Doc D is a hematologist and he is all about being overly serious. My first apportionment I was running late I called and told his girls at the desk and they said no problem just come on in. When I did arrive and got in an exam room with him, he strictly told me I was late and did not have the time to spend with me, I of course as I always do or should I say did cause I'm working on that, yelled back at him. So, immediately, I did not like him,
But, as time went on and I joined support groups on Facebook and began to speak with him, now being well informed about HCV, he told me I was one of his most proficient patients . After all I did let him do my biopsy, and I think after that I gained a new respect and trust for him too.
I've done what most people do after they are diagnosed. Blood work that a vampire would love. Two scans of my liver and other organs, a biopsy, which was done through my neck, which is referred to a a Trans-jugular biopsy, due to my platelets being low and I was a risk for bleeding
After I was done with all the testing, I was going to do the old 3X treatment, Doing home injections for 50 odd weeks the old Pygasus. The day the pharmacy called to set up an appointment Doc D called me and told me we were going to wait till the 2X combo, Olysio & Sovaldi. I got all ready for to treat on that and then due to my own stupidity I was denied
I have to say empotionally the past two years have been up and down but mostly down. When I realized the severity of Hep C I could not get over that I could die from it, and then to learn others were getting denied due to costs it was more than one can fathom.
I was also seeing pain Docs, two of my docs said that I had no pain from the Hep C and It was driving me insane, and into a total world of darkness.
My marriage was bad, I was bad, there was no light on this journey, I was in total darkens. I did not want to associate with any one on go any where, not even to Doctors, I laid in bed sleeping, eating, watching enough Law and Order SVU, and Criminal Minds that I could write the shows. I gained 50 pounds and went into I don't care if I die mode.
More to come in Part 2
