The fog lifts
I went along to see my GP on Monday morning. I needed to get him 'on side' because he'll be the person looking after me and my side effects. I explained to him about my feelings of being let down by the local Consultant (after 6 months under his care I had still not known what type or viral load I had). I did not have to worry as Prof Foster had already written him a letter - my GP laughed and said he knew more about HepC from the 2 page letter than he ever knew before. He readily agreed to work hand in hand with the Professor who will be prescribing whatever I need and my GP will do the facilitating. Just as I was about to leave he remarked that there were several other people in the practice that had been diagnnosed with HepC. I told him that I was planning to write an article about it and have it published in the local paper (I'll most likely do this after I've started tx)and that perhaps this would enable us to start a local support group. He commented on the stigma element and said, "You are very brave". I don't think that I'm brave at all - I'm just doing what I have to do.
Tuesday Morning
I woke up early and felt bored. I played a few games on my computer (I'm into Internet Mahjong at the moment)but got bored with that too. I spent some time faffing around making myself presentable but then decided to attack the study. It had looked a right mess since Xmas and it was nigh on impossible trying to put your hand on anything required. By the time I had finished you could see the desktop. I had entered all those updated bits of info into my Palm and backed it up on the laptop, made phone calls to organise electricians and carpet layers and had organised flights for later in the year. I was my very organised old self. And, I wasn't tired. My burst of energy carried through - no afternoon nap for me - what a sheer delight to feel normal. I made dinner for the three of us and read and watched some TV and I finally went to bed at about 11pm. The fog and the lethargy had lifted - I had forgotten how it felt to feel this good!
Wednesday Morning
I woke up wandering about yesterday - could it have been down to the Mung Bean Soup? Well, I have modified it a bit and now it's Mung Bean Stew - I found the recipe on the net and will post it if anyone is interested. I have been eating quite alot of it!
Perhaps not, because this morning I have woken up feeling tired. Oh well, it was great whilst it lasted. Too bad it couldn't have stuck around a bit longer - I play Bridge today.
Tuesday Morning
I woke up early and felt bored. I played a few games on my computer (I'm into Internet Mahjong at the moment)but got bored with that too. I spent some time faffing around making myself presentable but then decided to attack the study. It had looked a right mess since Xmas and it was nigh on impossible trying to put your hand on anything required. By the time I had finished you could see the desktop. I had entered all those updated bits of info into my Palm and backed it up on the laptop, made phone calls to organise electricians and carpet layers and had organised flights for later in the year. I was my very organised old self. And, I wasn't tired. My burst of energy carried through - no afternoon nap for me - what a sheer delight to feel normal. I made dinner for the three of us and read and watched some TV and I finally went to bed at about 11pm. The fog and the lethargy had lifted - I had forgotten how it felt to feel this good!
Wednesday Morning
I woke up wandering about yesterday - could it have been down to the Mung Bean Soup? Well, I have modified it a bit and now it's Mung Bean Stew - I found the recipe on the net and will post it if anyone is interested. I have been eating quite alot of it!
Perhaps not, because this morning I have woken up feeling tired. Oh well, it was great whilst it lasted. Too bad it couldn't have stuck around a bit longer - I play Bridge today.
5 Comments:
Hi Ron, I'm in total agreement with you. I see absolutely no point in having alot of isolated people suffer in silence.
Re the stigma, I've only told a few friends so far and they obviously have been tremendously supportive - they are true good mates! It has only been the general medical profession here that have reinforced the stigma. When I was told about my diagnosis there was a roomful of students hanging onto every word that came out of the Consultant's mouth (suppose it was the lesson on how to break bad news....)It felt as though they were all looking down on me for being so foolish as to catch this virus. He even recommended having treatment in Liverpool so that nobody would find out about it here and the students all nodded in agreement. Then when I was going to Peru I had to get shots and of course, I warned the Practice Nurse about my HepC. She immediately mentioned the stigma that exists and how important it was to keep it confidential.
I am delighted to know that the Government is attempting to bring it out into the open and perhaps, just perhaps, in a couple of years we will get the same recognition that HIV sufferers get now ie be treated as normal people.
PS Good luck with the roadshow - I'm sure you look great!
By
Tink, at 12:09 pm
Hi Tink
I am very proud of you, I believe that you are slowly learning to accept your diagnosis. Next time someone tell you to keep quiet about you hepatitis C after you have confided in them( ie NHS staff and friends). I have a line that you can tell them ( At least I know I am positive but do you know if your are not). Give them a possible list of transmission routes and she how much risk factors they have.
Go girl!! Let me know if you need any material surrounding Hep C (HCV)ie eay reading booklet.
By
Anonymous, at 8:58 pm
Hi Tink
Sorry for the incorrect spelling I do wish you bloggers could add a spell check for people like me
By
Anonymous, at 9:00 pm
Hi Tink
Sorry for the incorrect spelling I do wish you bloggers could add a spell check for people like me
By
Anonymous, at 9:00 pm
Hi Anon,
Thanks for your support - it is much appreciated! I would like to see a copy of the HCV booklet - do you have it online? If so, can you send it to tka5@hotmail.co.uk.
Muchos Gratos
Tink
By
Tink, at 10:26 pm
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