Welcome to my Coming Out Party
and Book!
:D :D :D
For anyone who has been wondering who the heck is @KimInTheForest… My full name is Kim Goldberg. And I am a freelance writer, poet and author in Nanaimo, BC, on Vancouver Island. I had Hepatitis C for about 45 years before being cured in 2015. I was lucky enough to land a seat in a clinical trial of Harvoni/ribavirin at the LAIR Centre in Vancouver, BC.
I blog about my Hep C story here:
https://pigsquash.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/undetectable-my-hep-c-story/
I have supported myself as a writer for nearly 40 years, winning awards for my investigative journalism, poetry and spoken-word performances. In that time, I have authored seven books of nonfiction and poetry, as well as science fiction stories, essays, and a couple thousand articles for newspapers and magazines.
I spent my 12 weeks of treatment writing a book about my Hep C journey. I hope to use my new book, Undetectable, to raise public awareness about Hepatitis C and the politics of withholding the cure from so many who need it. The book is dedicated to all who are still waiting.
Not trying to sell books here. Just wanted to offer another example of how each of us can find a way to use our Hep C story to raise awareness and erase stigma.
I wrote Undetectable in a Japanese literary style called haibun, which is a travel diary paired with haiku. Matsuo Basho, Japan’s most famous and revered poet, launched haibun in the 17th century with his Narrow Road to the Interior and other travel diaries of his foot journeys. Basho made the journeys in the final decade of his life, often in failing health, after he had lost or given away what little he owned. I could relate!
After just one week of treatment, I was saying “Hello, brain! Long time no see!” That’s how quickly these new drugs work. After my first seven days of treatment, my viral load had dropped from four million to 130. After four weeks, I was undetected. I have remained undetected ever since.
I would encourage everyone affected by Hepatitis C to find a way to speak up and speak out when the time is right for you. Some of you are way ahead of me on that! :)
The more that Hepatitis C is openly discussed, the sooner the stigma and misconceptions will fade, and the sooner everyone will get tested, treated and cured.
Wellness to all,
Kim Goldberg
(My book cover really depicts the way I now feel as I embrace my NEW LIFE, free of HCV. So I wanted to share it to inspire others. But if it is deemed too promotional, my feelings won't be hurt if moderators find it necessary to remove it. Peace out. :) )
(http://i66.tinypic.com/ephesn.jpg)