lurker coming out

[kate0b1]

Good morning and Happy New Year to everyone. I have been lurking for quite some time on several boards and thought I should oust myself. (FYI this board has the most real people)

The story:   Not sure exactly how I got it, best guess is a tattoo party I went to in the late 70's (I know) or that I have been a nurse forever. Found out giving blood maybe 15 years ago (very happy they test for that now, it has probably saved many people heartache). My numbers have never been bad VL around 2mil forever, and no other problems except tired/achy (could be also being a women of age lol). Last spring I just decided I wanted it gone and started on triple therapy, I was a rapid responder and was UND by week 3 and throughout tx. Tx was as bad as everyone said it would be and I only made it until week 22 (horrible labs and NO hair). Ended tx, relapsed (really sad day), bought a really cute wig and carried on. 
MY GIguy (who I love), told me to go home get well and reconvene this fall so here i am! 
Started harvoni (easy approval from BC) on Dec 18th with much worrying about sides, so far I have very few problems with it (that kinda scares me a little), Slight headache on and off that on 500mg Tylenol gets rid of, weird pain in my upper right side and on/off tired (but that may be crazy busy at work and x-mas travel). A little dry mouth, I drink way more coffee than water (trying to flip that).
Anyway here I am.

[JillLynn]

Welcome Kate!   As I sit here drinking my 2nd big cup of coffee just wanted to say HI and wish you the best.    I've got 9 more Harvoni pills to go and
 I am so hoping for all of the great people I've met on here that we all are virus free in 2015 and STAY THAT WAY!     

Thanks for sharing.   Jill

[sunrise]

Hey Jill
Wow only 9 days left you're almost done! Happy New Year to you and to all. Kate welcome to the forum. You will find so much support here. I wouldn't have kept my sanity if it wasn't for these fine folks on this forum.I'm still waiting for my end of treatment results since December 22nd. I'm so anxious to find out the story. I get my 4 week test on January 19th. I'm glad to be off the Solvaldi olysio treatment. it really messed with my mind, and also my weight. My appetite was incredible. Now that we're in the new year I will really change my eating habits and hopefully I will be undetected. Blessings to all... Sunrise

[kate0b1]

Thanks ladies, it's nice to meet you. I'm crazy jealous that you are almost done jill, and i'm way ahead of you on coffee. I am to get my 4 week labs on jan 16th, I'm so nervous. I'm trying to keep my head on about it but its hard, I'm not even sure why I'm so freaked out about it, I was UNdec the whole time i was on triple therapy.
 It's good to have someone to talk to about it though, my husband is great and a super support (both times) but its not in him so its hard for him to understand my thoughts. I wish i had joined last spring but thought I could handle it on my own (maybe not so much after all). anyway thanks for being here.

[sunrise]

hi Kate
      Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. I totally understand about having a hard time talking to people about what we're going through. I don't have a husband and I'm very cautious on who I talk to you as the stigma on this thing can ruin my reputation in my small town. My son has been a rock for me, but I don't like to continually harangue about this with him. This has been a great place to vent to find information and just to get to know other people and know what they're going through. Yeah you guys got me going to make some coffee after I read your post I was off to the coffee maker. Don't be so nervous I'm sure you're going to show up if not undetected very close to it.....just enjoy your day and know that 2015 will be our cure year... Sunrise

[CE]

Welcome Kate, and good luck to you on your journey! This forum is a wonderful place for us hepc people to throw it out there! So much good info, so many great people, all going thru the same battle. I also am from a very small town and work for a very small hospital where everyone knows everyone and gossip flies. My husband and children are the only ones who know my secret and I refuse to have any tests or labs done at the hospital where I work. It costs me more to go to another hospital, but it is worth it to me.
Kate, stay strong and I hope 2015 will be a super year for us all!

[kate0b1]

Agg, wow I feel like we have the same story CE, I also work in a very small community hospital, I get nothing done there and my GI MD is about 45 mins away lol, it was really hard last year on triple therapy to come up with cover stories about being SOB, horrific skin and wearing a wig, weirdly not that many people really noticed i was losing my hair (its light so i think that made it a little easier). The only people that know about this journey is my husband, sister and one best friend. Its a hard journey with not many people to talk to. Last year was soo bad. I just starting week 3 today with these meds and it almost scares me a little that this is so easy, one pill instead of 12 and no shots. I feel blessed that getting covered was easy and that i feel so good.
@sunrise you may have to keep repeating that mantra about not being nervous for another few weeks.

[sunrise]

Hi warriors
    g I thought I was the only 1 that was feeling that way. I Drive 2 hours to see my doctor and staff. There is no way in the world that I would give the opportunity for people in this town to slam me for my illness. Besides that the care here is shall I say minimal from what I hear from my patrons. And yes I must remain calm Kate I know. Today has been a heck of a day we had a deep freeze last night and my pipes froze. I had the water company come out and shut off my main and I'm telling you they were making it out like it was a terrible situation my pipes are going to be broken blah blah blah. I had friends come out to help me and all I had to do was thaw out my pipes, and they checked underneath the house and everything was dry as a bone. What hurts me is that the water company wasn't going to be responsible to help me at all anyway I don't know why they were trying to make my life more miserable.anyway that being said all is well now. I will be leaving a drip going in the far bathroom as we will be hitting the single digits again tonight. Thank goodness for friends. Thanks for letting me vent guys it's been a tough day.hopefully tomorrow will be better.I hope everybody's having a great day and feeling better best wishes... Sunrise

[CE]

Vent, Sunrise! It does the body good!   So sorry for all the difficulties. Sometimes it seems like when it rains, it pours! I have been in those situation so many times. I live in the wilderness! We are due for the crappy weather tomorrow. Snow, sleet, freezing rain, and power outages. Can't wait! But you have to admit, it very briefly takes our minds off our internal problems. Hope your pipes unthaw. It's those kind of days that I wish I still could sip a wine! Lol.  Stay warm and take care.
Chris

[sunrise]

Thanks so much
I feel so much better now. Yes it kind of takes you out of your body for a minute. The pipes are all fine now I'm leaving drips going for the night. so thankful it didn't turn out to be a bigger problem. I'm still waiting for my viral load from my end of treatment that was on December 22nd it's becoming a drag having to wait. feeling like I'm in limbo but it could be worse and I know that and I am thankful for that.Chris it sounds like you better get ready to go off the grid. I hope the winds aren't too high and you stay snug as a bug. Hey everybody thank you for being there for me I sure needed it tonight.....Blessings....Sunrise

[badbradley]

Hi Sunrise,
      Frozen water pipes suck! Glad you got them unthawed. Just had to replace my hot water heater. Makes you appreciate the little things in life. 2 days with no hot water is like 2 wks. Your results are taking forever! What's up with that?  I wouldn't have any fingernails left waiting that long! Haven't talked with you for a while, wanted to say HEY!   
                             Brad

[sunrise]

Heyy..Brad. I know its been a few days. Still waiting for dec 21st vl results rrrrr. Guess the holidays delayed things. Thanks I really had some crazy day starting before dawn. No water no good.... very grateful. . Will for sure let you know what results are. 4 week after tx test I in 17 days. You hope I would get results from 1st test before I get another ggeeez... another single digit night here in beautiful southwest.with snow on the ground for effect.  I am letting the faucets drip alittle thru night. All will be right. Sleep well my fellow.warriors.... Sunrise

[kate0b1]

good morning sunrise, (hey thats catchy), I'm sorry you are having a bad time with the pipes, that happened to my parents once when they were away, thank god my brother stopped by the house and found it before it was really bad. I think we are due for crappy weather here today also. I am trying to work up the energy to go to the food store so i can make soup today. I hate to cook, and make most things on the grill but weirdly love making soup.
You must  be on pins and needles waiting for labs, i go on the 16th for my 4 week and i  am already nervous, this seems so easy so far. You must be so excited though.

[sunrise]

Hi Kate
   Thank you it was a tense morning yesterday. Yes I'm on pins and needles myself I'm really nervous about the test results but I just have to be a big girl and wait it out. Hopefully today I will receive my end of treatment results. I will be taking my 4 week post-treatment test on the 19th of January.enjoy your soup today I'm a little bit jealous I wish I could enjoy it too. Nothing like nice hot soup on a cold day Thanks for writing and I'll talk to you soon have a good day... SunrisePS I bet you're really excited about your 4 week blood test also. Im sure you will be amazed at results!  :-)

[kate0b1]

fingers crossed for your results, one pot of soup down and i'll make another today to freeze so i have easy dinners at least a few times lol, soup and salad may be my fav meal.