My view of the HCV Journey

[Long_Haul]

HCV, Harvoni, side effects and trees. A moment of reflection.

A message to my fellow warriors, those beginning their HCV journey, those well-traveled and those saying good-bye to the Dragon.( It's a bit long, but please read the entire post)

I think a lot of us who have endured HCV and are desperately seeking relief from its nasty influence on our bodies tend to forget about the examples we have around us in nature to compare to what HCV does to us.  Some of us have had HCV for months, years or even decades. It has changed how our body operates and made subtle changes over time to much of our structure. It has obviously influenced who we are. What we do every day is influenced by this foreign creature coursing through our bodies whether we realize it or not. Some of us don't feel much change, and other are totally or partially disabled by it.

Our mind and body cope much in the same manner that a growing tree braces against the wind over time. The tree sends out roots in specific directions to stabilize it against the prevailing wind, the never ending and always changing wind pressure and other changes in its environment. If an older tree dies then falls and creates a hole in the canopy, one or all of the remaining trees in a group may also fall from the resulting changes in turbulence. Most likely they will survive to grow and adjust in a different direction. The shape, size, and health of the tree changes as it adjusts to these outside influences.

We have changed our bodies in ways we don't know or realize to cope with the long term effects of this disease.

Fast forward to action, to a point when we do something to destroy the foreign creature attacking us. We introduce Harvoni, for example, and it affects changes in our bodies by pounding the virus and we notice those abrupt changes. For some, we taste food in a different way, our sense of touch seems different and exciting, and, yes, we seem to have more energy; our body is now doing a better job taking care of us. For others, the road is different; our enzymes change, the bacteria in our gut no longer is PH balanced, the stomach acid balance is not what it was before and we  have too much acid or too little so our digestion process changes. Good side effects, bad side effects, we get them all in varying degrees for each of us. This process continues for weeks as we adjust to more life-saving antivirals and less virus.

Now eight, twelve, or twenty-four weeks later, we abruptly remove the antiviral and, all of a sudden, our world changes again. Our bodies don't feel the same, the once familiar HCV influence is gone, and the new antiviral norm is now waning as well. We are left with a body that is as unfamiliar to us as the new family that just moved in down the street from us. We are now left on our own to figure out what a new normal for us will be.

Scary, uncomfortable and somewhat overwhelming at times, we now need to adjust. Our old normal will not be coming back to us, that's why we wanted HCV gone in the first place. You and I and all of our warrior friends are now free to accept the challenge of starting over and creating a new, better life for ourselves. We have a chance to go on with our lives and control it the way we want without HCV's unwanted help.

The side effects will diminish; you will adjust and establish a new normal and be a much better you. Stand tall like the tree against the damage HCV has inflicted on you and own the rest of your life. The bill is paid. You don't owe anything more to the dragon. Make it an old memory.

Take care through the process,

AL

[KimInTheForest]

Nice perspective AL. Thanks for taking the time to think it out and write it out and share it.

kim

[kate0b1]

@Al, wow, just wow thats all the words I have. this is a great way to look at our lives and the end/beginning of this chapter 

ps thanks for being part of the journey

kate

[koifish54]

Nice Al.  My husband said to me you have alot more energy your mood is better (well that slips once in awhile LOL) I guess people who don't have hepatitis c don't realize we were fighting every day . I am thankful to be around to be able to take this drug have a great day !

[Debula]

Great post!  A positive post!  Thank your that