My HepC Journey III

WEEK 20:

This last week went by just as quickly but it has been a good week. Mood swings were gone and less tired. Or was it due to the cool weather I realized I had less night sweats and more sleep. Saw the Rheumatologist for a review on my Raynaud's Syndrome and showed her my rashes. She upped my dose of Nifedipine to encourage blood flow to my hands and suggested that I insist the Dermatologist order a biopsy to ensure I get treated for the Vasculitis. It looks like it had spread to my back and above my ankles.  My appointment will be on the 19th November (special way of celebrating birthday!). Also got my MRI results and a new diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Hypertrophy from L4/5 which have been the main source of pain the last 20 weeks.

Got my LAST bag of medication, last 4 weeks of poison and I'm done! This roller-coaster ride has taken a toll on me - moods were up and down, side effects come and go, was happy and sad, angry but not mad, hazy and foggy but trying to stay alert. If, like some others experienced towards the end of treatment, they are less tired and had more good days in stall, I sincerely pray hard for it. For some others the effects of treatment could last for another 6 to 12 months or more. Some have developed auto-immune disorders, musculoskeletal and neuropathy issues which may be life-long. I sincerely pray that I skip this.

Before I decided to treat, fellow heppers have said many times again that it's not going to be easy or a walk in the park but after much strenuous endeavor, endurance and tenacity, it's going to be worth it. This trip will be well paid for. I WILL achieve SVR (Sustained Virologic Response).

WEEK 21:

I hope this will be the last part of my 24-weeks' diary. Wishing for more good days to come and jumping across to the other side. Almost the end of week 21. Neck and shoulders were so stiff it pulled the muscles all the way to my head, jaws, upper and lower back pain were radiating to my arms and right leg. Even my chest walls were tight and congested, not so much pain though but enough to be depressing. Not sure what I did as I was filling up my water bottle and it overflowed. Then as I was fixing a hot drink, my hands moved away and almost got scalded. 

Mood swing is back. I got annoyed quickly at the way some colleague handled his work as he tried to push his responsibilities to me. My work has been overwhelming ... enough is enough! I have been acting manager, acting operations and me, the actor. I have been too sick and tired of being sick and tired, stressed up by the medications, side effects and the uncalled for widened job scope. Not forgetting those faces and remarks of people that actually meant "but you don't look sick" was one of the worse setback during treatment. I wished I could go miles away, no network and non-contactable location where I could just lay back and switch off my mobile. But living in this century we will never find such a place. 

Got to round up with 2 more doctor appointments, the Dermatologist to see that a biopsy is done then my Hep doctor for my End-of-Treatment blood draw. It shall be another viral load quantitative test to make sure I'm still undetectable before having a month's break. 

WEEK 22:

After calculation with brain fog it took me 5 times, finally thought it was confirmed that I'm left with 2 more shots and 20 days of the Riba ... counting down... Just realized I have missed out 6 pills left inside my office drawer. So 1.5 more days added to my countdown.

It was a cool week, ranging from 24 degrees to 31 degrees Celsius. No night sweats, scalp is drying up but lots of tension headaches almost 24/7. The side effect that got worse is hair loss. I have lost almost half of it. Eyes seemed less irritating and rage is gone.

Booked myself a holiday in Bali and will be popping down my last pills on flight!

WEEK 23:

Felt like I am still on the 7th week having the recurrent pain episodes - tension headaches with added facial and jaw pain, neck, shoulders, chest, thoracic and lumbar nerves. I have been more tired everyday this whole week that brought my mood really down. If the MRI only show degeneration on the L4/5 sections, why am I having so much pain even on the cervical section? So I went to consult a Chiropractor nearby my work place and found out there is something going on on C7/8 section as well! They are very professional, detailed and  helpful unlike the hospital doctors who are impatient and the "hurry up and get out" attitude. The nice and polite doctor recommended that I go for a full spine X-ray before he could diagnose and so get to the root of the problem.  That is the difference between the government hospitals and the private set ups.

My last shot tonight but I do not feel that excited about. The pain may go on as long as I do nothing about my spine problem.

WEEK 24:

Yippie! No more scary needles and no more stress on taking pills. No more fear of leaking halfway through, fear of infection ... etc.  So I had a load off my mine. So glad it's over. Guess I have been whining too much the last 24 weeks.  Sorry about it because this is my only outlet, my only companion but most of it all, I have found a better friend in me for writing my own blog.

So just like Pat said, we got more tired towards the end of therapy.  Every night was total knock-out into dreamland.  Finally decided to cut my hair short and the fussing will come to an end. Just a hair cut and 30 minutes of shopping for some travel essentials ended up waking too late the next morning. Next week will be my trip to Bali. Will I be too tired and sleep throughout the trip? Will I make it for bungee jump or collapse the minute I look down?  Blood counts are still low especially Hemoglobin has gone down to 10, ANC at 700.  Well, I have this in mind, if I am sent to a hospital in Bali for a transfusion, I will fly back immediately.  I will not expose myself to any more risk of blood infection. No more hepC, no more Interferon or Ribavirin.