Last Week (26/09/05-03/09/05) Injection 24/24 And My journey Of hap C

Yes...... It is not a dream, this Monday I really have done the last injection very smoothly followed by special Kit Kat with caramel. I congratulate every one who is in the Hep. C bloging group that one of the members is finishing his treatment with the blessing of God and help and support of you all members. I am very grateful to God and I want say special thanks to my wife Mandy and my brother and sister- inlaw and every one who guided and supported me all the way of my treatment. God bless you all.

To day I want to write the summary of my whole Hep C journey. In May 1999 I started feeling pain underneath my right side ribs. It was not very painful but I could feel it as a pain specially after the food and when I was doing long time sitting down work. In the beginning I ignored the pain and carried on my normal life. I told my doctor about this, he told me that nothing wrong with your stomach and he advised me to have pain relief tablets. Once I saw Dr. Basra (an other Dr. In my surgery) I told her about my pain. She was very good and she examined my tummy carefully. At the end she referred me to the gastrology detp. in the hospital.

Dr. Arnold was my consultant. In the first six months he could not diagnose any thing. Then recommended for me to go for an endoscopy test. The nurse told me that I can have this test while I am awake or with anesthetic. I chose having test while I am awake. That was the most horrible thing I faced in the whole of this journey. The Dr. Sprayed inside my mouth and put some thing in my mouth to keep it open. Then two nurses held me down strongly me from my head and arms so I could not move. Then the Dr. Put a moving camera inside my throat. And she moved the camera around in my tummy about 5 minutes. i was feeling sick badly but i could not move. I was near to pushing the nurses away and run away, then the Dr. said that she has finished now and you are very brave.

At my next appointment the Dr. told me that there was nothing in my tummy only one little patch of ulcer. So he gave me prescription for an ulcer treatment. At the next appointment I was seen by another consultant because Dr. Arnold was not there. I told the Dr. that my pain was still there after I had ulcer tablets. Then he examined my tummy again and asked me the exact point of pain. I looked his face and it looked like he found something this time. So he sent me for some blood tests. At the next appointment in November 1999 Dr. Arnold told that I have been diagnosed with Hep. C. and there is nothing to worry about as it is very slow progressing disease. So he sent me to have a liver biopsy test. In April 2000 I had my first liver biopsy. I was very worried about the biopsy, because I had been told that it could cause internal bleeding. At last the biopsy day came and it was done by the registrar of the hospital with out any ultrasound vision with a fine needle. It was very easy and quick very much against my expectations and fears. The result was 2/5 with mild progressing rate. Dr. Arnold sent me to Chelsea and Westminster hospital for treatment.
I saw my consultant and nurses. They were not very encouraging. That time was only interferon treatment not combined. Considering the fact of liver damage only 2/5 I decided not to have the treatment this time.

In 2003 when I started getting fevers and night sweats along with pain I decided to go for the treatment. This time I was sent to St. Marry hospital to see Prof. Thomas. He told me I had to have an other liver biopsy. So in July 2004 I had the second biopsy. This time it was very hard to put the needle in my liver for the Dr. He struggled about 2 to 3 minutes for it and then he could get the needle in. In Sep. 2005 Dr. Told the me very surprising result 5/6 which is still confusing me. So Prof. Thomas put my name in the waiting list. This time there was no choice but to start the treatment.
So from then I started exploring the internet about the treatments and the people who are having or had the treatment. In January 2005 my research took me to Norwich Hep. C support group. From this group I met the man of the blog writing Jonathan Colam. Who had just started the treatment in Des. 2004. I started reading his blog regularly. I was asking him about his diet and different thing what he was doing during his treatment and before the treatment. Really the first man from whom I got lots help and encouragement is Jonathan. He told me about John Tindall Chinese treatment. I tried the Chinese treatment before I started the treatment but it was not suitable for me so I stopped it. Then I started buying multi vitamins and mushroom supplements to get ready for the treatment. As Jonathan told me that do not start to have these vitamins before you start the treatment and you should start the treatment as normally and see what happens. That was very good advice as I did not need any vitamin tablets during the treatment. I was having normal diets but I included fresh fruit in my regular diet. I really very thank full to Jonathan for his guidance and pray for him for good heath.

Then I met Ron Metcalfe. According to Jonathan he was the founder of the bloging about Hep C. I can not forget his full of information blog about Hep. C. God bless him.

With the time Hep. C. bloging Group started growing, I started meeting with more lovely people, like Paul, Nick, Martin, Lu,Steve, Wendy, Sue, Tink, Jane, Jane1962, Miss Poppy and Balom. I can not forget their guidance, support and love. I will always be praying for them and for the other Hep. C. sufferers. God bless them all.

Second Last Week(19/09/05-25/09/05) Injection 23/24

Thank God it is second last injection. Every thing went smoothly, no major side effects. This week I got itch in side my nose. So I mad my nose sore by rubbing it badly but now the itching becoming less. On Monday I went for hair cut and I noticed that my hair has gone thin. Surely that is one the side effects of the treatment. But I am not worry about the hair loss, it will be recovered.

I pray to God that every one who is having the treatment or who had the treatment God give them good health.

Week 22 (12/09/05-18/09/05) injection 22

sneeze, sneez, sneeze........Yes this Tuesday morning I got up with sneezing badly. My nose was running and eyes were running with water. I had my breakfast in this bad position and then had my tablets including paracitamols. I went to bed immediately and went to sleep. After 1 hour sleep I got up then the sneezing were in control. On Monday Injection 22 went smoothly. Today I feel better but still feel fluey.

Last week my cat was not well. She got fleas. I used flea spray on her but it was not working.So I went to another pet shop and asked for flea treatment. He showed me tablet treatment. He told me these tablets are very good, they will work within 15 minutes. So I gave one tablet to my cat. And after 10 minutes she was running here and there and itching badly as the shopkeeper told me. Then the cat came to me with panic. I stroke her and put her on the floor. I took the cat brush I start combing her hair. I saw too many dead fleas start dropping. So I gave her good comb after half an hour the cat went to sleep. And I left her to have good sleep. Next morning I put special flea collar which should last for 12 months.

Week21(05/09/05 -11/09/05)Injection 21

This Monday was injection 21/24. That mean only 3 more to go. This injection went smoothly. Last week I was feeling fluey . All week I was sneezing and getting fever. The other thing I noted that I am feeling water near my ears in side my mouth. When I try to swallow I can hear crackling in my ears. I don't now that is one of the side effects of the treatment or not.

I rang my nurse to ask her about my PCR test. She told me that in this hospital we do PCR test 12 week after the first injection, 12 week after the last injection and 24 weeks after the last injection. I pray to God that we all get good health in future.