Anyhow, I definitely feel much better these last couple of weeks.  My body is not so stiff so I have gone from feeling 95 to 65, which feels wonderful.  My achey joints are still a problem, but my feet don’t seem to be quite so painful as they were a month ago.  I cannot lose weight though and that is really frustrating me.  Since breaking my arm I have been doing my physio exercises on the treadmill and finishing with five minutes walking.  Not much, but it is a start.  The office shut down on Friday for two weeks so I have more time to walk our doggie-for-winter – although I won’t go out if its slippery!  I read somewhere that eating one measly mince pie means you have to walk 4 miles to get rid of it, so I’m 16 miles behind already and that’s without my Turkish delight and organic champagne truffles, lol!  I had to go back to the hospital for another x-ray last week because I heard a crack whilst doing my exercises and thought I might have broken it again, luckily I haven’t but they will send me for a scan to see what that shows up.

I can’t help but think that if it wasn’t for the credit crunch that has got everyone scared to open their purse we would have been in Dubai now.  Lovely soft sand to walk on instead of tramping through the mud, relaxing by the pool instead of wrapped up in hats, scarves and coats braving whatever weather England can throw at us next.  Never mind, the Wolds have some lovely walks and I feel very lucky that I am beginning to feel healthy enough to walk them.

It’s only 13 more days until I have my svr test (sustained viral load) the nearer it gets the more nervous I become.  What if the virus hasn’t gone?  I’ve said I won’t re-treat, even if I’m allowed to.  It had better have gone then, that’s all I can say.  They do say it comes back within the first few weeks after finishing tx if it is going to come back.  I’ve always been optimistic and that, together with the fact that I am slowly feeling better, gives me hope that I have cleared the virus.

Merry Christmas everyone, and a very happy, healthy New Year to you all

Twenty two weeks post tx and I still struggle some days, not what I expected at all.  I read on the forum that some people are still struggling after 18 months.  It isn’t just the niggly side effects such as the fibromyalgia type pain in my ankles and other joints, the fluid retention, the overall body stiffness or that some nights I still need 10 or 12 hours sleep it’s the psychological side of tx as well, it seems to affect the confidence you have (or have not!) in yourself. Because of the aches and pains it can make you feel more like 90 than “the other side of 50”……. I no sooner knew that I had the virus than I was being treated for it, no sooner finished tx and have to cope with the detox.  Nobody ever really told me what to expect and I learnt most of what I know about the virus through research on the web and the help of the Hep C UK Forum.  It is the ribivirin that affects the brain and not even the doctors know to what extent, that in my mind makes us all guinea pigs.  They don’t really know if you need 24 weeks, 48 weeks or 72 weeks to clear the virus or if it is worth re-treating.  Only the statistics guide them in their decisions and they are not always very accurate.  There is a lot of campaigning going on to get the virus better known to the public, but it will be a few more years yet before the public really sits up and takes notice.  In other words when more people die from the virus they will start believing what they hear.  I have had permission to put up two posters in the hep c clinic at Lincoln County Hospital.  These give the web site addresses of two Forums where they can get in touch with like-minded people and also this blog is advertised there.  If it helps just one person, I will be happy I put it there.  I do get a lot of hits for the blog and have no idea who the majority are from, so maybe I am reaching some people, I hope so. 

I thought I would update my blog but I have nothing new to report really.  Some days are good when life seems more or less normal and some days are bad and you learn to get through those.  I am looking forward to our Christmas break and enjoying a glass of wine with my Christmas meal this year.  It will be lovely not to be tied to the phone, the computer or the office and I hope to get lots of fresh air and exercise and maybe lose a bit of weight (if I can keep away from the mince pies!)

It is three weeks today since I broke my arm and things are progessing nicely.  It was touch and go whether I had to have an operation and have it all pinned up, but I kept my arm still with the least amount of movement (I'd strap it to my side rather than have the op!)  and the bone is mending nicely so back to the hospital on the 5th December when we start to try and get some movement back into it.  Must remember to take some painkillers before I leave home!

It's hard to believe that it is now twenty weeks since I finished tx so I guess I must surely be almost detoxed by now.  And I think I am nearly there.  Just the other day I can remember thinking how well I felt - believe me at that is well worth mentioning and I even went as far as to write into one of the Forum's and let them know.  I hope by doing that I am encouraging people still undergoing tx to see that there is life after tx and things do improve, albeit slowly.  Just trying to give back some of the help and encouragment I was given.  They are an amazing bunch of people.... some of the things that some of them have suffered/are suffering is beyond belief and I count myself lucky I wasn't worse than what I was, yet they still stay bright, chirpy and jokey. 

As I said I am feeling alot better, my brain seems to be functioning quite well and I have been keeping it busy doing two crosswords a day.  Plus I am back working full time (what happened to my Wednesday's off, could have sworn that was going to last forever, ahh well....) The joint pain is still there and I am beginning to think it will be with me forever.  Also fluid retention, but I have learnt to wear long skirts/dresses or trousers so my puffy ankles arn't on show...... SO ageing don't you think?  Talking about age another birthday is looming up and then I will be the wrong side of 50 heading for 60, strewth.  Good job 60 is the new 40!

louth hospital were excellent.  i have broken the humerous bone just below the ball socket so it can't be plastered, only held still by a sling.  we were registered, seen by a nurse and then a doctor, x-rayed, seen the doctor again and on our way home within the space of just over an hour.  that's not the end of the story though.  later that evening i thought i would have a madisonal whisky, alright two, just for the shock and pain you know.  note here that i haven't drunk whisky for years, preferring champers or a glass of wine.  we had lit the fire and it was lovely and warm and the pain began to lessen.  next thing i knew there was a paramedic checking me over.  apparently i collapsed and estee couldn't bring me round.  apparently i had low blood pressure brought on by shock, whisky and heat.  the paramedics were lead here by a finder and i understand an ambulance also arrived.  today the swelling and bruising have come out and it is quite painful, hope it lessens soon and i feel up to a shower and hair wash.

so just as life was beginning to feel a bit more back to normal, i have this setback.  maybe i was trying to do too much, who knows.  anyway i now have 8 weeks of enforced incapacity and rest ahead of me.

on the hep c front, the tx memories are beginning to fade, although i doubt they will ever disappear completely.  even tho there was no blood spilt after my fall, i still felt obligated to let the hospital staff know the situation.  don't know if that is necessary?  just feel like i would hate to pass this virus on to anyone.  joint pain is still with me, it wasn't stopping me walking though - it doesn't seem to make it worse or better, and i still get water retention in my legs.  i had stopped gaining weight but still have the oversized tummy, which everyone finishing tx gets.  it's gonna take even longer to get rid of now.