Awesomeness ... Total and Absolute Awesomeness ...

Thanks JimmyK!

Topped of a wonderful day ...

Life is Good,

Dave

By the way brother, I just made you immortal. You have to promise to watch th entire less than 4 minute video. If I am not worth that let me know and I will edit to less than 3.. LOL

For Dave my brother!

I will always have time for the friends, that is until I am dead, then well... I hope to se y'all there.

Well Brother, I wish you would reconsider. While all relevant, what in this life is not?

LOL Pun coming now.

Watch... and Listen.

Yes I know. But Carol is in Oklahoma and I am quite lost without her.

:)

JimmyK

Hi Jimmy,

I might buy a time machine but probably not a watch.

It all relative ya know.

Dave trust me on this one.

Buy a watch. It works wonders, everytime without fail. Trust me brother, it's "time".

Hehe Canuck,

As for "TAKE NO PRISONERS!!" ... that is solely expressed in appearance! ... (see photo below)

Note permanently engrained traits of riba madness: Those beady eyes, that Cheshire grin, dinged sword, fleur de lis atop helmet ... all just daring a dragon to ever step into my path again and reeking of invincibility!

OMG Linux, I just love it when people think out loud, and long enough, to do justice to a subject. You may have just won the award, not only for best expressed insight and heartfelt articulation on hard subject matter, but for (near) longest sentences that contain important truths. Some things just dang well warrant many comma's to do the job, and this is one of them. I loved this in every way (content, intent and punctuation)!

After I mopped my face dry, and in an attempt to regain emotional recovery from your moving words, I was tempted to make light, to say things like .... "I am definitely going to do wordcount to see how many words Linux amazingly got into one very coherent sentence!" .... or, on the topic of slaying all dragons ... I could add an exclamation ... "TAKE NO PRISONERS!!"

I just love the way you surveil the battleground.

I still say, I AM on to something - my theory, about the under-appreciated sides of riba, affecting thinking in a good way (see!?, your missive is just backing me up on this).

Oh dear ... (excuse me a just a sec while i wince, had another painful thought, ow) ... when the last gas-burst of riba (as syd so well describes) finally evaporates, this doesn't mean your writings and poetry will vanish, does it?? Please say it will not be so! I am hoping these parts of this genetic/riba thing is permanent? I do not think I could stand any radical changes in any of my riba people, in whom I hold their expressive attributes with such enjoyment.

BTW - those poems you and RC recently wrote ... you two should lodge them in the proper "good poetry section", for posterity please, and not just in my heart and mind. They need to be over there along with JimmyK's.

 C.

Hugs back at ya there Syd ... You've got LOTS of friends here and DON'T you forget it!

Linux ... (That weird guy with the aluminium foil hat, working on the broken Flux-Capacitor, you know the one)

Wow,

I'Ve seen some pretty amazing posts here but never two back to back like that. I feel very humbled, proud and grateful to have my friends here.

Thank you all for giving me the strength and wisdom to keep on trucken.

Syd

Top o' the day to ya Canuck, my insightful and most articulate northern friend.

Smarter than you, NOT ... but I think we all, that would be anyone that goes through the process of learning that we have HCV, experiences that disabling, initial strike of fear, that overwhelming feeling of being alone and lost, the knowledge that we are now committed to the system of doctors, health departments, to being treated (of which we know nothing), the desperate searching for anything that can make sense of it all, the waiting, more fear, this time of the tests and possible results, of the treatment, more waiting, the confusion, which meds, what terrible side effects do they have, the fear of drastic change to our lives. Anyone who has to face the fact that we no longer are on a free ride, don't have that "get out of jail free card", no longer have that youthful feeling of invincibility, that one that let us overlook the fact we were not eating a healthy diet, overlook the fact that we drank or smoked or didn't get enough exercise, that feeling that we could live forever ... all gone, in a flash, now nothing but darkness, fear, hopelessness, despair, confusion, anger ... but we all keep going, we get past those first few hurtles, we move ahead ... and in doing so we grow, we learn, we find ways to educate ourselves, we navigate more obstacles, we learn the ropes, we find others who can help us, we gather stores for our armory and make maps so we know the road ahead, we steel ourselves for the fierce battle that lies ahead. We wait. We look around us and find new friends, cohorts, those who will enter battle with us and those who have been through battle before us. There is silence while we wait and contemplate, we gather our strength .... we look to our higher power for guidance.

The battle, the war with Dragon (and oneself, at times) begins, we still have our fears but they are overcome by the combined strengths that we've pulled together, the friends that we've met the camaraderie with those along side us in battle. The battle does not let up for we are fighting for our lives, our armor gets dinged and our faith and hopes are challenged along the way but we pull together and reach out to lend a hand to those who have fallen, we wait and forge back into battle and fall ourselves yet someone helps us up and we move on. With renewed strength we fight on until the Dragon is down, we think it's dead but we are not certain so we wait. We wait and don't let our guard down for there may be others. Again we fear that this Dragon who has lived within us for years, for decades could resurrect so we wait. We gather and celebrate others battles that have been won, we help new recruits, new soldiers get past those initial hurtles and steel themselves for the battles they are about to face, the Dragon they are about to slay and we wait. We still must have our guard up for the Dragon is still down but not confirmed dead, we wait. We look forward to a day when the battle is but a memory. A day when we do not fear the Dragon, a day when we can we can take ALL of those things we learned from this battle, from our journey to and from the battlefield and blend those lessons with all the others that we've learned through life. A day when we can look back and say we've grown, become a better person for it all.

It is this we ALL have in common, it is this that has made us grow, to learn things we might never know, about others, about ourselves. We are the Slayers of Dragons and we let no Dragon live but in memory. It makes us all that much smarter and better for it.

Dave

Hey my good buds, syd and linux,

Interesting reads about your troubles (sorry, that sounds terrible, doesn't it - interesting troubles! - all at YOUR expense!!) - I wish (reeeeallly wish) there were NONE (the troubles!), but there ya go, what is is and what happens does, it's just not fair, none of it - sheesh I am SO prejudiced against riba! But look how amazingly smart you two are - you start out stating the perplexing and frustrating facts, and then .... you end up being complete and utter experts in coming up with knowing and understanding every likely and plausible reason as to why you are feeling this way, and why, and most impressive yet, you are in the enviable position of being able to figure out how to answer your very own questions and doubts with extremely good thinking and self-advice!!! Well, I never! Amazing! Linux having such insight and wisdom to come back-round, full circle to bide the good ole comfort of time, water and good nutrients (officially being a zero is really gonna please you soon linux, and you too syd - that relief is going to help!) and syd, you also are SO wise - except maybe the part about "making" linux "date" his wife - maybe a wee bit too presumptuous and demanding, "kicking back, baking bread", ya OK, but this "dating" thing? - might be a wee bit too stressful (maybe we'd better ask his wife first). My partner and I can hardly co-habitate, anywhere - I guess it all boils down to whadayamean by "a date"!!

I AM so sorry tho, disappointed and mad that riba still has the power to help get you worked up, nasty stuff that riba. Your descriptions in getting or feeling "worked-up" is so understandable to all of us I think, even us, who have not been forced to do riba! It seems to be some kind of twisted pre-requisite or some a cruel right of HCV passage that we all are forced to deal with: unfathomable questions, fear, doubt, and tons of stress of all sorts. No wonder we try so hard to help each other and try to get good at all this figuring. Sheesh you riba folk really impress me. I am having another thought - ow, that hurts .... maybe, just maybe there is one little-realized side of riba ... in that that is what IS making you guys SO much smarter than me!

syd, (aren't I argumentative!) unlike you I think getting that MRI on your pancreas is good news!, now you will be able to comparatively follow it to see nothing has changed, and/or watch it's "dodgy" shape you described improve. Imaging is a good thing - ditto on the endoscopy, and colonoscopy you endured, without it you would not have known you had successfully managed to get away with ONLY a grade one varices (versus 2,3,4!), and it allowed you the opportunity to get something done to resolve the ulcer too, now, early before it became a bigger problem, and bonus, you took care of and got rid of the benign polyps, all positive news (as I see it) - I know, real easy for me to say!, but all is going to keep improving now. I will it!

Pats and hugs to you both, C.

Thanks so much for the kind words, Syd and Wendy!

My dear Syd, you sure are having a rough go of it and I do wish you relief from all that. Being HCV-Free is wonderful step in the right direction, I hope it allows your liver to heal which will allow your body to take care of the rest. All of these things do take time, please do your best to get good nutrition to help your body heal. I think most Doctors get so involved in Dx and Rx that they tend to overlook proper nutrition as a means to improve our health. My very best wishes are with you, and you are more than welcome to have a long whinge any ol' time, so not to worry.  Wishin' ya well with a big ol' hug!

Hiya Wendy, I went to the market yesterday to get greens and fruit for more smoothies, while there I though about what you said and picked up some fresh ginger and low and behold, right next to it they had lemon juice (imported which is NOT from concentrate) and it even seemed priced fairly reasonably ... so I picked some up to add to my water per your suggestion (fresh lemons would be fine too, of course, but the ones there looked terrible). Thought I'd make some more ginger concentrate per Tigs ginger ale recipe then freeze it in an ice cube tray to use for tea's and such. Also thought I might grate some up and dehydrate it to see if that works for tea or to put in capsules (not sure how that will go but I've got a bit of mad scientist in me, LOL). I appreciate the incentive to drink the lemon water and am always open to natural ways to heal and stay in better shape, Thanks. 

Dave

Another helpful hint is I add lemon juice in my bottled water have a W on the bottle so the boys don't drink it as they think it is nasty lol

I too do the saline rinse and it helps and you are so right Dave about all the "stuff" in our food. I don't add salt to anything either. Always a learning process and at least it is fun to experiment with cooking.

Hi Dave,

sorry to hear you have been having a rickety ride for a while. I hope that when that final test comes, a huge weight will be lifted from your shoulders. 

I had a few weeks of thinking I was improving but, yes, am still very shaky. Not sure whether it's the end of the RIBA fumes but the tests I had last week really shook me. I'm annoyed with myself as it was so  easy and only the idea of it was invasive. I'm lucky the polyp thing was benign but I was hoping I didn't have oesophageal varies at all. And I didn't need to find out I've got an ulcer as well. And I need an MRI on my pancreas. Friggens - looks like the only organ that might still work is the one that gets no exercise. 

I know I'm not as exhausted as I was before and during RIBA treatment, but I certainly haven't bounced back to health either. I'm still  tired. Maybe because I don't exercise enough, my body aches unless I am lying down. I am still over emotional and as the weeks drag by before that final test, I am becoming more anxious. 

I had another melt down at the hospital on Friday. I waited for an hour and a half for meds at the pharmacy - they want to try to treat the ulcer with antibiotics and I'm allergic to list of them. 

sorry, I started commiserating with you and have just ended up having a long whinge. 

What I meant to say was, cut yourself some slack. You're allowed to have the odd wallow in self pity. Have a couple of down days, make some bread, take your wife out on a date. 

Syd

Yes, the allergies, mine are mostly from dust mites (and we have two large dogs so always have a good supply of dust mites handy).

A little seasonal, I notice when I mow the lawn a little and perhaps a tiny bit of sinus swelling when certain trees come into bloom, I do take Advair for lungs (used to smoke and also have some asthma I think), Fluticasone, Certrazine and Singular  for sinus. Most of the time with all of the above my lungs and sinus problems are under control.

I certainly don't rule allergies out as a part of current issues but there's not much more I can do there. I could go back to saline nasel rinse and that does help a little sometimes if conditions are such that allergens are very prevalent.

It's all a bit of a balancing act, fortunately I think the allergies are tamed to a gentle roar.

Dave

Good thoughts Wendy,

I did feel dehydrated this morning and I'm sure others as well when I experienced headache. That is, without a doubt, the reason for the AM headaches. It's difficult not to get dehydrated with as much salt as there is in most everything other than fresh fruits and vegetables from the grocery store. Yesterday afternoon we did have a pork roast with stuffing and I could feel the salt from both (we don't add any salt to anything but the dang stores inject meats with salt water and anything processed such as the stuffing we ate is full of salt and no doubt tons of other nasty stuff e.g. probably has monosodium glutamate and stuff I can't even pronounce. I just need to process foods myself, stuffing would be easy ... since I do bake bread and put very little salt in that. Just can't eat any processed foods these days ... it makes us sick. I do know this but it takes a lot of lifestyle change, creative thinking and downright work to eat healthy these days. We're moving in the right direction, now have a good food dehydrator that helps us process and control some things ourselves, baking my own bread and trying to eat mostly Mediterranean diet ... it's a lifestyle thing and if we want to live a healthy life we need to do it. I'll pick up some ginger next visit to the store, read up on ways to get some into our diet daily.Thanks for that hint, I need those to help me keep moving in the right direction.

I usually have a water on my night stand since I need it to take my meds in the AM but I haven't been consuming a glass of water first thing, before anything else as I did during Tx ... I need to do that EVERY day.

Adding Lemon is something I should also be doing to help my liver heal (as well as other benefits i.e. vitamin C and minerals).

I don't know enough about Ginger really but everything I've ever read and my gut tells me I should be consuming a daily amount of ginger as well as garlic along with a consistent healthy diet. It's work but it can be fun as well, just need to always be conscious of what we are consuming (easier said than done, that is for certain, LOL).

Dave

Hi Dave,

Yes I do understand what you are saying and hope that it will work for you regarding nutrition and hydration. I drank a lot of water before and especially in summer. Fair to say I am not drinking my avg 2.5 liters a day now but I am around 2 so not that far off. My nutrition has not changed either.

As Wendy said, it might be due to some seasonal allergies as I am getting them but it does seem different this time. I am not overly concerned about it and hope it is transient and my sniffles should go away soon until the end of the summer when they can return big time.. Hay fever Season. Time will tell.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

SF

Hello my good friend SF,

Sorry to hear that the headaches are getting you as well.

My guess is that it's residual meds and my slacking off with water and greens intake and that time will be the only thing that gets rid of these lingering side effects entirely.

My mind wants to think I'm done with Tx. I don't recall ever experiencing a medication that lingered so. Or, perhaps others linger as well but the fact that these meds are just so much stronger and carry some sides, I just tend to notice them more.

As for the pattern (if there is one) of the ebb and flow of certain side effects such as headaches, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that perhaps that pattern is due to the fact that many of us comply with adequate water intake and good nutrition during Tx but many of us tend to back off on doing those extra things once we've reached EOT. In turn, that brings the sides more to the front.

Just hunch but, LOL, that's all we have sometimes

Dave

I've never been one to get headaches even when I was drinking but at this time of year I get sinus headaches. (even with low pollen count) If your headache is in the morn, maybe dehydration from lack of water overnight. I always drink lemon water as soon as I get up, it is what I take my ginger pill with before I have coffee. Just a thought....

I just peeked in and this was the first topic I saw. Oddly enough I am experiencing dull headaches as well and throughout the day. Clearly I did not take Riba but it's still happening. I have not taken anything for them as they are tolerable but they are just there.

It would be interesting to know if anybody who was on Harvoni had or is having this. I would be around 7 weeks past EOT and they have started recently. 20 days behind Dave.

SF

 Thanks, great advice from the both of ya's as usual, I'll work on "all of the above".

Good to know I've got a back up team ...

Dave

Yep, yep, and yep.... The Riba blues! We have discussed your activities recently and I'm in complete agreement with JK, it takes an extended period to recover and clear Ribavirin from your system. 

You may not be sleeping well yet and with your increased workload, on top of any residual anemia, your body isn't feeling like celebrating yet. Doesn't matter if you are mentally, your body isn't physically ready for it. Then there is the mental stress of waiting for your SVR Viral load. That's the advantage of one at EOT or week +4. It does wonders for putting the little creep on your shoulder where it belongs, in a box in the garage!

So, slow down, get the headphones back out and reduce the demands you've been placing on yourself recently. I'm writing a prescription for a green smoothie or two daily, along with a return to treatment quantity water intake. Don't spend too much time in the sun for awhile, that bothered me for months. Rest easy my friend and stay confident, success is a few weeks away!

Dave I watched you through treatment. I have ten bucks in my right pocket that says you have a way to go to clear the Riba. I stopped that stuff December 29th and up till two weeks ago I still felt that stuff.

Bump the water back up for sure. Riba is some nasty stuff. As far as expecting to feel better already that is a hope but not a valid expectation.

Jimmy

Damn! I just checked my right pocket and Carol must have nailed me... again! Oh well, same offer but perhaps a check.

Been waking up with headaches in the morning. Also quite irritable and a little nauseous. This has been happening for the past week, maybe two. 2 ibuprofen and a cup of coffee seems to kill the headache and irritability and a light breakfast helps the nausea. I'm still drinking water, not as much as while on Tx so I should probably bump that back up to 3 liters and see if it helps.

I'm assuming the irritability is still Riba related, I'm about 9 weeks past EOT.

What worries me a little is that I just don't feel well, can't really put my finger on it. I think I expected to feel a little better. I do, of course, have in the back of my mind that I hope my VL is UND, as most of you know I was <15 detected @ 4wks and haven't had an RNA done since. It's just that little guy tapping me on the shoulder and saying, you haven't ever seen UND yet, maybe it's back, maybe that's why you're not feeling good yet ... Well SHUT UP little guy! ... You're pissin' me off!! (Logically I know that the dragon is dead and gone, If I were a betting man I'd love the odds. Considering my 4 wk lab results, being GT2b, 12wk Tx w S/R, my compliance etc I'm sure the odds are a solid 99.97% ... that's good odds ... yet that little guy keeps on a naggin' 'bout that dragon ... (the little *turd)

I did do some work on the house the other day, that was one day and I really did pace myself and haven't done much of anything since. I got a lot of aches and pains from that and that's to be expected, I've been pretty sedentary through Tx and beyond. I do realize that this just takes time, I'm hangin' in there and it's only 3 wks or so to my next RNA test ...

... just wish I felt a little better. My doc would say "Are you exercising at least 5 hrs/ wk?" ... Well no, (whatever excuses I happen to have to justify not doing so) ...

tick ... tick ... tick ...

... come on final testing ...

Dave