INTRODUCTION.

My name is David. I am 52 years old and like 1 in 12 people around the planet, I have the Hepatitis C virus. They say that it is not wise to spend a lot of time wondering how you got it, but for me, curiosity nearly always trumps wisdom. It seems I may have had the virus for 30+ years, never realising and continuing with a fairly hedonistic lifestyle when I was younger. Hence with the virus - or 'Blair' as I call it, comes that sweetest of inconveniences, Cirrhosis of the Liver. 6/6 on the Ishak scale of fibrosity.

I am currently 9 weeks into 48 of a course of Interferon Alpha 2b and Ribavirin combination therapy. This makes you feel ill and weak most of the time and also mucks about with your brain and perception. This may manifest in anything from uncontrollable weeping to almost murderous rages. I haven't raged in this course of treatment (Tx), but this is my second go, I relapsed previously. 

So, you see the damage that can be done without ever realising one is ill. If I can get just 1 positive person to test before the serious damage is done, then I shall have done a worthwhile thing. 

I am eternally in the debt of 2 lovely Doctors, who help me in entirely different ways and for whom I would walk 5 THOUSAND miles....

I will look at specific aspects of the condition, describe what's happening to me as honestly as I am able and hopefully provide a small education for them that's interested. To keep it light (you may well hear me cry), we'll have some music (very important), jokey jokes, maybe (snifff) poetry and the odd political rant. Be kind, it's my first blog. x