So, as I was saying...

[gateley]

I just responded to an e-mail from Babylon Sister and I'll cut and paste the gist of it so you know essentially what's been up, and I just gotta say again how much I missed you all and I feel like I'm home! My friend Jim sent me his "old" macbook, so I'll have access more frequently now. As sick as I was, I was still enough of a Mac snob that I didn't want to hassle with my sister-in-law's PC. :7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My illness is Hep C, and not working, not having insurance I couldn't get help for it. Although, even when I DID have insurance I wasn't interested in the treatment which 1) doesn't always work 2) is essentially chemotherapy (another cancer drug they pulled off the shelf) 3) is REALLY hard on you, with suicide being a common "side effect". Steven Tyler of Arrowsmith said the treatment almost killed him. When I was working and had $$$, I kept it under control by eating organic foods, juicing, herbs, etc -- my "numbers" were improving so much my doctor was flabbergasted. But living w/my brother and sister in law, since I have no $$$ I have to eat what they eat which is crap -- the typical processed high fat American fast food diet. So that pretty much did me in.

Since I don't have insurance I called my former hepatologist and begged to see her because I just knew I was at death's door. Ideally she felt I should get a transplant (yeah, try that with no insurance or pull) but somehow got me free treatment through some program (which is amazing since it costs about $30K). I had no choice but to take the treatment or die (and as bizarre as it sounds, I didn't want to burden my brother and his family by dying!). It was AWFUL! I never knew I could feel so bad and want so bad to put an end to it all. The good news is that my type/strain responds well to this treatment, so at least it's bought me some more time. I'm not cured by any means, and I'm actually feeling better little by little as time goes on -- good days and bad days.

The fact that I'm actually interested in what's going on in the country again, and coming to DU tells me I've come a long way!

Now, waiting for that "health care for all" to kick in. :-)

So that's my story, and again, I'm so happy to see you!!!

[elleng]

1. DEAR GATE!

had we known, 'we' would have been with you, not only in spirit!

To make longer stories shorter, we're very glad that Joe is in the admin, and we watch over him with care!

You are CLEARLY within our thoughts and prayers!

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[gateley]

4. Awww -- I know you guys are here for me.

I can't even begin to express how much that means. :loveya: Really!

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

:fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump:

[jillan]

2. Omg I am so happy you were able to get treatment and that you are feeling better!

We've been so worried about you. How long will you stay on this treatment? forever and ever? Thank goodness your hepatologist was able to get you that treatment for free. How can anyone ever saya we don't need healthcare reform...

[gateley]

5. The treatment is over for now, THANK YOU, JESUS!

My genotype responds the best to this treatment (compared to the other genotypes) so we began with the 6 month protocol. We'll wait and see if it shows that I've actually cleared the virus. One of the things that kept me going was knowing it was "only" for 6 months -- I can't imagine how those who know they'll be living like that for 12 months feel. It is a once weekly injection plus a bunch of pills daily.

My hepatologist is kind of a heavy-hitter in that field here in Seattle so she's aware of what's available and which arms to twist. Had I been able to have a transplant (if I were to go that route), she would have been the surgeon -- she's really good.

She's totally behind an Obama plan -- is so frustrated with tap dancing around with the insurance companies all the time. I'd have to believe most physicians would feel the same, don't you think? I can only imagine my dad's reaction if an insurance company questioned his decision regarding a patient -- he'd go ballistic.

Think of all the people in the same boat (or similar) who DON'T have a doctor like I did! :scared:

We HAVE to get this thing done this time! I heard where they've been saying "we need health care reform" since FDR's administration!

[jillan]

7. I'm so happy that she was able to help you gateley!

You are so fortunate to have such a wonderful doctor working with you.

And I agree completely that we need to get this healthcare reform done...about 1 month ago I was with my daughter
at the doc (nothing serious) and I left the room to ask the nurse a question...she was talking to the doctor and I overheard
her say to him that Mrs. whateverhernamewas insurance company will not approve the ultrasound, and he was so angry..."What do you mean they won't approve it? She needs it! I will call them and talk to them myself." And the Republicans don't want bureaucrats between the patients and their doctors? We already have that!

[PatSeg]

9. And the thing is

doctors have to waste a lot of valuable time fighting with insurance companies like that, time that should be spent taking care of patients. I'm sure they didn't go to medical school to fight insurance companies.

[PatSeg]

3. I knew it must be pretty serious

to keep you away from us and DU. I am so relieved to hear from you!

Are you able to collect any kind of disability in WA?

Welcome home!!!!

[gateley]

6. Did you guys know I had Hep C?

And it just really accelerated after getting here. Not only the crap food, but I know the stress really exacerbated it. Did I tell you guys that Nero died?

I'm going to look into disability or something -- just haven't done it yet because I've been out of it (I swear, the past several months seems like a surreal, disjointed dream, just wisps of clarity here and there) and my Dr. took care of all the stuff I had to do to get the treatment. But now that I'm starting to come back to life, I'll be looking into it.

I'd ideally like to get a j.o.b. but I'm physically unable to yet.

How have you been?? Please tell me no wildfires in your area!!

[PatSeg]

8. Yeah, I read your message about the Hep C

I really can relate to the "surreal, disjointed dream" part. It is really rough losing your clarity.

I'm SO sorry to hear about Nero. Man, life really threw everything at you at once!

Oh no, no wildfires around here. Thank goodness, because the air quality last year was awful because of the fires. I remember not being able to see the sun for days, maybe it was weeks. I figure that was part of why I was so sick for so long.

It is so great having you back.