Woman shares her experience with hepatitis C to help others cope

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She tells her story to help others cope

Southtowstars: Woman shares her experience with hepatitis C

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April 5, 2009

BY CAROLE SHARWARKO staff writer

When some people go through a traumatic life event, they're anxious to leave it

behind and move on to happier days.

Debra Jordan is using her ordeal for something good. She shares her story with

others to make them feel less alone, the way she felt when being treated for

hepatitis C.

Debra Jordan, 55, of Markham, a Hepatitis C survivor, runs the Liver Diseases

Support Group at South Suburban Hospital. The group meets the second Thursday of

each month from 6 to 8 p.m.

(Brett Roseman/SouthtownStar)

The details of Jordan's past problems aren't pretty, and could be embarrassing.

But she's willing to share them to relieve other people's anxieties.

Jordan is the patient facilitator for a liver disease support group that meets

monthly at South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest.

" Hepatitis C is a virus you can get through different means - sex, tattoos,

piercings and IV drug use, " Jordan said. " About 17 years ago, I had an addiction

problem. It threw me for a loop that it could lay dormant this long. "

In 2002, Jordan got a master's degree in health sciences, with a specialization

in addiction studies, from Governors State University. Her life was going well

before the diagnosis.

At her job with Project VIDA, a social service program in Chicago, Jordan's work

includes counseling drug addicts. Her job took her to related health seminars,

some addressing hepatitis C. Among all the information she took in about the

disease, she never heard talk of a cure.

" I thought I would eventually die from this, " she said.

Then she met Dr. Goldman, a gastroenterologist who treated her

condition. The doctor led her through an intense treatment that included lots of

medications, self injections and wild swings.

" The treatment rocked me, " Jordan said. " There are so many side effects -

anxiety, nausea, depression, my hair thinned out, I got sores, headaches, I was

tired, I became anemic. You even have nightmares. I had weeks when I wanted to

say, 'Forget it.' "

Worst of all, she didn't have anyone to talk to about her problems. Her husband

didn't understand, and not even Goldman could really appreciate the challenges,

she said.

" Debra brings an aspect to the group no one can bring unless you've gone through

the therapy, " said Goldman, who is the physician representative for the support

group. " When you sit down and listen to the stories, you realize you can't

understand what these people are going through. "

Toward the end of Jordan's treatment, Goldman was working with a nurse,

Hofmann, to set up a liver disease support group in the Southland. Hofmann is

now nurse representative for the group.

" In the south suburbs, we had no support group for patients who are undergoing

this difficult therapy, " Goldman said.

Now people suffering from any liver disease can go to the group, sponsored by

the American Liver Foundation. They can bring their families and other

supporters to talk about how they feel, mentally and emotionally, and connect

with others going through the same things.

The monthly meetings help everyone stay on track. Recovery from liver disease

requires a big commitment from patients, Goldman said, to continue drug

therapies and healthy habits. It can be hard to stay positive, especially when

many wrestle with related aspects of their disease.

" Looking at the past, you can't help but have feelings of remorse, guilt and

shame, " said Jordan, who lives in Markham. " But I'm not ashamed. I'm standing up

for what I believe in. "

That's one of the reasons Goldman said he and Hofmann chose Jordan to help them

lead the group. He got to know his patient well over the course of her

treatment, which finished in December.

" The great thing about Debra is that she's been completely honest about her

life, " Goldman said. " It's a tremendous thing she's doing, and I have the utmost

respect for her. Everyone has a skeleton in the closet, and she's opened the

door. "

Jordan said she gets as much back from the group as she gives. As she rebuilds

her health, she learns new things and leans on others for support. She

encourages group members to keep a good attitude, and express their feelings.

" If I felt like crying, I did it. If I felt like dancing, I did it, " said

Jordan, who loves music, including jazz, neo-soul, rap and opera. Mostly, she

encourages people to visit the group.

" Just come, even if you're dragging. "

Carole Sharwarko can be reached at csharwarko@... or (708)

633-6872.

learn more

The American Liver Foundation liver disease support group meets from 6 to 8 p.m.

the second Tuesday of every month at South Suburban Hospital, 17800 S. Kedzie

Ave., Hazel Crest. Check at the front desk at the main entrance for room

location. Information: (708) 957-4010