Hello Everyone

[Guest guest]

I would like to thank the Owner for allowing me to join this group.

For so long I have been alone with this illness... I'm not on any

meds. My MD said that since I had it was a baby my body is probably

immune to it and I don't drink.

I sometimes block it out and go about my daily life except when it

comes to the opposite sex... Because I know there's a stigma out

there on HCV and some who don't know relates it to HIV or Aids. So

tell a boyfriend is hard because chances are they just up and leave.

When that happens I am totally totally said because I feel like I am

being blamed for something I have no control over.

I never did drugs nor did I have tatoos or ect. I got it through a

blood transfusion when I was only 3 days old. Now at 28 it still

gets to me.

Sometime I wish I never knew I had it.

Sex is a big topic...

When I found out I had it was around the time it was all over the

News...

How I found out- I was on campus and I wanted to give blood. So I

went to the Blood drive at school. A few weeks later I got a letter

say my blood was tinted with Hep C. I didn't know what that was so I

was like " Oh I have bad blood. " No big deal. I ignored the letter.

That even when I came back to my room something told me to re-read

the letter.. so I sat down and read it again... I was

floored!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a liver disease. The next morning I surfed the web to find out

about it. I was in TEARS!!!!!!!!!!!

Not so much that I got it but more so on HOW? was it an STD? Can i

have a family and kids?

That weekend I went home and told my parents and they were very

sweet. I didn't get it from a guy Condoms are my best friends. The

TV was one and then " Out break of Hep C in the USA "

I couldn't watch it anymore I went took a shower and cried cried

cired. I was amongst the ill and sick.

So I pulled myself together and made an appt. with my MD.

She's GREAT. She knew from my facial expression that I wasn't happy.

I told her about the blood drive and she said order blood work to be

done again.

inside I prayed it was a mistake and all will be good again. But No-

I was positve for HCV. Then in a cracked voice I was like " I read

that if I have kids I could transmit it to my spouse and 1 out of 4

will get it "

She smiled and said " No that's not quite true since HCV is a rare

rare disease its not like Hep A or B. You can only get it through

Blood to blood contact. There has been a small case where a spouse

contracted the disease from there partner.

Then I was like they mark it as an STD is it? She was like NO again

it's only blood to bloods...Unless two people have S & M or any out of

the loop type of sexual activity. Or the partner as a low immune

system. More then likely your spouse wouldn't contract the disease

from you. If you have chidlren they'll make up their own blood.

Then I asked about treatments and she said you're young and so you

wouldn't need any treatment now but we'll monitor your liver. Since

you don't drink and you might have contracted it as a child. Your

liver should be ok.

I was 19 when I found out at the time.

She made me feel a little better. It wasn't the end of the world.

LOL

Now 9 years later I still haven't come to terms with it. Everytime

I go to my other MD He.s always bashing me about it and saying that

it is an STD and you can spread it... He and I go at it all the

time... Note he's not a blood doctor so I listen but I don't take it

all in.

People started to treat me different like I brought it upon myself.

Even family members until I told them how I got it. then itwas

like " OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH poor sis "

Anywho that's my story on how Hep C entered my life. I have been

abstaining for sex about the sametime I found out I got it... Not

becuase I don't want to but becuase I would like to keep to myself

until I am married to a person who accepts me and understand my

illness in all... Hard to find out this world of ignorance but maybe

one day I'll meet my Prince.

How cool would it be to wed someone that has the same illness as

I... (Sounds crazy but I know some of you thought about it too)

anywho

Bye