'yeah but' - Robin

[Guest guest]

Hi Robin

I love your ability to express yourself.

A lot of us have the 'yeah butzzzzz'.

This, I think, is quite normal.

Being DX'd with a major change in our lives tends to throw us into a state of confusion.

Its like an unexpected tornado whips thru your house, and everything is still there, but what a mess.

Denial is usually the first stage - we would rather not look at the mess.

We are in disbelief, anger, confusion, fear, shock, and its all mind boggling.

I think that your going thru this stage....we all have to.

Let me try to address a couple of things that you have said, so that maybe you can move forwards some.

- You said that you do not have any medical insurance.

- You do not know if your stats are a 'false positive' reading, or not.

[sorry. Not many are a false reading because the testing is pretty good, but yours MIGHT be.]

Medical insurance can be a problem, but hopefully the Obama HC deal will make it easier for everybody to get coverage and care.....soon.

Until then, here are a few suggestions you might try looking into.

- A payment plan direct to doc or the ER.

- SRS [soc rehab services] or Public Health Dept [county, state].

- Other oganizations, churches, etc.

click this link

http://health.dir./group/ /links/MEDS_WITH_NO_INSURANCE_001241471077/

[if none of the above can help you, ask them if they can suggest any further possible resources.]

Having said this, HCV is usually slow progressing, and most people have time to wait, while they get organized.

[The sky is not going to fall on you all at once....usually.]

You, possibly, also have time to get your ducks in a row.

One thing I would suggest is that you do go see a GP, and get some tests done sometime in the near future.

- You need to know if you are indeed CHRONICALLY infected [ie: not a false positive].

- If so, then you need to know your GENOTYPE, VIRAL LOAD, and AST/ALT [liver labs].

Getting these lab results may be expensive, but they are pretty important to have, so that you know what you are looking at.

I dont see how you, or any doctor can proceed forwards without them.

[This little bit shouldnt break you all financially, but it might hurt some.]

Then your already doing good stuff to help yourself.

Your researching, while you try to figure out what steps you can take.

Robin, a few folks here in this group, have not chosen to go the AMA-CDC route.

Some have, because we need the security a doctor can give us.

Alternative protocals are mostly unproven, but many people feel that they can, and do help.

I think that most of us use a combo of the two methods when dealing with our health issues.

For example - I go to the doctor, but I also watch my diet, take suppliments, try to live a healthy lifestyle.

I have set up the links library with this in mind.

- First is a persons introduction to HCV - so we can find out - 'what the h3ll'?

- Next I have folders on diet and alternative protocals, because most everybodys health care begins at home.

[Our health is mostly the result of what we eat, think, and live.]

- And then I get into the AMA-CDC related stuff.

You say that your pretty healthy, so I assume that you try to take care of yourself at home.

This is good.

You might also read thru some of the diet/alternative stuff in the library, and see if there is something that will help you make improvements to what you are already doing.

Robin, you probably have seen some of the posts about the new AMA drugs and protocals that are comming.

For example, the Telaprivir [protease viral inhibitor] is due to be approved in the near future.

It sounds pretty good, but its not quite here yet.

I mention this because as long as you are waiting anyways on things like medical insurance and research, you will see that medicine just gets better over time.

If and when you might need to treat - if - you choose this path, your chances and care may be much improved from what is available right now in conventional protocals.

Robin, some people never treat using conventional medicine.

They change their lifestyle and/or are healthy enough that they do not need to.

I like this path, but it is also scarey to me.

'What if' - one day you wake up and find out that your liver is dying, and you need a liver transplant, or you have liver cancer?

My thinking is to keep up with the doctors so that nothing sneaks up on one.

This is not saying that you need to treat, but it is wise to 'know' where you stand, and a doctor can help you do this.

Ultimately tho, the choice is yours, and only yours, about how to proceed.

It is your body and life.

I hope some of my thoughts help you.

Stay well my friend.

Sorry for the book. I like to talk too. LOL :-)

love

don in ks

From: shortbob78 <shortbob78@...>Subject: [ ] the dirt on Robin Date: Thursday, September 9, 2010, 9:42 AM

I was gonna say I will tell y'all a little about myself, but I tend to be longwinded (sorry!) so I'll probably tell y'all more than you want to know!Here's the short version: I am 55, female, live in rural north central Texas, have no official diagnosis yet, just test positive to antibodies. The only physical problems I have had are hypothyroid, which I have self-treated for years, and absolutely NO ability to deal with stress. I do have some pretty serious cognitive problems (new to me...I used to be pretty smart!) which have worsened steadily the past few years, and which I have chalked up to constant stress. And the longer version: Having read a lot of your posts, I really admire all of you who are going through treatment, and the last thing I want to do is be disrespectful of any of you who have made that choice. But at this very early stage, I have to say I am not sure if there is

even any point in me finding any more out about what is going on with me. My initial thought is, what is the point of knowing the specifics if I wouldn't or couldn't treat it anyway. Why can't I just live as if I do have it? Why risk financial ruin for my family?I absolutely hate it when I try to help someone and all they can say is "yeah, but" to every suggestion. But I am finding myself full of "yeah, buts" when I think of trying to follow up on this. Yeah, but I don't have insurance. Yeah, but I have looked and can't find any local assistance programs. Yeah, but we don't meet the income requirements for Medicaid. Yeah, but what good do the drug assistance programs do me if I can't get the tests to get a diagnosis first. Yeah, but because my brain doesn't work anymore I hardly drive anymore and certainly not in "the big city". Yeah, but I am pretty much housebound caring for a family

member (who happens to be animal, not human) who can't be left alone. Yeah, but there IS nobody to come stay with him. Yeah, but all that "risky behavior" was decades ago, and I did pass that other life insurance blood test 11 years ago. Yeah, but my husband believes this must be a false positive, and I sure would like to believe that. In other words, I am completely overwhelmed and don't even know where to begin. Well, I guess I began by coming here to this group. Man, do I sound whiny. I promise I will not be whiny like this all the time. Sniff, sniff.So, there are the basics. Hope y'all can get to know me like I feel I already know you!Robin ------------------------------------