Week 11 Post Treatment

Completed Week 11 post treatment

This morning I am sitting here absolutely exhausted. I had a huge day trip yesterday shopping a viewing a show in the big city. I didn’t get home until 1:00 a.m. and didn’t go to sleep immediately. I was going to try to do it without a sleeping pill, but I decided not to try as I didn’t want to put myself into major exhaustion today.

I want my strength back and even though it’s coming back, my joints are screaming in pain. I’ll have to break out the Tylenol this morning.

The changes in me have been subtle since returning from the “dark side”. My skin has improved even more since the last time I mentioned it here. I still have the speckled scars of the aftermath of the rash.

My hair is starting to return. Little sprigs and sprites popping up here and there and I have figured out how to fluff it so I look like my old self.

I probably look OK in appearance, but the inside is struggling to feel normal. Stomach problems are not gone, but improving. Eyelids are still giving me itching flare ups. Joints and muscles are giving me grievous agony.

I exhaust easily.

I want to do more, but cannot push it.

However, at the end of all this moaning life is much better for me these days.

Week 10 Post Treatment

Two words...acid reflux. I visited my regular doc over a week ago and he scribed me pills for acid reflux. I take two a day and I was dubious at the first as I didn’t have the obvious symptoms for acid reflux. However, I am pleased to say that after seven days of full meds I think they are doing the trick. It’s not gone, but the pain has subsided to a dull roar. I must have had it all through tx as I had that constant pain to one side. Interesting that I managed to get through 72 weeks of treatment and then once I stopped treatment it hit like a sledgehammer.

I still have the liver ache here and there. It is a different pain and the infamous “non-existent” liver ache is to be expected.

Still struggling with some skin issues. Mainly on my eyelids and lips. My eyelids are almost scalded looking on some days and itchy as heck. My doc agreed to let me use (sparingly) .05% cortisone cream on the lids. I must reinforce that I do use it sparingly as it is not supposed to be used close to the eyes and it can thin the skin. I am hopeful that this will go away soon.

Joint pain is hovering and has become worse as I purge the drugs from my system. I keep active by running up and down stairs and doing more things around the house. I intend to do minor light weight exercises this week. I cannot put it off as I can hardly open a jar and I need the strength building. That throb in the joints is there and those muscles scream from inactivity for 72 weeks of existing as two feet and a heartbeat.

I drive the car now and on Thursday I was driving to an appointment and I actually caught myself smiling. I am starting to have good days. The energy is zapped by the evening most days, but there are days I just want to do absolutely nothing.

By doing stuff around the house and being able to go and do what I want I am getting a sense of control of my life. While I was on treatment I had no control over anything that was important to me. I couldn’t be a Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend as my whole life was consumed with treatment. I can do that now. The issue isn’t about me anymore.

Eight Weeks Post-Treatment

Completed Week 8 post treatment

Visited the clinic this week and received the results of my ultra sound I had the week before. Everything checked out and I was so relieved. I expected my liver or some other organ in there to be swollen, inflamed or diseased. It has been somewhat resolved and my treating doctor (who I met for the first time this week) indicated that it is stomach acid. Also, my right side pain is from a pulled muscle as in my weakened state I probably pushed myself a little too hard. He indicated that reaching up to get something out of the cupboard would cause this agony for someone like me who was inactive for so long. I accept that. However, I did have it to a lesser degree for two years so I must have had a low grade inflammation there.

Two days of a dissolving stomach pill and things are better.

I had my eight week post treatment blood tests done while I was there. PCR to be done end of July 2009.

I just want to feel like my old self and I am impatient. However, all those sides that were such huge issues during treatment have slowly subsided except for the fatigue. I have more energy and I want to keep going, but I get hauled back to my weakened state continually.

Minor stuff and as I said, I am so glad that the ultra sound came back OK. Phew! I dodged that bullet.

I think I saw a hair, yesterday. LOL

One thing I’m even more thankful for these last few days is that my younger boy walked away from a serious vehicle accident unhurt. It happened last Saturday morning. A van caused the accident and fled the scene to leave my son and his friend to struggle out of the crumpled vehicle. It was pretty serious and both boys were taken by ambulance and checked out at the hospital. They were both OK (tumbled and turned), extremely lucky, but my young fella’s car was written off. I hardly care, they are still both unscathed and healthy young boys.

Interestingly, the jerk that caused the accident and fled the scene has been caught on video camera that is a part of the security system of a business located in the area. The tape has been turned over to the police.