Chino

My daughter just found out today that she has hep c. She found out after going to the ER last week, from several days of vomiting that lead to dehydration. She's scheduled to see a specialist in two weeks and will probably have to stop suboxone.

This diagnosis explains so much about her lethargy and mental fatigue the last few months. I'm so glad I have no bad behavior to regret. All I've done is put a gentle boot up her butt, continue to encourage her, and maintain my boundaries.

She and her dad alternate between panic, confusion, and total denial. I'm bummed but otherwise fine, and it's either because I'm in total denial or have learned my lessons well. I think I've always been prepared for something like this, given her past IV drug usage and all the stories I've heard and read. I also remember that voice that told me "you're OK, it isn't you," when she was in that car wreck almost a year ago.

I told them both "one day at a time" and "let it go" when their brains were about to explode. Thankfully they listened, at least for now.

bluejay6

God bless and watch over and help your daughter live a healthy life in spite of her illness, Chino. May His light shine upon her every moment of every day and keep her well.

He has her in the palm of His hand, and you can let go a little, knowing she is in His care. Now and forever.

Treatment can be very effective. I'm glad she now can get the medicine she needs. A blessing.

She is lucky to be loved by you,

Bluejay

teke

sorry to hear about your daughter, you and your family are in my prayers with a special prayer for your daughter.

Nina Kay

Chino, I'm very sorry to hear this bad news about your daughter. We mothers of addict children are always having to brace ourselves for the possibilities or sometimes probabilities of sad news where our children are concerned. I live with these thoughts continually where my son is concerned, since he is sick often now with pancreatitis flare-ups.
Maybe everything will turn out better than it seems with the progress is medical help these days. We can hope. I'll be thinking of you and your family.
(((((((((((((((((((Caring Hugs)))))))))))))))))))

HurtingDad

Chino, my son has Hep C for about 2 years now. His body has been fairly successful in fighting it off and he is in a study program in NYC that tests his blood counts on a regular basis. He's been lucky so far, but we know that Hep C doesn't just go away. It's just one more thing he'll be dealing with either as an active addict, or a recovering addict. Good luck to you and your family.

Freedom1990

(((((Chino)))))

There are treatments out there that have been proven very successful for folks with Hep C. I know one fellow in particular who went through the Interferon treatments, and although it was a very rough year and he often felt poorly, he has tested free of the virus since then.

I'll be keeping your daughter in my prayers, okay?

Chino

Thank you

It's that rough year that has her freaking out when she thinks about it. My husband is freaking out over future insurance issues, when he isn't trying to figure out if this is from a relapse and freaking out over that.

They'll both have to figure out how they're going to travel this road. With both of their personalities, I expect them to give up hope at least once. It's enough for me right now that my daughter is still alive and willing to live another day.

I just decided I'm going to ask God to grant them hope along with serenity. It makes me smile thinking about God giving them reasons to hope

Serenity Bound

Chino, "With God all things are possible", so I'm praying for all of you, serenity and hope.

Chris

Abundance

Chino - strong woman you be!

I'm not familiar with HEP C... I looked it up a bit... and with the suboxone being interrupted. I couldn't get my head round it. Google didn't have much on it... accept talking about inpatient centers - which was strange. but anyway ..... I'm thinking of you and your family.

My best friend's sister, at the age of 41, just got diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver...... and has been in such denial because she continued drinking and pill popping even though the doctor warned her of her liver enzymes. Addiction is maddening! She also has 3 children all under the age of 10. It's really so so so so sad. My girlfriend has been there for me in my healing of being co-dependent... and she is finding herself in a similar role and is having to 'let go' and let it all unfold without her trying to orchestrate this and that. Her parents are having a hard time NOT enabling..... so it's like my friend is in the sandwich of codieness. Her sister is even in denial that she really even has this disease. ugh

Keep us posted on your daughter.... and keep looking after you!!!! YOU are doing great!!! ;-)

Seren

Chino

I'm so sorry to hear it. Your daughter, and you and your husband, will be in my prayers.

HG

sleepygoat

I know many, many recovering addicts with Hep-C. Most of them are doing very well for many years. A few have had to do the Interferon treatment and have had great sucess with that. but it was a hard year for them when on interferon (mentally & emotionally especially). Funny, I was just thinking about your daughter today and how strong she was to go thru the accident and the pain killers and keep her recovery... (have no idea why I was thinking about that!!) so I expect she will deal with this new 'consequence', and then help so many others with her E,S & H.
Your husband sounds like a clone of my husband -always worrying about what might happen in the future. Mine also worries about having to somehow be the caretaker for my AD if/when her HIV gets bad... I remind him she's not allowed in the house unless she gets clean, and that if she ever does get clean, she probably will take care of herself and maintain her health just fine - so either way, its OK.

God bless you all.

Callie

Chino prayers for your daughter and your family. You are handling everything, as usual with grace, dignity and wisdom.

splendra

(((Chino)))

I too know several people who are living with hep C. Some have taken the interferon and some have not other do natural treatment with diet and herbs. In any case the ones who stay clean are the ones who do the best all round.

I am glad you are keep your boundaries!

Impurrfect

(((Chino))))

I'm sorry about the news, but I'm sorry I had to laugh at the vision of your daughter and your husband climbing on/off the ceiling on a bad day, and you just looking at them, telling them "let it go", just as calm as you can be

This is one of those consequences we really don't like to see because it's not anything we can "fix". However, as has been posted above, there are a lot of medical advancements, and many, many people live with hep C and do fine..as long as they stay clean.

You have one very tough, strong young lady in your daughter (I think she takes after mom) and honestly, with what she's already been through I think she'll be just fine. As far as hubby, well, you may just have to scrape him off the walls every now and then

You always seem to handle things so well, but we're always here for you!!

Love, hugs and prayers!!

Amy

eggdogg1234

Chino, I'm sorry about the news of hep c. My exAW has hep C, she found out about 4 years agos (we were still together that the time). She was able to get in on a test study of a new treatment Pegisis, or something like that, it was a radiation treatment. I think it went for almost a year, like 6 to 9 months or something. But it was free, and she got a little money for participating. She was clean at the time and it put her into remission. She has been in remission since. It was hard for her though, she got sick a few times and her hair thinned out quite a bit, but she recovered fairly quick after the treatment was done. Good luck and keep yours eyes and ears open for any treatment studies that she can get in on.

Chino

That's because I had to learn from handling things so badly AND I've learned so much from everyone here

The more I've learned about addiction, the more I've learned about myself. I've learned to work with my best attributes but, more than anything else, I've learned how to make my worst attributes work for me. It's a good thing I like to learn LOL!

Amy, you made me chuckle about them and the ceiling. Before she got this news, I had planned a short trip back home, take my mom to dinner for her birthday. They were both a little panicky about me leaving, though I travel frequently. My daughter said she knows she's too dependent on me but my husband refuses to admit it. I left anyway -- not for my mom, not for them, but for me. I'm the one who encouraged the dependency in the first place, and it's up to me to continue discouraging it now. This is a life long disease and they survived those 36 hours just fine without me

Thanks for the suggestions about studies and trials; I'll share that with her before her first appointment. It might also be a good suggestion to return to the university hospital here because they do tons of stuff like that.

She's doing well right now and seems to have taken a big step back from other people's dramas. Last night she said it really sucks but maybe this is the way she had to learn. It's a great place to start, one day at a time

Impurrfect

((Chino))

I would definitely check back at the university hospital. They are the first to get the newer (approved) treatments and also are usually just more aware of what's available....they just didn't know diddly about suboxone (I bet they do now, though )

Hugs and prayers!

Amy