I AM A HAPPILY MARRIED HEPPO MALE 46 YEARS OLD WHO AFTER BEING DX WITH HCV IN 1995 HAS MANAGED TO TAKE A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND EXTREMELY WONDERFUL LIFE & CAREER & WIND UP WITH ONLY 2 FRIENDS LEFT IN THE WORLD. LINDA MY WIFE OF 23 YEARS & HARRY OUR 2 1\2 YR OLD SILKY TERRIER.

BY THE TIME I DX I WAS ALREADY AT THE END STAGE LIVER DISEASE ERA AND NOT A CANDIDATE FOR ANY KIND OF TREATMENT. I WENT ON A TRANSPLANT LIST IN 1998 AND HAVE BEEN WAITING EVER SINCE.

HAVING HCV HAS TAUGHT ME ONE THING IN LIFE, NOT ALL PEOPLE CAN HANDLE ALL THINGS. PEOPLE WHO I THOUGHT WERE LIFE LONG FRIENDS SUDDENLY BECAME LIFE LONG DISAPPEARING ACTS ONCE THE WORD GOT OUT THAT I HAD THE DREADED HEPATITIS. MY EMPLOYER OF 13 YEARS WHERE I HAD COME UP THE RANKS FROM A DRIVER TO 5 TERMINAL TRANSFERS & SEVERAL TRAINING SCHOOLS FOR MANAGEMENT...FINALLY HAD MET MY GOALS WAS A GENERAL MANAGER OF A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR TERMINAL WITH OVER 100 DRIVERS AND 30 SUPPORT PERSONNEL. I WAS RECEIVING QUARTERLY BONUSES FOR REVENUE GENERATION AND JOB PERFORMANCE. THE WORLD CAME CRASHING WHEN I BEGAN OPENING UP AND HONESTLY ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT MY HEALTH. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF DOING THIS ALL THE FRIENDS WERE GONE, JOB WAS GONE, MATERIAL THINGS WERE GONE, BANKRUPTCY CAME, INSURANCE LAPSED.

I AM NOW ON DISABILITY AND HAVE BECOME A PUTER JUNKIE SEARCHING WEB SITES AND JUST STILL TRYING TO BE A FRIEND TO WHO EVER NEEDS ONE. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OVER COME ALL THAT GOD HAS THROWN AT ME IN LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. I HAVE DECIDED TO DEDICATE THE REST OF MY LIFE TO HELPING OTHERS AND TO EDUCATE THOSE THAT ARE JUST PLAIN IGNORANT TO THE FACT THAT HEPPO'S ARE STILL LIVING, FUNCTIONING, SOMETIMES THINKING (HAHA) BRAIN FOG JOKE, NON CONTAGIOUS, FRAGILE HUMAN BEINGS.

GOD BLESS TO ALL AND MY E-MAIL IS ALWAYS OPEN...............HAS TO BE SINCE INSOMNIA HAS BECOME A REALITY.

TO ALL THAT SUFFER & ARE STILL HAPPY

STEVE

E-MAIL : stelinhar@earthlink.net

Click here to return to the member stories list