Fear

Standing between Hepatitis C and Hope

April 8, 2013

Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself. ~ Samuel Butler Twenty-five years ago, I acquired hepatitis C. I was a fearful person, and as hepatitis C unleashed its destruction, I felt whipped and defeated. Quickly I came to a realization—having hepatitis C was one thing; suffering with it was another matter altogether. In short, [...]

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Living Calmly with Hepatitis C

February 4, 2013

The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.  ~Will Durant For the majority of my life, fear was my primary reaction. Hepatitis C added fuel to my anxiety level.  I dove into worry needlessly, because I reacted without getting all the facts.  [...]

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Patience

December 16, 2012

Sometimes the feeling of impatience weighs heavily in our lives. Waiting for results of medical tests can be like walking around with ankle weights. When we have a concern about a symptom, and we are waiting to hear back from the doctor, it can feel like standing on the edge of a cliff. Uncertainty makes [...]

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Band-Aids for Hepatitis C

July 22, 2012

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. ~ Marie Curie In a drugstore, I saw a mother taking care of her child’s tiny scratch. The child appeared to be about three years old, and was completely absorbed with her injury. She studied her finger as if it was ready [...]

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Hepatitis C: Postponing Pain

July 13, 2012

The moment an ill can be patiently handled, it is disarmed of its poison, though not of its pain. ~ Henry Ward Beecher Fear of pain is one of most universal human experiences. The up side of this fear is that the possibility of pain may keep us from doing incredibly stupid things, or at [...]

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Listening to the Heart Rather Than to Hepatitis C

July 7, 2012

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is a daily admission of one’s weakness. ~ Gandhi Sometimes it feels like the only words I hear are fear, illness, and death. What if hepatitis C takes over, what if my brain always stays foggy, what if I never have any energy? [...]

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Broken by Hepatitis C

June 7, 2012

Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.  ~ Edwin Markham Having hepatitis C feels like being broken, like something is damaged beyond repair. Although being broken feels painful, it has the potential for glory. The chick must break the shell in order to be born; membranes must [...]

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Superpowers

April 3, 2012

Today’s Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge prompt: If I had a superpower, how would I use it? At first, I thought it would be to get rid of hepatitis C, and although that would be a great superpower to have, it seems small compared to all the many ways our world is challenged. The power [...]

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Inspirational Quote

April 2, 2012

Today’s Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge prompt is to choose a quote and write about it. “Never deny a diagnosis, but do deny the negative verdict that may go with it.” – Norman Cousins Norman Cousins was an amazing man. He was diagnosed with two life-threatening illnesses and in both cases used humor along with [...]

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Fear

March 5, 2012

Fear is not a good reason to avoid hepatitis C (HCV) treatment. As a nurse, I witnessed the crippling power of fear. It is a universal story. Patients told me about their anxieties and why they didn’t want to undergo HCV treatment. Some held tight to their stories for years. Yet, every patient who let [...]

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