Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
As I slide well into week #3 of TX, I want to thank you all for being here, being such a great support, and for encouraging me to stay positive. I felt so alone, scared and isolated in going through this, even though I have tons of real life friends. NO ONE knows what I am dealing with physically or emotionally (except my husband and you all) and I want you all to know that I appreciate you all. I hadn't had a whole lot of time to even process my Hepc and liver damage dx and recover from surgery before treatment began, so wrapping my head around all this in such short order has been hard. You've made it so much easier since I came here seeking shelter, and it means the world to me.
Your kindness reminds me of that story of the Star Thrower, by Loren Eisely:
The story describes the narrator walking along the beach early one morning in the pre-dawn twilight, when he sees a man picking up a starfish off the sand and throwing it into the sea:
In a pool of sand and silt, a starfish had thrust its arms up stiffly and was holding its body away from the stifling mud.
"It's still alive," I ventured.
"Yes," he said, and with a quick yet gentle movement he picked up the star and spun it over my head and far out into the sea. It sunk in a burst of spume, and the waters roared once more.
..."There are not many who come this far," I said, groping in a sudden embarrassment for words. "Do you collect?"
"Only like this," he said softly, gesturing amidst the wreckage of the shore. "And only for the living." He stooped again, oblivious of my curiosity, and skipped another star neatly across the water. "The stars," he said, "throw well. One can help them."
..."I do not collect," I said uncomfortably, the wind beating at my garments. "Neither the living nor the dead. I gave it up a long time ago. Death is the only successful collector."
(The Star Thrower, p. 172)
Later in the story, after reflecting on our relationships to other animals and to the universe, the narrator says:
..."On a point of land, I found the star thrower...I spoke once briefly. "I understand," I said. "Call me another thrower." Only then I allowed myself to think, He is not alone any longer. After us, there will be others...We were part of the rainbow...Perhaps far outward on the rim of space a genuine star was similarly seized and flung...For a moment, we cast on an infinite beach together beside an unknown hurler of suns... We had lost our way, I thought, but we had kept, some of us, the memory of the perfect circle of compassion from life to death and back to life again - the completion of the rainbow of existence"
(The Star Thrower, p.181).
Love you all...
Your kindness reminds me of that story of the Star Thrower, by Loren Eisely:
The story describes the narrator walking along the beach early one morning in the pre-dawn twilight, when he sees a man picking up a starfish off the sand and throwing it into the sea:
In a pool of sand and silt, a starfish had thrust its arms up stiffly and was holding its body away from the stifling mud.
"It's still alive," I ventured.
"Yes," he said, and with a quick yet gentle movement he picked up the star and spun it over my head and far out into the sea. It sunk in a burst of spume, and the waters roared once more.
..."There are not many who come this far," I said, groping in a sudden embarrassment for words. "Do you collect?"
"Only like this," he said softly, gesturing amidst the wreckage of the shore. "And only for the living." He stooped again, oblivious of my curiosity, and skipped another star neatly across the water. "The stars," he said, "throw well. One can help them."
..."I do not collect," I said uncomfortably, the wind beating at my garments. "Neither the living nor the dead. I gave it up a long time ago. Death is the only successful collector."
(The Star Thrower, p. 172)
Later in the story, after reflecting on our relationships to other animals and to the universe, the narrator says:
..."On a point of land, I found the star thrower...I spoke once briefly. "I understand," I said. "Call me another thrower." Only then I allowed myself to think, He is not alone any longer. After us, there will be others...We were part of the rainbow...Perhaps far outward on the rim of space a genuine star was similarly seized and flung...For a moment, we cast on an infinite beach together beside an unknown hurler of suns... We had lost our way, I thought, but we had kept, some of us, the memory of the perfect circle of compassion from life to death and back to life again - the completion of the rainbow of existence"
(The Star Thrower, p.181).
Love you all...
You can talk about anything and get some good advice.
There are probably so many people in the same boat as we are, but we don't want to be shunned.
God Bless and hang in there!!
I am another one who has no one to talk to about HCV EXCEPT the people here. I too appreciate all of them, some gone from the site, some still here, some to come along later. I've been on other HCV forums in the past two years but this is HCV Home - whether still "infected" or after cure - this is the place to be. Throwing stars.
We pick each other up when we are down! I've seen it and felt ti...it's magical...
I don't know quite why, but It kinda reminds me of The Little Prince which has always been a favorite...
It also makes me think of the native American word: MitakuyeOyasin It means "we are all one." It is said as a chant or prayer...the concept of "we are one" refers not just being with other humans, but includes us being one with the all sentient beings, the earth, the sun, moon, stars, water, even rocks!
Thanks for sharing an uplifting post!
Namaste!