Day 128, Feeling Better / Doctor's Visit

I can't begin to thank you all so much for you prayers over the past couple of days. I'm feeling much better after my bout with another treatment related sinus induced, yet pharmaceutical enhanced side effect driven illness; [Dang that's a mouth full]. The swelling of my glands is now gone, and even though I'm still left with a nagging cough and some lingering yellow junk secreting from my head's membranes, I'm doing terrific. I feel the best today I've felt all week since I started coming down sick again on Monday, and I know it's a God thing and He's healing me once again. I'm almost certain though I haven't seen the last of things #RibaFunk, as I still have one more month left of Sovaldi and Ribavirin, with a total of 39 days remaining. We all know though, in the end, it will so be worth a few months of headache to thrive with a life free from something damaging my liver. After over 30 years, my dragon will be slain, and I've made this Dragon Slayer Shield logo to commemorate those who are close to, or have completed Hepatitis C therapy. God Bless our slayers, pill takers and valiant warriors around the world.

Today I had a doctor's visit on my 5 month check up into treatment. Wonderful news, good vibes and great results all the way around today. All my vitals and lab work came back astounding, all in normal ranges, especially my liver and immune functions. Talk about being blessed beyond measure! Even though this treatment regimen has given me ups and downs, #RibaFunk, #RibaRage etc... the end is almost within grasp, and the finish line is ever so close now. For those of you outside the Hepatitis C community, RibaRage is a slang term for the harsh side effects induced by taking Ribavirin, one of the companion drugs to Sovaldi to act as a 1-2 punch to the virus. Check out my previous post from two days for more details and links on Ribavirin side effects. Upon the end of my visit this afternoon, I was given a 2 month post-treatment appointment slip and lab work to be done at the end of treatment. Wow... My doctor informed me that HCV RNA viral loads will be check at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post treatment for 100% confirmation. But I'm sure with a relapse rate of 2%, the odds are in my favor being a Genotype 3a.

So here I am, finishing up bottle 5, and my final shipment will be in hand next Thursday. I never knew what 2014 would bring for me in terms of health, treatment and overcoming, but wow has it been a wild ride, but in a good way. God has delivered on time, and gave me a treatment that I can tolerate, and in the end be cured once and for all from Hepatitis C. The future is wide open. No more lingering thoughts of liver transplants, cirrhosis or end stage liver disease. I can't begin to tell you how joyful that makes me feel, and blessed!!!

Before I go, I just wanted to share this video with you from contemporary Christian music artist Kari Jobe, and her newest release called "Let The Heaven's Open Up." This song got me through a lot yesterday as I played it over and over on loop. Amazing how uplifting your spirit can become when you draw closer to Him.