Day 42, Battling Some Hemophilia Related Issues

The HCV therapy is going great, honestly no major side effects to report, and all the previous mentioned symptoms are slowly starting to dissipate. This past Friday, I mowed the grass, and having hemophilia with gas-powered lawn tools is not the easiest of tasks first and foremost. I ended up straining my left ankle and since then, been having some painful nights and a hard time getting around on this foot. Even though I'm taking my factor VIII injections to treat these types of issues, the pain persists, which leads me to think there is more going on in the joint than a hemophilia related type joint episode.

I'm scheduled for my next visit to see my hematology doctor's in April, so I am going to request some joint X-rays, because it feels like I have a joint spur as it makes a nasty crunching sound every time I extend the joint. That's a sign of joint damage and other possible things going on when you hear that corn flake crunch in the joint. The sound eeks my wife out, she cringes every time she hears it. But that's the glory of getting older and having severe hemophilia, luckily for me, it's not going to get better... In the picture is my worst joint from having severe hemophilia. The left knee is normal, but the right knee, my target joint, is disfigured, swollen always and makes the same crunch sound as my ankle. This is many years of internal joint bleeding, pain, and trying to be a normal kid like the others. I don't regret a mile I've traveled, but there are some things I wish I could have prevented in my teens to save me sleepless nights of tossing and turning in pain today. Sure I may have kicked HCV in the rear end and sent that dragon hurdling off into another solar system, but the battle for me is daily regardless of liver issues or not. The bruising is normal as well, just comes with the territory.That is my thumb from a deep tissue bruise, no idea how this happened. Just woke up with it yesterday morning. I could have lifted something, or who knows what. YAY HEMOPHILIA!

But aside from hemophilia related complications, I am feeling fantastical! Treatment is a breeze, and my tolerance of the new medications have finally kicked in. To be frank, I feel deep down, it's a done deal with this liver thing, and I'm cured. I just have to get through 4 and a half more months of treatment to get to the finish line. God is Good, all the time, even in my pain and suffering, His righteousness transcends all afflictions, viruses or disease.