Day 71, Bad Blood [A Cautionary Remix]

A remixed trailer using film footage from the documentary film "Bad Blood: A Cautionary Tale." The footage is meant to convey awareness for Hemophiliacs nationwide and lest we never forget the history of our body of ten thousand and the scandal the drug companies forced upon those dependent on blood products. 

This edit comes from a hemophiliac who endured, suffered and is slaying giants to this day. This remix is dedicated the end of Hemophilia Awareness Month of March 2014. Also, to all my blood brothers/sisters out there today fighting the good fight and limping with swagger. 

Day 69, HFA 2014 Tampa, FL

With Vaughn Ripley, Barry Haarde & Craig Price
All advocates of Hemophilia, HCV & HIV

The conference this year is hosted in downtown Tampa, and the event is called the HFA Symposium. The previous current gold standard of therapy to treat modern day HCV was simply PEG-Interferon and Ribavirin, both of which resulted in unbearably harsh side effects and risk of ending therapy due to complications from treating with these toxic medications. But now, with the addition of Sovaldi and Olysio, that gold standard method of the dark ages has changed into a non-injection therapy which cuts side effects and overall treatment time. The best part is the overall success rate has substantially climbed from a previous 45-50% success rate with PEG-Interferon and Ribavirin; now has been thrust to upwards of 90-95% cure rates across the board. The miracle combination punch has arrived, and now we can rejoice that the over 4 million Americans suffering with HCV and resulting liver disease can now hold grasp to hope that new drug therapies are out there, and a cure is now possible.

Today, I stand with my fellow blood brothers with God's Testimony, an advocate, a miracle, thriving and soon to be officially cured of my own dragon that dwelt within for over 30 years. Tears were shed, lives we're cut short, we slept with fear, and our voices will be heard. Now we walk in confidence.

The 2014 Polar Plunge For Hemophilia Awareness

Truly an act of love and awareness for ‪#‎Hemophilia‬. My darling family in South Carolina, specifically Regina Bell Baltzegar has took a polar plunge in my honor and for Hemophilia Awareness. The words flee me my dear. I have never in my life had anyone do something so sweet, kind and funny in honor of Hemophilia or me in general. I am so blessed to have such amazing family that love me. Feeling really humble right now.

Day 67, Aloe Vera Juice To The Rescue

Well, the mild but subtle side effects continue on. After dinner tonight, I had an overwhelming pain and pressure in my upper chest. Almost felt like my heart was going to blow right out of my chest cavity. Luckily, and thank God, my wife is a Registered Nurse, and she assessed me and ruled out any sort of heart related issues, which only left GERD or acid reflux, which I have been having on and off while on treatment. But tonight, man... the worse night I've had in a long while with acid reflux. After taking two Gaviscon tablets (no relief), then taking my prescribed Protonix (no relief), the only tool in the box left was raw pure Aloe Vera juice. If you suffer with acid reflux, indigestion, GERD, irritable bowels, diarrhea, constipation or anything involving the digestive tract, then Aloe Vera Juice is the answer you're looking for. Within 2 minutes of drinking 8oz of the juice straight up, I felt the cooling and the acid neutralize in my stomach, and the heart throbbing sensations in my neck and chest finally went away. Keep in mind, the stuff tastes down right atrocious, so I recommend mixing it with a grape or cranberry juice to control the harshness. I'm accustomed to it, so I drink it straight up (don't breath, hold your breath and down the hatch). I keep a gallon of this juice in the fridge at all times, even before treatment we keep it stocked up just for such occasions. Take it from someone has has multiple stomach issues, and also my wife who swears by the stuff; within 2 minutes, RELIEF!

Day 64, Morning Sickness

I realize the title is a bit misleading, but it actually is bearing true for me today. I woke up this morning with a very unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I haven't eaten a lot today because of this queasy feeling. My alarm went off this morning like it always does to remind me to take my morning dose of Ribavirin. But this morning was a little different. I awoke to a unsettling feeling, and waves of nausea. It was the Ribavirin wreaking havoc again on my stomach. The hardest part about this morning was the fact I knew I had to drink water, and eat something small so I wouldn't become even more sickened from taking Ribavirin on an empty stomach having just woke up. It was literally all I could this morning to eat a granola bar. Every bite was gut wrenching, as waves of nausea hit me. I'd chew small bites, then stop for a couple minutes. Take another small bite, then stop. Finally I got through the whole bar, and my morning dose was down the hatch. 

The hard part, just two hours later, I had to eat lunch so I could take my other antiviral medications, two of which require some sort of substance to help with proper pill absorption. Knowing what I was up against, I bit the bullet and ended up taking a Zofran tablet to combat my waves of stomach sickness. It helped... some. Even the smell of food makes my stomach turn upside down... Icky feeling indeed.

Lunch today was light, and no pun intended on word play, but a bit hard to swallow. But, knowing I had no choice and I had to literally force myself to eat (which I didn't feel like doing), I did it anyway. When you're up against a wall, and you know you have to take something to save your life, at the end of the day it becomes mind over matter, in this case will power over bodily nausea. Is it easy? I wish... Nothing in life is easy, but surviving and thriving to me is worth fighting for. There is a reason why I'm on liver treatment, there is a season why I am suffering, and a purpose to which I must be refined and endure. I may not understand the scope of the situation now in the present, but one day, I can glimpse back and reflect on this time in my life when I fought dragons, and won! Even tonight as I write this, just an hour after taking my last nightly dose of Ribavirin, I'm still somewhat unsettled in the gut. My face is also a little flush. I may have to take another anti-nausea tablet to help with overnight. I was reading tonight in James 5:16 (NIV), "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Continue to pray for me, and I will do the same in return, and remember, every day / every pill / every dose.