This has been a very difficult past 3 months. Larry's dad was diagnosed with Small Cell Carcinoma, which is lung cancer. He also has tumors in his lymph nodes and 3 inoperable ones in his brain. He started chemo and radiation in March. The radiation seemed to help with his thought and speaking process for awhile. Unfortunately, the chemo wiped him out. On April 15 he fell and hit his head. He passed away before even getting to the hospital. It was a blessing, as we did not want him to have to go through all that happens to most cancer patients, but we are stunned at his loss. Bob was so great to me and always treated me like one of the family, and I will always love him for that. He was such a fun person to be around and tended to spoil me. I'll miss him greatly.

Good things have happened as well. After Dr Lindsay told me my liver was fat in January, I went on a diet. What a crappy  thing to have to do! I started with Atkins and lost 10 pounds that first week but realized it was probably not the best diet for my liver. I switched to Weight Watchers mid February and have lost 24 pounds! I still have 15 more to go but plan to make that goal by June 1. It's nice to be in smaller clothes again but GEEZE I hate dieting! I started walking again as well, but the weather dictates it until the rain is all over with. I'm trying to do 2 miles a day and I do feel much better if I get that in.

I am now working on setting up a Hepatitis C Task Force in Kern County where I live. This will be a joint force with our local Public Health Dept. I've been asked to be on the Advisory Board for the California HepC Task Force as well. While attending a conference in March for the Task Force, I was introduced to a National Service Rep from the Vietnam Veterans of America. He offered me a job! They, the VVA, are setting up a new program in CA for Service Reps and they are going to send me to their training class in June. Once I do that and pass the test, I will become accredited by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs to be a Service Rep! I am so excited about this opportunity! I've been helping Vets for 5 yrs now so to actually be able to see the claims through to the end AND get paid for it is really exciting for me.

Other than that, it's been pretty much status quo with my HepC status. My labs go up and down along with my viral load, which is up again this time. I do feel good though, and I'm sure the diet helps. I still tend to do more than I really should at times and then I crash and burn, but I find it much better for me to keep busy. Sometime this year I will get another ultrasound and I'm hoping it will show less fatty liver. I think I am due this yr for another endoscopy with the study too, but am not sure. I'm at Month 30 and I won't be done with it until around November 2004. Don't know what I will do then, but I do know it won't be another interferon based treatment. I'm still adamant that I will not do interferon again. I'm still convinced it is not the drug for me.