April 1 ~ April 8 ~ Boy we walked about 5 miles every day seeing all the sights in DC. The exercise was been really great for me too. My headaches weren't near as bad as usual. I got real tired and had to rest alot, but I kept going! There is alot to be said for exercise. Even if you are just walking! We took the train up to New York for the day and walked all over that city too. It was a terrific vacation.
I was exhausted when we got home. It has taken about a week to recoup from all the activity. We were pretty much non stop all day every day so resting has been great. It's nice to be home though. I'm real tired this week but I'm sure its just travel lag! I am heading up to Bishop to go fishing next week with my mom and daughter. We should have a great time too! Boy, I spent the last year doing nothing and going nowhere...now I am a travelling fool!

April 9 ~ April 15 ~ Well this week I went fishing. We had a great time. I only got tired in the afternoons, but did fine the rest of the day. My appetite has been pretty good this time around but I haven't gained back any weight. I have noticed that my hair hasn't been falling out like it was either. It still is, but only a little bit, not like the handfuls I was getting. The weather is warming up so I will finally stop being so cold all the time. (hopefully!) Ahhh...here comes summer!!
My latest bloodwork shows my Albumin is low. That's probably not so great but the way everything jumps around, it will probably go back to the normal level next week. I'll be doing my PCR on Monday the 19th. I've decided that if it doesn't come back undetected, I am going to stop the combo. I'm tired of feeling like something the cat dragged in, and I figure 13 months on Schering's drug is long enough. I'll give Consensus Infergen a shot next. I want to do 15mic daily for 30 days then down to 15mic 3 times a week. I have the feeling that will work much better for me than Rebetron has. Now to convince the Dr.!

April 16 ~ April 22 ~ Ok, I am not a happy camper at all this week. I got my bloodwork back. Everything is out of whack. My T3 Uptake (thyroid panel) is low, Chloride is high, Bun/Creatinine is low, Iron and Cholesterol are SKY HIGH, WBC is low, RBC is borderline low, and now I know why I have been so much more tired lately. Not to mention always cold. I'm looking at hypothyroidism and hemolitic anemia. God only knows why the Iron keeps going up and down. I am definately going to stop the Combo as soon as the PCR gets in. I'm tired of this stuff making me sicker than the disease does. My brain is mush, I have no interest in doing anything and have been pushing myself to keep up with this page and the support group stuff. I need to get some of me back again.
We are due to leave for Sacramento and the USHA rally on May 2nd. I hope I can hang in there for it. The Liver Walk is May 15th so hopefully I'll be off this combo and feeling much better by then. That's a 6 mile walk!! I have gotten over $1,400 in donations so I'll be there no matter what!
I got my PCR....it is STILL THERE! Its down to 16,219 but it isn't gone. I'm not going to continue with this drug. I've been on Schering's drugs since March 13, 1998 and if I haven't gone undetected by NOW I am never going to. As soon as I can contact the Dr., I'll be telling him to switch me to Consensus INFERGEN at 15mic daily. All the studies show that it works real well (over 50% response rate) for those who do NOT respond to Intron or Rebetron. I can't believe that after all this time, (I started Rebetron in July 98), I still have never gone undetected or that the Dr. has kept me on this junk. What a stinko week THIS was! It's getting hard to do the "onward & upward" thing, I'll tell ya.

April 23 ~ April 30 ~ Well, I got my Dr's appointment...May 13. How funny, 14 months after starting treatment! I was so busy all week, getting ready for the Sacramento trip. Luckily my daughter went with me. We only got lost a couple of times! I felt pretty good all week and didn't really have TIME to feel lousy. I find that if I keep really busy, I don't notice how crappy I feel! Only a couple more weeks on Rebetron then I'll be switching!! YIPPEEEEEE!!!