Hi as you know by now I am M.J. Fitzsimmons I am 42 and I live in Tampa Florida, originally from NYC. I moved to Florida in 81 after my in-laws moved here. My late husband wanted to be near his parents so we packed up and moved here. Not knowing what was ahead of us, we came to the land of sunshine with bright ideas and no worries. We soon discovered that things were not as easy as we thought they would be.
Erik my son and the light of my life, he was just 3 and smart as a whip. He was fascinated with computers at that age. It is him I blame for my addiction to computers and the Internet many years later. LoL
We ran into one thing after another, fight after fight Harry's drinking got worse and I got into working and making a life for us no matter what the family always came first. I was always sick and the Dr.'s did not know what was the cause. My liver enzymes were always high. Dr.'s said well we would watch them and do something if it persists. As the years went by Harry got worse he was manic-depressive and had some serious drinking problems. I started with drugs again Harry made sure I knew all the people that were willing to share with me knowing my weakness. I soon left Harry. Stopped using drugs.
Erik was turning 8 now and we moved into Linda and Art's home we became a family. Harry was still doing his crazy stunts wanting to get back together. I decided to give it another go although he was abusive. It was a nightmare. I left again, Harry was way out there and would not get help so Erik and I went back to live with Linda and Art. It was 1990 now and a drunk driver killed Harry on new years eve 90. I got sick and I found out I had hep c the following month, 91 was I think the worst year I thought I would ever have, I dealt with it cause I had to. I had a kid who needed me and I needed to work to make a life for us.
I did interferon and worked it was the pits but I did it. I did not respond well and did it again. In 95, I was still sick worse. I had to have surgery my gallbladder had to go. They found advanced cirrhosis and I went on interferon again for the third time. It was the even worse this time. They increased the dose to 5 million units 3x a week. I did it 14 months almost without support. I was close to loseing it and I found a support group soon after so I got involved. I finished the course of interferon and I am now considered a non-responder although I cleared the virus it comes back. I am more then likely instore for a liver transplant. I got my ssdi in March of 97 got my computer and went searching for all the info I could find.
I was making connections on the Internet that have soon become my family. I met MSPat on hepv-l (the mailing list I was telling you about on my hep links page.) we made friends quickly she was more adventurous then me. She found out all about chatting and irc she talked me into it and I soon was a regular on #hepatitis on superchat. I learned all about my disease. In addition, what friends are really all about.
Let alone I picked everybody's brain I met on irc. There was always help when I asked and I have made friends for life right here on the Internet. What is more I learned about my computer and what I could do with it. Now instead of asking for help, I can give help.