Knoxville, Tennessee
Diagnosed with Hep C in 2003 

I was diagnosed with hepatitis C genotype 1a. In February of 2014, I was treated with the combination of sofosbuvir (Sovaldi), ribavirin and peginterferon. It was very rough and nearly killed me. I had to quit treatment after four weeks of the 12-week treatment. My hep C is undetectable now so I know the treatment worked. (Editor’s Note: This is an unusual situation, but it does happen occasionally.)

I didn’t think that I would ever get my strength back. It has been 17 months now, and finally I am starting to feel like my normal self. A year is the average time it takes for your body to heal and your liver to regenerate. I am 67 years old and my liver was at stage 2 fibrosis, so I am sure my age had a lot to do with my recovery taking so long.

I think the ribavirin and peginterferon was what caused my body such pain and agony. It was tough but I am glad the hep C is gone. At the time, the genotype I had was the most difficult kind to treat and that is why I had to do both the ribavirin and peginterferon.  Hep C treatment depends on your genotype. Whatever it is, JUST HANG ON. You will get better.

What three adjectives best describe you?
Jolly, upbeat, helpful

What is your greatest achievement?
Surviving hep C treatment

What is your greatest regret?
Marrying my first husband

What keeps you up at night?
Good movies on TV

If you could change one thing about living with viral hepatitis, what would it be?
Wish I would have known earlier

What is the best advice you ever received?
Do the next thing on your list to keep from being overwhelmed.

What person in the viral hepatitis community do you most admire?
I don’t know anyone yet.

What drives you to do what you do?
Every day that I get to be alive

What is your motto?
Live and let live.

If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
My bankruptcy papers

If you could be any animal, what would you be? And why?
A parrot; you get to fly and live a long time