Day 25 Check In

Good Morning All,

Well, we are truly into the home stretch here folks. I hope everyone is feeling pretty good about themselves! I think I am feeling a new sense of direction and focus as far as where I am headed in the future. I learned this month that this is truly a journey of personal choices and what may be right for one, may not be right for the next. I think that this is one thing that is so great about this site. There is such an opportunity to take and learn from the experiences from those around us here, and apply them to what best fits to our own situations. I hope you all are able to do this as we head into June!

CDS:
Hypno, Track 2, Subliminal, & Sleeplearning.
Everything else is the same!

Well, the rain is back! It is supposed to move out latter today though so a walk is not out of the question. I hope everone has a GREAT day!

Donna

Good morning all,
I just got back from the doctor for a check up/liver check and I'm bummed my enzyme levels went up since the last time I saw her. AST went from 44 to 70 in the past month. I know its not from the drinking, I guess it makes it sink in more that I have hepC.


Hard to believe its been 25 days! Hope everyone is doing well!

Marcie

Hi everyone. Well done on the 25 days Marcie, hang in there regarding the enzymes, are they giving you any medication? Hope it all works out for you. You are doing so well. Its hard to believe that we are coming into the last week of the month. I have been so busy that I have even stopped counting days. I only know what day it is when I log on. Am planning on doing the June event and think it will be the abstinance one, dont feel strong enough yet to try moderation. Have tried and failed too many times.

Hey Marcie,

Sorry to hear this news! What exactly does this mean? Does it mean you start treatment sooner? Hang in there!!

Donna

It doesn't really 'mean' anything, just my liver letting me know I have the virus. The enzymes can fluctuate when you have Hep. It's just the first sign I've had since I tested positive. My levels have been normal since February. If my doc hadn't told me I was sick, I would never know. Kinda like you know when you've gained 10lbs but when you actually stand on the scale and see it there it is a little harder to take.


Marcie

Marcie,
I'm sorry the test results are not what you hoped for. I know you'll get a lot more info once the biopsy is done.Are there any drugs that can stop the progression of the disease (is it an interferon drug???)My sister-in-law was diagnosed with a cirrhosis of the liver (she never drank ) caused by a strain of hepatitis.She has been taking a drug for 18 years now and her liver has really come back. The disease has not progressed at all and is really a non-issue for her at this point. I know all hepatitises can vary in severity. I am thinking of you as I know you are probably on pins and needles til your biopsy.Stay strong.
Janet,

Thanks Janet,
Yes the treatment is interferon and ribavirin. It is a very slow moving virus so I'm not really too worried, but it is always in my mind.

Lately I've been thinking that all the drinking I've done could simply come down to personal choices, bad ones. Maybe that's why I've been feeling so good, now that I can make some better ones. Big self esteem boost! I decided many many times to do something about my drinking over the years, and it was truly a miserable experience every time I quit for a few days, weeks, even months. So I knew I was in for a tough fight this time around, and that's why I chose to use all the weapons available to me from RJ's book, and my own resources.

I've never taken a prescription drug long term, because I prefer to address my health concerns naturally, but dealing with my alcohol problem is THE number one priority, so I decided to make a shift in my beliefs about drugs, at least temporarily (OK I'm going off topa, but it was a tool that I found very helpful in the beginning. I may use it again if i decide to try moderating in the future.) The point is I made a conscious decision not to be held back by one of my belief systems. Because our own thinking is a paradigm that can change according to our needs if we're willing, but if we refuse to consider choices outside that paradigm, we may cut ourselves off from just what we need.

Donna. your remark about personal choices, and some other things going on around the boards made me think about this today. It just seems a shame to me that people are suffering, but then stand in their own way because they don't want to step outside their comfort zone long enough to even consider a different idea. Myself included of course, sorry if that all sounded preachy, just some thoughts.

Deirdre

Not preachy in the least Deirdre. Quite to the contrary!

Donna

Loved your post above, Deirdre. Just wanted to acknowledge it. We DO have to step outside our comfort zone and sometimes our previous beliefs if we want something to change. What's that saying...

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.

Went out for dinner with friends last night, and when I kept (repeatedly:eek ) covering my partially drank glass of sangria with my hand when the pitcher went around, I got some interesting looks. I had to do a quick explanation "I'm just not drinking like I used to!" then got the usual "Good for you, Becca".
Change methods, alter results.
Feeling pretty darn good this morning. Sorry to post this on the abstaining part, cuz I only made it a few days and not a whole week, but I do really enjoy gaining your insight over here too. Those abs days are a wonderful tool that I will use MORE OFTEN. Discovered their importance.
Thanks.
Becca