My baby girls all three of them!!!

Enjoy and beliveve!!!

Such an awesome picture I had to share it!

Sorry It's been awhile!

Well as far as the fair it went better then the last year I set up up there. There were still those people who turned their heads like it was a cootie faactor if they even looked at the booth let alone tried to stop by and be open minded about getting some new information about the facts of Hepatitic C, and lots of other things like Hepatitis A & B and Liver cancer and much more.  I couldn't work the booth very long. I was there the best I could. I know I should have asked others from my support group to work it for me too. But it was something I really wanted to try on my own. So I did. The crappy weather rain and clod made it extra hard on my body. But I did the best I could. I even got my new 4 wheel drive stuck in the muddy parking lots. I pulled into a puddle i thought was only a puddle and bam I sunk up to my eyebrows it seemed. lol I had mudd all the way up to the top of my truck trying to get out. Teh farm guys were going to go get me a couple of horses to real horses to pull me out, really lol, I finnally after rocking it back and forth got it out. Shoooo I didn't want my 4 wheel drive get showed up by some for legged horses. (o: So then on my way home I went to the car wash and was sitting there in this automatic car wash looking in my review mirror and it was pouring down rain. Was on my way into the car wash. But I had to get the mudd off. Couldn't park in the garage at home with mudd up to the top of my truck. So I think I need to call Jeff Foxworthy and tell him I have a new redneck joke. ( you know your a redneck if your sitting in a car was in the pouring down rain) LOL LOL has to be a good one.
Well back to the Hep stuff. As for my daughter she is feeling pretty good. She is doing As and Bs in school she wants to become a Hep C pediatrician. Awesome huh???? She says " mommy I will be able to look at the kids and tell them do not be affraid. I know what you are fearing and feeling". Made my heart melt. So awesome. As for my other daughter she wants to be a lawyer so whoooo hooooo for them. Both or on the right track to be able to become something great in this world. I am so very proud of them both. And now as for me. Well I just can't beat the pain that I have daily and the nausea and more. I have come to terms that I will have to live with this for the rest of my life and I know it. I am grateful that my Liver is holding it's own though. So that is a good thing. I mean I have 5 more years til my baby is an adult and I have to be here for that to happen. Being momm and daddy makes me have a double duty and I will get them where they need to go. I pray with God s will that I will be around for their College Cragduation too and their babies.  I know if I put my mind to it that I can fight this and be here for a lot more years. As for my other grandbabies may not happen til they turn 18 but I will be here no matter what. Praying for them, Loving them and hopeing for a reunion soon. My son Dillon is making me very proud too. He is 22 now and back in College taking Culenary schooling. I see him owning the finest resturant in the world. Yep he can do it I just feel it. My other son is doing construction and i hope it stays busy for him. I have no doubt that he does good work. But I don't know. I will always pray for him no matter how far away he is. He has given me three beautiful grandbabie though I do know that!!! One I have not met yet but the other two well let me just say they will melt everyone hearts once they meet them!!! So Awesome!!! So I know God made me the blessing of giving birth to 5 wonderful children andeven the one is in heaven with our heavenly father and his daddy who passed on our Harley when I was 3 months pregnant. I still have been blessed to carry them for nine months and give birth to them. So blessed. Now it's just two more at home and even though I will be 50 next year and still have a 13 and 16 year old at home. I am blessed to be their mother. My son Dillon will I pray soon find the right women God will send him to be his wife and he will soon give me and his other mother and father afew grandbabies too.
Well I have to say as far a group I am sorry I have had to cancel the last couple. I wake up feeling okay some days thinking things are going to be good then bam it hits me blind sided and I'm in the rest room sick. So sorry for that. I hope in Dec. we can have a nice dinner in group to celebrate the season!!!!! Everyone lets pray hard for this one okay!!!!!!. I hope and pray that all of you are feeling okay and doing the best you can. I know I still have alot of you in group who still do not come to group for there reason's and maybe one day that will change. Damn stigma. But I am blessed that you have given me 7 years of being able to give you phone support and email support. I want you to know I love you all so much. Everyone in my gorup is speacial to me. And I am still praying to the those that we have lost to Heaven that they help me to be able to be all that you here on earth need!!!!! That is my goal to be the support group leader I can be. So come on third Friday of everymonth. You all pray hard for the devil yukies to stay away from me that day so I can be at group with you!!!!.
Okay I will close for now. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!! Call me anytime 24/7 no matter what for anything 260-927-8180 home or cell at 260-515-5130. I love you all bunches!!!!
Til next time. oh yea pass this blog site on to everyone you think it would help. Remeber to ttell them to click on older post link at the bottom of each page so they can keep going all thy back to the begeinning and to click on the links at the right side close to the top to click on my daughters stories they posted.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christie

Getting ready for the fair 2011

Well here i sit just one more day before the DeKalb County Fair. I am really hoping and praying that most of the people who walk by my booth at the fair will stop by and get educated about Hepatitis C and get a free voucher for a free blood test for Hepatitis C. The first time I did the fair (which is the only time so far) I took home 98% of the informational phamplets that I took there. That was very saddening to me. People would just walk by and turn the other way putting that cootie factor on my booth and all it has to offer. I really am so sick of people acting like that. Everyone should take the time to stop by get inforamiton ask questions and or get a free blood test for the Hepatitis C. Right now in America according to the CDC and the American Liver foundation. Every 1 case of AIDS being reported there is 7 cases of Hepatitis C being reported. Scary. The disease is spreading like crazy. Yet people still put such a stigma on it that they won't reach out and get information about it and get tested if they are at risk. And people are never going to stop using others needles when they are junkies. And those who have been in the Armed forces will not take the time to be tested either. Then there is those who are getting unsafe tattoo's and body piercings at an clean shops and in homes at party and such. People who work in the medical field who have come in contact with anyone's blood should be tested. But 75% of them won't for fear of what people will think of them if they do. Why does what you have be more important then who you are. No matter what kind of spreadable disease you have you should never be labeled as having cooties so to speak. Never!!! Those of us who have a spreadable disease are just as human and have feeling just like someone who doesn't. So I sit here and pray that this week at the fair people will stop by and take the information I will have out and ask questions and get tested if they are at risk. I ask all of you who are reading this to please pray for me to be able to attract people to want to stop and get informed. Thank you! Speaking from someone who lives with having Hepatitis C it is a very lonley place to be in. Very lonley!!!. The depression of knowing when I first meet someone I have to more less say "HELLO MY NAME IS CHRISTIE SOAPER AND I HAVE HEPATITIS C" not exactly like that but really close. And to be fearful of that oerson you meet trun and run from you never to speak again. It hurts badly!!! And then to have a daughter whois also Hepatitis C positive and having to do that with all her friends parents before she can go and spend anytime at their home or ours. And having to tell her teachers and the faculity at school before each new year of school. It is not my fault that I contracted Hepatitis C and it is not my daughters fault or mine that she has Hepatitis C. We contracted me from recieving contaminated blood and her from being cut during delivery. I hate this so bad for my daughter more then me. I want her to grow up living a normal life. With no one putting the cootie factor on what she has and have them to turn and run away!!! I have put a story in the paper about people stopping at my booth. So we will see. I will keep you infromed. Okay I will close for now. please rememebr to keep the fair in your prayers. Praying for opened minded people to get educated and get tested. Thanks again.
Love ya all,
Christie

Wow! What a day. What a day. What a day.

Well things are good for me besides dealing with my yuckyness. When it come to Logan my youngest daughter who also has Hepatitis C. She contracted it during a c-section. It is school time and I must say so far I feel relieved. Not just dealing with Hepatitis C myself I have to live her Hepatitis C too. Like when i meet someone I say hello my name is Christie I have Hepatitis C . Like that in different way. But that is point blank I have it tell it is always what I say. I hate the stigma on it so very very very bad. Now Logan going through grade school was good. She had one teacher and she followed alot of the same teachers her sister had. So they were already aware of the Hepatitis C. But every year I still made it a point to refresh the school and her teacher all about the Hep thing. At first her school made me mad at the beginning of us finding out Logan was also positive with her Hep. I called the school and said' I am calling to report about the Hep c and they were am you need to talk to the nurse first before she can come. I was so mad. But then the stigma fear wore off and they opened there hearts 210%. So we are really going to miss them. The kids, the teachers and all employes and other parents too. They all loved Logan. And we all became like family. They went threw me being sick with mine to Logan having it and so much more. Anyways back to now. It's a new school. Middle school. So now there is alot more teachers, employes, kids ext. It's kinda like the feeling of having to tell each one of her friends parests first before she could spend the night. Telling people who know nothing about it is something we have to do. It is really starting to take a toll on Logan.She is asking and crying with the qyestion. Mommy why me. wow What a punch in the gut to me I just try to tell her to get her mind on something else. And I reasure her that we are not going to let this Hepatitis get the best of us. And remind her that healthy people die everyday too. And we will nnot go until God is ready for us. I mean Gosh what do you say? Hard to put yourself in my shoes. The feeling of guilt that I gave my daughter a disease that can Kill her. Evening though that it was because of the c-section and the cut behing her ear. I still go at night before I go to sleep at night lay there hurting because my baby is hurting. Every way she can. And has to live in this cruel world  living it. So today has been a really hard day of thinking about it and not knowing how to come out of this depression I feel because of it. Knowing I have started a support group because Gosh I need it at times. I want everyone in my group to know I thank each and everyone of them..This is something I have keep inthe not knowing what to say or do to comfort my daughter.  Blaaaaaah. Please pray for me!!! Hopefully I can help find a peace for her. Finding a cure for her is why I do all the work for bringing Hepatitis C awareness stuff...... Everyone have a great day!!!

God is so good!!!

Well God is so very good. I was to the point after my last biopsy that I was ready to give up. They came in and took more then one sample from me and then I was told that I may only have a year to live if I do not follow what the doctors told me to do. By two different doctors. How they could tell that right then I have no idea. I think that they where meaning now that I think back to that day. Was that if I didn't follow my doctors orders I could die in a year or 10. I don't know I just know the way they said it had me crazy. Well here for a whole week I was scared to death that I was going to die in one year. Well I had everyone praying for me from east to west and north to south. And you know what people prayer does work. There was a message on my phone from my doctors nurse practitioner that she would discuss more with me on Tuesday when she got back in the office. Well things are okay she said in her message. But that there was more and she would talk to me in person about that. I do know that 3 1/2  years ago my last doctor, who was a goof if you ask me. He did the Liver biopsy way different then they do them down in Indianapolis at Indiana University Hospital. My old doctor did the biopsy on the side and never used a ultrasound machine like they do at IU. And last one 3 years ago he hit a nerve when he went in to my side that almost sent me flying off the table. Both times he never used a ultrasound machine and like I said the last one hitting the nerve and a few other things got me going to a better doctor and one who specializes in not only gastroenterology  but one who also specializes in Hepatitis C. Anyway I am so not knowing how to feel. At the day of the biopsy I was giving up on life and now after hearing her message. WOW I am obviously very very happy. But still numb. I am exited to hear what she has to say on Tuesday. So everyone still keep on praying. Please! Thank you so very much.

Well as for everything else. I am trying my best to enjoy the summer with my children. We have been camping a few times and we go swimming at the different lakes we have around here. I bought me this big ole yellow boat( You have to use a pump to blow it up) but it will fit two kids teens ext. But it fits me just fine. I blow that baby up and get in it have my kids push me to the rope that they have to block off for the kids, they push me way out to the farthest rope so I am out of the way of everyone swimming and such. I tie my boat to the rope and lay back and almost fall asleep. But I am there with my kids so falling asleep in out of the question. But it is very relaxing. I also have a big blow up chair that has a big back to it with a drink holder and harm rest that I use when my friends go with me and we tie to the rope and tie them to each other and kick back and catch up on whats happening. We have been doing some new decorating to the inside of the house to. Like painting my bedroom, getting a new china cabinet for the kitchen from a friend and working on getting my grandma's china out. I have been doing a few other things to. Working on painting the living room and hall before the fall gets here. I have lived here in my house for ten years so it is time to do some painting big time you could say. I have a big picture wall that has 62 pictures on it. All my life my family has had picture walls. Most of them running down a long hallway. But anyway I need to rearrange them. I have each year of my girls school pictures and much more. I have friends who tell me to cover the last year school picture. But not me I want to be able to be able to look at them all. Anyway there is some more stuff to do to the house.

Well my daughter with the Hepatitis C is doing great. She is now over a year non-detected. And feeling great. So I am very happy. I want to find a cure for her. So bad. But until then I will be reaching out to the community to keep bringing awareness.
I will close for now. I love ya aall and pray for each one of you. God bless!!!
Christie

Goodmorning To You All

I am still blogging on her and thinking of a way to continue to bring the awareness of Hepatitis C to our community. Our Open Open House was good but there so many more calls then people who showed up. I feel so bad for those who didn't show because of the awful stigma there is yet on this disease. It makes me sad. I want everyone to feel the joy we do when we all get together and enjoy the company of someone who can understand what you are going through. It makes it so nice to be able to talk to someone and have them say " I know " and have them really know what you are feeling. We can all get so down once we are diagnosed with Hepatitis C and feel that that scary feeling of the unknown. I want the public to realize that it is who you are that makes you and not what you have. So like I said we got to meet a few new people and for that I am grateful!!! They all seemed quit lovely.  I am not going to give up on bringing the stigma down. I am not sure how or exactly how to do this. But I will never stop trying. One thing I will continue to do is to pray. And prayer can be quit powerful so if any of you would please pray also. Thank you.
I am scheduled for my 3rd Liver biopsy in July to see how much the Cirrhosis has progressed. Hopefully it has not but we will see.Okay til next time take care and stay strong!!!
Have a great day!!!
Christie

Well the Open Open house went really well.

Well the event was really great! We met three new people with Hepatitis C and that made it all worth it !!!! I really wish more of the public would have came out and taken advantage of learning more information about Hepatitis C. There is still such stigma on this disease that scares the public because of the unknown. And the only way they are ever going to learn is to get information on the disease. It really saddens my heart that people just want to stay in this bubble of there lives and not try to learn new things about this disease that is killing people everyday. Why I do not know. But I will never stop with my calling of educating the public and try my best to find a cure for my daughter and others!!!!!!!!!!!! Hepatitis C is not a cootie factor and I am sick of people thinking that because they are to scared to learn the real stuff about Hepatitis. I will continue to reach out and share what I know and hopefully the public will loosen up!!!!!!!!!!!! I want everyone out there to know these facts.   1. For every one case of AIDS being reported to the CDC ( CENTER for DISEASE CONTROL ) there is four cases of Hepatitis C being reported. In America! And in every ten people you know someone will know someone with Hepatitis C!!! They predict that by the year 2014 or 2015 here in America AIDS will be in the back ground and Hepatitis C will be in the front. So the public really needs to come out of their bubble and be open to learn about this disease and even get tested for that matter. Okay I will close for now and I pray that everyone that reads this post will pass this on to as many friends they can to help the public here in America be safe and well aware and have learned about the disease. Thank you everyone for your time in reading this!!! It really means alot to me. Love, peace and knowledge to you all!!! Everyone have a wonderful day!!! You deserve it!!!!

Open Open House

Well I am getting ready for our Open Open House that is this next Friday, April 15th from 6pm to 8pm. It will be held in the Dekalb Medical Arts Building next to Dekalb Memorial Hospital at 1316 E. 7th Street in Auburn, Indiana 46706 in conference room 303. We are going to have lots of informational packets, refreshments, a KidZone for the children to play at while there parents are learning all they can about Hepatitis C. We really hope that the public will be open to this night and come out and get informed. I really pray that the stigma can be erased on this disease so that everyone will not want to hide anymore and know it is okay and that just because you have Hepatitis C doesn't mean you are a bad person. Those of you living with Hepatitis C are just as normal as those who do not have it.  I have so many of you in group but there is so many of you who will not come out to group or any of the functions that we have because you are afraid. Well stop being afraid and reach out to those of us who know exactly what you are going through. 

On a different note I had a cat scan on my liver yesterday and will soon be having my 3rd liver biopsy. I pray that I still am at stage 3 and not at stage 4. I will stay positive no matter where I am at. As I need to be strong and live a long time I am mom and dad to my children and God still has a plan for me in bringing awareness to the public about Hepatitis C. And I pray that I can find a cure for my 12 year old daughter who is positive also.

Well I will close for now I hope you all have a very good day and know that I am praying for each of you.

Goodmorning all!

I hope everyone has woke up with a positive feeling in their hearts knowing that we will beat Hepatitis C. If we all believe it it can happen. I know and feel in my heart that I will do all I can do to find a cure for Hepatitis C so I can cure my daughter. She is only 12 and has now been through treatment twice. She is now one year out and is non-detected. Thank God!!! She has really had it tough going through the treatment twice. She still shows some days that she feels some of the problems that can affect some of us daily and or just once in a while. I really got more and more determined to find a cure for her. Having to give her a shot weekly for a year. Wow that was tough. After going through treatment twice myself made it even harder. Knowing how bad it made me feel.  It took all I had to give her those shots. And then the pills all week long. She did really well  I must say. She did way better then I did and then some in my group. She would get her shots on Friday night and on most Monday's she was ready to go to school. I think her love for school alone helped her a great deal. And I think school helped her keep her busy and her mind off the treatment. What made me think of this this morning I don't know. I guess it was finding out that she was non-detected for a little over a year now. And the dream I had last night knowing there is a cure out there real soon for this. i just feel it. I will never give up trying to find this cure. I may not be that smart when it comes to chemical stuff. But I am one determined momma!!!!!!!! Anyway I am off today to get donations for our Open Open House we are have in April. So wish me luck. Everyone have a wonderful day!
Much Love, Christie

Me and one of the Hepatitis C quilts

One of the 4 Hepatitis C quilts here in America. With seperate squares of different stories form Hepatitis C people.

Me on Friends bike

Just thought I would throw this in. Me on friends bike both of us have Hepatitis C.

Well it's the second day of spring.

Well for being the second day of spring it sure is cold. It was partly sunny yesterday for the first day of spring and in the 50s. So I took the girls to the lake for a picnic. The lake was really choppy and cold wind coming in off it. But the picnic was worth it. we went yesterday because it's the girls spring break and it was the warmest day of the whole week. It is suppose to be in the 30s by the end of the week with a chance of snow. How crazy. I am ready for the warmth to get here so I can pull the camper down here in front of my house and get it ready for May the first really warm and sunny weekend in May we are going to take the camper out. Whooo Hoooo. Can't wait. I get my new GMC Jimmy to so I have something to pull it. Instead of having my friends pull it to the camp ground for me.
I really woke up late with my liver being really sore. Does any of you have that trouble? What do you try to do for it. I can only sit leaning to my left tying to give the Liver as much room as possible. For those women out there having Liver pain to me it feels like I am 9 months pregnant and the baby is in my ribs. That is the only way I can explain it. I haven't been told by a doctor how I can help the pain go away. I think we mostly get it when the Liver turns Fatty and gets Cirrhosis. Never had it til I got that fare along. Well I haded some more pictures of my family and one years HepFest and Blessing of the bikes. I hope you like them. In a couple of them I look alittle blown up well for two years my new medicine did that to me. Now I am loosing the weight and I guess my body just is getting use to it. It is Lyrica that they put me on for my Fibromyalgia. With the Hepatitis C aches I have and then to have the Fibromyalgia on top of it my days can seem rather long. But I stay strong and positive because I do not want my girls to see me in pain. I do not want them to have to know more then they already do about my liver stage and the Cirrhosis. That is enough for there little minds to know and sometimes I wish their ears weren't so big and they didn't know what they know now. Oh well I tell them that God only takes people sick or not when it is their time and not a second before. Having kids living in the same house with you and seeing you day by day. Sick on most and trying to hide it from them is not at all easy or really possible. As they are 12 1/2 and 15 1/2 so they now are smart enough to hide things from them. They are strong young ladies though I have to say that for them. And them my 15 year old has to live with a mother and sister both with Hepatitis C. Now that is one bad hand dealt to her. She is tuff on the outside. But she has told me that she wonders if when she goes to sleep will we be alive when she wakes up. Boy does that not ripe your heart out. I just keep telling her the in Gods timing. That she need not to ever worry about that. But then when you think about it what is the right thing to say??? Any ideas??? okay I am going to go for today. I hope you all have a wonderful day. You deserve it. Everyday and every minute. Always remember that.

My daughters, My little Logan's Liver doctor and me before I lost weight

my girls and Buddy inside my friends house. Cool huh!

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

At the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

My oldest daughter at the HepFest

My little Logan at the HepFest. Cool paint job!

My little Logan at the HepFest

A couple of guys from the HepFest/blessing of the bikes

Booth set up at the CycleFest.

Sunday Afternoon. Hepatitis really on my mind.

Well it's Sunday after church and I was touched by Hepatitis C by all sides. Wow God is good. There was a gentleman there who's wife passed away with Hepatitis C. There was a man there with Hepatitis C who has even gone through a Liver transplant. And there was me who finally was able to wobble my way back to church on my knee. God is so good the man who just had the Liver transplant has not been to church in a while and I haven't either and bam just like that God got us up with the strength to be there. I feel so blessed to have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C and to have started the support group and the other event's I have done in hopes to bring awareness out to my community. I know God has done so much to me when I look at the people I have meet since the day I was diagnosed. I have meet some of the greatest people in the world with the truest hearts you ever would want to meet. I have opened the eyes about Hepatitis C I have meet folks who had never even heard the word Hepatitis C and I have brought the word Hepatitis C to some who have just plain oh ran from me in fear. That makes so sad when I run into those kind of people. Now I know some just run from fear of the unknown and then there is those who label it with a cooty factor. Then there is some who run just because they have a closed heart that just doesn't care. I have had personally a person run because they just didn't care to find out anything about it and what do you know bam they called me wanting to know more information about it because they were diagnosed. God has a way of working with people I just know it. I immediately opened my arms 210% with support because I was put here to be there for anyone with Hepatitis C. That is my calling inlife. And I love it. Through the good and bad. I know there is so many more who may read all this and think why would anyone even care to learn about something, labeled as a drug disease at times, that they never have to worry about. but those of you who feel that way please watch it you or someone you love or know may be the next one diagnosied. I hope not for your sack but ir can happen to anyone. And I pray that there is some of you out there who will read this whole blogsite and have a stigma on it. Those of you please open your heart too because 1 in 10 people will know someone who has this disease and that is alot. They do not need you to stigmatise it they need you to take a moment to step back and say okay I am here and I want to care and help you. And then those of you out there who have this disease I hope and pray this blogsite will help you alot in many different ways. Even if it's just reading the blogs I post and or the blogs my children post(once I get that part straighten out so they can have their page and own blog stuff) I pray I touch your hearts with care and love from Hepper to another. Okay I will close for now. Hope all of you enjoy the rest of your Sunday and get the rest you need to get back at the work week and do it again.
Much Love,
Christie

Happy Day!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! It is finnally starting to look like spring is really coming. I am doing alot of work for our OPEN OPEN HOUSE on April 15th. It is a Hepatitis C open house for the community. So they can stop in and get informational pamphlets about Hepatitis C enjoy talking to those of us who have Hepatitis C. Get a refreshment and much more. There will be a KidZone for the little ones so that the parents have all the time they need to browse the pamphlets and talk. Please stop in and visit us. It will be at the Dekalb Medical Arts building next to the Dekalb Memorial Hospital at 1316 East 7th Street, Auburn, Indiana in conference room 303. I hope to see you there. Everyone have a wonderful day!!!!
Christie

Hip On Hep C Support Group: Logan's story with Hepatitis C

Logan just saying hello. Trying to see if this works to adding another blog to my page.

logan

hi my name is Logan and I have Hepatitis C and if you want to talk to me about what you are feeling then go ahead. Well I am going to tell you about me life ok. So when I got detected with it I was a baby so I really didn't know about it because when you are a baby you don't know what's happens with you at that time. so when I knew I had it I was sad and when I had my first shot I was out of it and when my mom picked up my arm and let go of it it dropped back to the ground so my mom called the ambulance came to get me and toke me to the hospital and put i.v. in my arm and my mom could came back to the room until they were all done with me and ever thing like that. My mom took pictures of me when she was back there and if you were wondering how I knew about all this my told me about it when we came home from the hospital. well I have to go so if you what to you came talk to me at all.

Well I am here with a heavy heart today!

Today I started two new pages on here that really pulled at my heart when I was writing them down. I live the life everyday. But to put them down on paper for all to see was really hard. I love my girls and I really think them being able to reach out in their own way about their own feelings will be good. They both need it. Don't get me wrong I am here for them daily no matter what the day brings. But them having an escape to tell their feelings is got to be good. And I am sure that there is alot of other children out there that need them too. So to all that read this for you to help me get the website out would be really appreciate. Thank you so very much. The only way this site will get going is by word of mouth. and I need lots of that. Please help me reach the young out there needing someone to talk to.
Well enough for now. My knee is killing me since my knee surgery and I am going to go to sleep. I will write more tomorrow. And work on getting the site out myself. Everyone have a great night!
Christie

Still here

Well I have been out of commission since last Wednesday. I had my left knee completely replaced. So I have been out of it for the most part. I have put a call into my daughters liver doctor to see about the starting of a website with live chat for the children of Indiana who have Hepatitis C started. I really feel like starting this for children with this disease and I also still am in the thinking and starting a website with live chat for those children with parents with Hepatitis C started too. I really need idea's if anyone has them. I also need a big prayer for these idea's also. I need the right website owner to say yes we will allow you to start two sites free. And really it could be the same site with two different links on it. I am kinda stuck as to who to contact to fulfil these needs. I am sure it can happen and I am sure there is so many kids out there that need these sites to be there for them. I will just have to start by calling sites to see if they will fulfil our needs. So wish me luck. With your faith I am sure it can happen. Everyone have a wonderful day.
Christie
March 2, 2011

Support Group Febuary 2011

Well group was great I learned alot of new stuff and I think others did as well. It was like a bunch of friends sitting around the dining room table having coffee telling our life stories and getting a few good laughs. There was hope in the eyes of some and still that long away site in one. I want to always come out of group with everyone hopeful and happy. But I know in reality that that may not always happen. I will never stop trying though. The whole idea of starting and running this group has been a big God inspired thing in my life. It has given me meaning and drive to find a cure for this disease. I started it not even having a clue of how to run anything like a group of any kind. But I have learnt alot in the last 6 years. Heck it might even be 7 years. Time has just flown by and some memory too. (o:  I knew there were others out there that needed a place to come to be able to be with others who knew exactly what they were going through to be able to meet together and become one so to speak.  Weather there is only one person or ten just being able to be there for them is fulfilling to me. I see such hope in their eyes at time that it only makes me stronger in my walk with Hepatitis C. I want to only make the group grow and grow because I know that there is many and I mean many more out there who have this disease that need a group. And I know that there is alot more out there then the ones that come to group because I have talked to them on the phone and they are still afraid of the stigma on the disease that they do not want anyone to know who they are. So they suffer silently alone. It just hurts my heart to have this happen. And not only is there those who will not come to group there is so many of the people out there that do not even know that they have it. Because as I have learnt in time studying this disease that some go on without being detected. Some only find out by donating blood. They do not suffer from any of the systems that some of us do. Like the flu like systems that can at times be so awful they keep you in bed feeling to tired to move. Or some do not find out that they have it til their Liver is in full blown Cirrhosis. I really want to see the government make it a mandatory thing for everyone to get tested yearly for Hepatitis C. So we are not losing so many people to Liver failure. Passing that bill will take some time I am sure but I will forever try to work on it. Even if I have to go one state at a time. In group last night I found a couple of needs that also need to be met. One Like I think I have said in past blogs. My 12 year old daughter who also has Hepatitis C ( contracting it during childbirth ). Well I think we need a support group for children suffering with Hep to have a place for them to go and connect. Maybe this would have to be a website chat room based group. But the need is out there. So that is something else I am going to work on. Anyone who has input please post it. Also I think there needs to be a support group started for those children who parents are positive with Hepatitis C. To go and connect as well. So there is something else I am going to work on. Well I will close for now.
Everyone have a great day! And remember to be happy in the moment because we do not know when and if the next moment will be given to us.
Christie

Need Donation Money for this years Indiana's Annual HepFest. Please!

I am trying to round up money for this years HepFest festival. We are only funded by the public and we are in great need of help! We are a 501c3 organization so your donation is tax deductable. We are trying to reach the $2000.00 dollar mark. That helps us with getting our speakers, food and other supplies needed to put on a productive event. This event is to have a day for all those suffering with Hepatitis to get together and have a enjoyable event to be around others who are suffering with the same kind of terriable disease they are faced with. It is also for their families and friends too. But a great big part of this event is to educated the public! We need to get the word out to the public about this disease to help them understand what it is and how it can affect others and possible themselves. It is to also help them to not put such a stigma on something that is not a cotty factor but a fact real people with real disease's have to face!!! So please if you find it in your heart to give. You may contact me at 260-927-8180 or email me at ladytruckr1962@mediacombb.net . Hope to hear from you all soon. Everyone have a wonderful day!!!
Thank you!
Christie Soaper

HepFest two of the Awesome girls who worked the KidZone!

HepFest

Big Al and the Saints singing at the HepFest

Me and my girls at the HepFest

The HepFest. So much fun!

My cousin's at the HepFest

My cousin's booth at the HepFest

Donald Lefevra- A singer at the HepFest

This is only one of the Hepatitis C quilts.

If you need to get ahold of me

ladytruckr1962@mediacombb.net

Me and the Hepatitis Quilt. There is only four in the world.

Indiana's Annual HepFest

Besides running a support group for Hepatitis C I put on a HepFest festival once a year. We are starting to get things together for this years event. We are in great need of donations to help fund the stuff needed to put on the event. The event itself is a day filled with lots of love and fun. We have live music, speakers, free blood testing vouchers, food and lots of information about Hepatitis C. We also have a KidZone for our little ones, with lots of games and much more. The event is open 100% to the public. It is a day to give those of us suffering with Hepatitis C a chance to get together  and enjoy spending time with others who can understand how they are feeling. We also have this day to help educate the public about this disease. Our group is a registered non-profit organization. So any donations that you send are tax deductable. We totally depend on our donations to make this event a go. So please find it in your heart to help us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! All donations can be sent to Christie Soaper/ Dekalb Medical Arts Building/ 1316 E. 7th Street/ Auburn, Indiana 46706/ in care of Cheryl Clark.. And you can call me for more information. 260-927-8180

Trying to figure this out!! (o:

Well I am on my second day of this blogging stuff. And still can't seem to get things together. So please bare with me. If you  have any suggestions that would be greatly appreciated!!

HIP ON HEP C SUPPORT GROUP

We are a non-profit support group and organization for Hepatitis C. I started the support group when my youngest daughter was diagnosed. I had found out just four years earlier that I was positive for Hepatitis C. I contracted it in 1987 when my oldest son was born. I had to have a blood transfusion. And after having a C-Section with my youngest daughter she contracted it from me because of a cut she had on her head. Because Hepatitis C is spread from blood to blood. I knew I needed a support group once I was diagnosed and never found one in my area. And then once my daughter was diagnosed I knew the only thing left to to was to start my own support group. I had no clue what I was doing or where to turn. But with the help of my community and friends I got one started. Everything else just feel into place. At first some people were like what is Hepatitis C. But once they found out they were 210% open to the whole idea of me getting the awareness out and starting a group. Then like ants running to sugar the people with Hepatitis C came out of the wood work. Granted some of them do not wish to attended our monthly group sessions but at least they still reached out for phone support. So before you know it we became a non-profit organization. We also put on an annually HepFest festival for the state of Indiana ( surrounding area's are welcome). The whole event is free. We have live music, speakers, free blood testing vouchers for our local hospital, food and a KidZone, free informational literature and much much more! It is a day where we can all let loose and enjoy a day filled with people who understand what we are going through and also a day where we can educate the public. We also have a Hepatitis Awareness Day for the state. And reach out in every way you can think of to make sure the public is aware and has all the information they need to understand this disease. My goal behind this all is to find a cure for Hepatitis C and heal my daughter and everyone out there suffering with Hepatitis C right now. Please if you are in the area and have the time to make a meeting on the third Friday of the month look us up on the Dekalb Memorial Hospital website.
Everyone have a great day!!!
Christie Soaper
CEO/Founder/Group Coordinator
Hip On Hep C Support Group