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