Standing Alone

Coming into a medical diagnosis alone is scary and isolating. Recently a 29 year old man emailed me and asked suggestions on getting through this with no support.

One man's diagnosis story

When I heard this, my heart went out to him. He was estranged from his immediate family due to his drug addiction. Although he is in rehab now and sober/clean over 2 years, his family has yet to take any calls or read any emails he sends to them.   He tried to share his victories with being clean and sober with them, but it falls on deaf ears.

I asked if his rehab center offers any sort of counseling for diseases caused by needle injections. He was not certain on that, but I suggested he try to reach out there as an immediate source of support. I advised I was not a therapist, only a patient whom has been through the fight of hep C. I do not have any experience in drug-related addictions and did not feel qualified to guide in a direction only other than seek out advise from his doctor and rehab facility. I also gave him a link to join the Hepattisc.net family. I explained it was private and he could try reaching out to others here as well.

No one should feel alone

After we hung up, I got to thinking of this man’s situation; I thought how often people come across similar situations with issues like this. Hepatitis C is already a frightening diagnosis, especially when you have no clue what it is or that it even has a cure.

To feel alone is so common, but to literally have no one to lean on for support... I could not imagine. I really wish there was some way to get all hepatitis c patients a link to each other like this man - upon diagnosis, be given a pamphlet to help guide one to support, to provide them support from others just newly facing this by themselves.

I urge anyone reading that if they are feeling this in their lives to please reach out to us here at HepatitisC.net. Let us offer you guidance, hope, and support. This does not have to be fought alone. There are many, including myself, willing to guide and link you up to someone in your area for support.

Not without a fight! ~HCV~ ©