First Time I Heard of Hepatitis C

In the 1980s I would have been the last person on this planet to have hepatitis C. I was a momma's boy and did not associate with people who liked hard drugs. I worked for the department of national defense. I thought there was absolutely no way I could get hep C. No one had hepatitis in the 80s.

It was not until the late 90s that I was sick for a very long time and had to turn to the street for drugs; just pills and pot, maybe a lot of booze to get the pills down. I had no idea why I was sick. The doctors back then and still today say it is all in my head. It's funny, if I need a pain killer, I still have to buy it on the street.

When I first learned about hepatitis C

In the late 90s I was over at my friends' house. They were brothers from Saskatewan who got shot in the back while trying to rob a pharmacy. I used to buy pot from them. You can see how my life went down hill. They told me that they had hepatitis C. They told me a little about it.

So I went to the doctor and asked to get tested for hepatitis C. I will never forget his answer. I was positive for hep C. All he said was, "Sorry, you are not the type." I kind of went into shock.

Getting involved in hep C advocacy

That is when I got involved with the hepatitis C society and other groups. It was very important to me to create awareness, and we started the hepatitis C awareness day proclamations.

I was sick for ten years. I was passing blood. I did everything a person with hep C should not do because I thought I was the last person on earth who could get it.

I got hepatitis from an infected stitch in 1987.

Get tested young and get tested often. The damage does not stop after treatment is over.

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