36. 5 June 2013 - Virus not detected!

The treatment is working! I am over the moon. I got my week 12 viral load results today - virus not detected. So, I'm in it for the long run, the full 48 weeks.

My neutrophils are down to 0.31, so the nurse told me to restart the Lenograstim.

The weather over the past week has been beautiful. Lots of sunshine. I've been really good about covering up and using sunblock, but I now have rash all over my hands, which was the only bit of me that was just protected with sunblock rather than clothes. There's also a bit of rash on my belly too, which is a different shape. The rash on my knees has been like expanding circles. The rash on my belly is little dots. Time to start the hydrocortizone cream again I think, and no hot baths or swimming until it's completely cleared.

34. 26 May 2013 - Swimming

Today I bought a 6 month pass for the swimming pool round the corner. It's the cheapest membership option, and you have to be a member. It feels a bit of a gamble to spend £150 on a swimming pass, as I haven't found a way to prevent the chlorine from irritating the little bit of rash I have, other than to wait a couple of weeks between swim sessions, and I don't want to risk aggravating it.

Swimming at a relaxed pace for half an hour feels so good though. It eases all my aches and pains out, and my muscles feel relaxed and heavy. Afterwards, food tastes really good too, which I don't feel often at the moment.

I tried taping over the rash using Nexcare absolute waterproof tape to keep it dry. The pharmacist thought it might work. I don't know whether it kept the rash dry, or whether it was the sticking agent, but it still made the rash worse. Next time I will just coat myself in Aveeno before I go in.

24. 10 May 2013 - Panic! Broken fridge!

I had a complete panic today. The fridge broke! It regularly freezes up on the back wall, and you can turn it off, using the temperature dial, to defrost it. But this time when I turned it to defrost it made the wrong noise, the wrong type of clunk, and when I turned it up again it didn't come back on.

I had no idea what to do. The interferon and Lenograstim need to be refrigerated. (The Boceprevir does too, for long term storage, but it's not critical for few weeks.) I live in a rented property, so am reliant on my landlord for fixing things and replacing things, and I couldn't see it being sorted out within a few days, by which time, all the medicine would be ruined.

I called the NHS 111 number, and they recommended I leave it in my neighbour's fridge. I didn't feel comfortable with that, so I asked the local pharmacy, and they offered to store it for me. Phew. I bought a cool box, and freezer packs and a fridge thermometer, to store the doses that I need for tonight and Sunday and packed them up. The landlord was great, and offered to come round immediately to measure the space to order a new one, but them of course I had to clean it, even though it was broken, so the landlord would get a good impression. When I was cleaning I had the door open, and I think it must have got really quite warm inside, and it came back on. Yay! I think the bimetallic strip of the thermostat must have bent or deformed, but when it warmed up enough it re-set itself. And relax.

Now I have a fridge thermometer, so can tell that I'm storing the medicine at the right temperature. We also have a cool box and plenty of freezer packs, for picnics on the downs.

Talking of picnics, we had a few days picnic weather at the weekend - sunshine, and 18 - 19 degrees C, very pleasant. I used sunblock, as ribavirin and interferon make your skin more light sensitive. It irritated my rash a bit. Not a major problem, as I only have one small patch of rash, about the size of a fifty pence, on my left knee. 

No-one on the forum could recommend a rash friendly sunblock, and many seemed horrified that I would go out in the sun at all. Maybe they were on Incivek and so had to be really careful with their skin. I've been having hot baths (another apparent no-no), and since I've been using the Aveeno shower and bath oil, rather than standard bubble bath, it's been fine. I've not even been moisturising religiously. So, shopping time, for long sleeve tops and thin cotton trousers and a big floppy hat.

I am spending a lot of money on treatment related accessories; moisturiser, mouthwash, Valerian, ingredients for baking snacks to have with my Boceprevir, every day I seem to buy something. It's another way of investing in the process and getting involved, making it as comfortable as I can. And today I have really treated myself - we have a cleaner starting on Monday. I don't just want to do the treatment, work and clean this year, and getting a cleaner will mean I can spend my precious energy on what I want to do, sleep! No, I mean write...