Hi Lloyd,

I volunteer my time to a self help organization who is trying to get the
message out that people helping people is where true healing begins. They
are not associated with Hep C or any of the particular issues we deal
with.

Although I was thinking the other day that those of us who have Hep C,
are not that far away from others who are struggling with the control of their life being taken away on many levels, whether it be a physical, mental, financial, Spiritual you name it. Regardless of our different kinds of
pain we can take our lives back and not be victims, we can become survivors.

Not victims of our fu_____ up government or our screwed up medical system, or misinformed doctors, or most importantly victims of our OWN thinking.  Yes, our own thinking brought on by misinformation on this disease and the shame and isolation it sometimes has created for us.

Yes Shame and isolation from the earlier information stating only drug users, individuals of promiscuous sex, alcoholics yada yada contacted this disease which we now know was wrong created a stigma around this disease.

It is funny as I was writing this letter to you I realized why your website was so important to me last summer when I found out that I had Hep C, it
was because you helped me remember I, AM NOT ALONE.

It gave me hope, the gift of HOPE which for me is empowering, helps me to
go on daily, to get up, to keep going.  Knowing that YOU recovered from this disease means that I CAN TOO!!  Because without HOPE, this disease has won.

If we don't give up the fight, if we group together in numbers and if we
share our hope, our fears, our strength, our experiences we too may experience serenity and peace because the fear of this disease and the control it sometimes has over our thinking is what I believe can kill us first.

So whatever journey this SCREWED up disease has brought me I can see
outside myself and realize I, AM NOT ALONE.

And in numbers there is power, and in power there is hope the hope that
we can all heal from the pain, fear and hurt that our journeys sometimes
take us on.

Lloyd thanks for being you, because of your passion, your belief, your
energy, and your no fear of going up against the politics, the docs the
whole BUREAUCRATIC bullshit

I KNOW BATTLING THIS FU______ PIECE OF SHIT DISEASE THAT I AM NOT ALONE.  SOMETIMES THAT IS ALL WE NEED IS THAT COMFORT, TO KNOW ANOTHER HUMAN BEING UNDERSTANDS MY PAIN AND FEAR AND IS CHEERLEADING ME THRU ANOTHER DAY, AND FOR ME TO DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS AS WELL .......HELPS ME TO GO ANOTHER DAY.

At your website we can do just that, group together, share information,
and cheerlead each other thru another day.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON. LLOYD AND ..GOD BLESS
R. in Chicago