Church, Family, Friends,
Watching the sunset with my wife
The Dragon Slayers Support Group
Other Hepatitis C online support groups I'm involved in
Education: Another Weapon Against Hepatitis C
Breaking the Hepatitis C Social Stigma
More people are currently living with Hepatitis C than any other chronic blood-borne infectious disease. Many patients still suffer with the associated stigma in many social circles. Discover two ways to reduce this unfortunate perception of a Hepatitis C diagnosis. Your efforts can help make the changes required.
by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.
The MSN Encarta Dictionary defines stigma as “a sign of social unacceptability: the shame or disgrace attached to something regarded as socially unacceptable.†According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, “stigma is about disrespect.â€
For some people, the stigma of living with Hepatitis C is more harmful than the virus itself. While medical research and treatment primarily target prevention and viral eradication, there is a lot more effort required to change public perception and attitudes toward Hepatitis C.
There are two parts to breaking a disease-related stigma: education and self-respect. By educating communities on Hepatitis C and learning to feel good about yourself (regardless of viral status), Hepatitis C can be removed from the category of socially unacceptable conditions.
Why?
The primary reasons for any condition to be stigmatized are the lack of compassion, fear and ignorance. Hepatitis C is a prime candidate for such an attitude for several reasons:
Fear of Transmission – Because Hepatitis C is an infectious disease without a definitive cure, people are afraid of getting it. Although not easily transmitted, people are nevertheless fearful and may shun those who have the disease. Fear and ignorance have cost those with Hepatitis C their jobs, friendships and marriages.
Fear of Illness – Some people do not like to be around people who are sick. Being uncomfortable around others who have an illness is how certain people protect themselves from their personal fears. This discomfort may cause them to socially reject people with diseases instead of risking exposure to suffering and/or death.
Judgment – Despite the many ways of acquiring Hepatitis C, misinformed people sometimes assume that everyone with Hepatitis C has a history of injection drug use. Even if this is a person’s mode of viral acquisition, our society lacks compassion and understanding about injection drug use. Those without personal exposure to injected drugs may judge people who have. Former injection drug users may feel haunted by their pasts and judge themselves.
Additionally, many active injection drug users carry shame about their addiction. Regardless of the situation, casting judgment on a person for their past addiction or viral status is devoid of compassion for their very personal situation.
Several of Hepatitis C stigma’s negative consequences include reduced self-esteem, diminished mental health, less access to medical care and fear of disclosing a positive status. Additionally, this attitude may contribute to hesitancy on the part of some medical providers to treat people infected with Hepatitis C.
In the January 2006 issue of Hepatitis magazine, the staff conducted an informal web poll about stigma and viral hepatitis.
On the plus side, 42 percent of poll participants felt they had not faced any stigma due to living with hepatitis. However, more than half of all respondents reported being treated differently due to their disease. Of those who participated in the poll, 20 percent felt they had experienced job discrimination due to having Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, 13 percent reported hepatitis-related social stigma and 13 percent had been alienated from family and friends because of viral hepatitis.
Education
Any social stigma finds its roots in fear of the unknown. Many Americans have misconceptions about the way Hepatitis C is transmitted. Once diagnosed with the virus, most affected people diligently study how the disease is spread, and how they likely acquired it.
However, a person without firsthand experience with Hepatitis C may mistakenly assume it can be transmitted through sharing a glass of water or even from being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person.
Until all reaches of society learn the facts about this virus, inaccurate stereotypes fueled by fear will persist.
Educating yourself and others will break down the stigma associated with Hepatitis C.
Many communities have Hepatitis C task forces to promote community awareness. Getting involved with Hepatitis C informational training sessions targeting local schools, hospitals, drug treatment programs, government agencies and similar community organizations will fill replace fear with knowledge, helping to remove the negative perspectives about this disease.
In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.â€
Self-Respect
If you have Hepatitis C, the first step in breaking the stigma is to start with your own attitude toward your illness. Some questions to ask in uncovering this include:
• Do you label yourself as a sick person?
• Do you expect to be shunned from co-workers, friends and family?
• Do you feel like you deserve to have Hepatitis C?
Honestly examining your own feelings of shame and working to shift those feelings into pride makes a tremendous difference when facing the world with any illness.
Living in the present and looking to the future are the best ways to leave negativity in the past. By learning how other people live with the disease, many people find help in discussing their feelings at Hepatitis C support groups.
In order to garner the respect from others, it is absolutely necessary to first develop respect for yourself. Additionally, feeling good is the single most important factor in living a long, healthy and rewarding life.
Compiled by the Hepatitis C Support Project, below are nine tips for developing a healthy attitude:
1. Make sure you know the truth. Get accurate information about Hepatitis C. Some people mistakenly believe Hepatitis C is an automatic death sentence. The truth is, the majority will die with Hepatitis C, not of Hepatitis C.
2. Don’t make things worse by imagining a future with pain, disability or loss. Improve your odds by visualizing your future the way you want it. Visualizing health, not illness, is a powerful tool for self-transformation.
3. Maintain perspective of the big picture. Focus your attention on something that brings peace, joy, laughter and meaning. Tell yourself that difficult moments will pass.
4. Watch your words. If you hear yourself talking negatively, substitute positive phrases. Say, “I will find a way to live with Hepatitis C†rather than “Hepatitis C is ruining my life.â€
5. Practice gratitude. Make it a habit to find things for which you are grateful.
6. Learn what you can control and what you cannot. There are things you cannot control, such as the fact that you have Hepatitis C. However, there are things you can control, such as your attitude and what you say to yourself about having Hepatitis C.
7. Learn from the virus. Ask yourself what Hepatitis C can teach you about living.
8. Get support. Being with others who are dealing with the same issues can bring encouragement and hope.
9. Help others. When it comes to stepping outside of ourselves, probably nothing works as well as reaching out to others who are also struggling.
By cultivating self-respect through a positive attitude and through active participation in educating your community on Hepatitis C, you can take an active role in breaking the Hepatitis C stigma and helping those diagnosed with the disease to finally receive the compassion they deserve.
References:Conrad, S., Garrett, LE, et al., Living with chronic hepatitis C means 'you just haven't got a normal life any more', Chronic Illness, June 2006.
www.encarta.msn.com, Stigma, Microsoft, 2007.
www.hcvadvocate.org, Hepatitis C and Drug Abuse, Janetta Astone-Twerell, PhD, Shiela M. Strauss, PhD, Corrine Munoz-Plaza, MPH, Hepatitis C Support Project, 2007.
www.hcvadvocate.org, Stigma and Hepatitis C, Lucinda K. Porter, RN, April 2006.
www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov, Discrimination and Stigma, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.
www.thebody.com, Policy Facts: AIDS-Related Stigma, AIDS Action Council, 2007.
Posted by Editors at August 27, 2007 01:48 PM
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2007/08/breakin
g_the_he.html?eml=hepcen38
A Guide To Hepatitis C
www.hcvadvocate.org
Introduction
Hepatitis C (HCV for short) is a virus that lives in human blood. A virus is one of the smallest living things known to exist inside plants and animals.
HCV makes new hepatitis C viruses by infecting the liver and the blood, and after many years the liver can become so damaged by hepatitis C that it cannot perform many of the important jobs that it must do to keep us healthy.
You can only get hepatitis C by getting HCV infected blood from someone who has Hepatitis C, and ONLY if that infected blood gets into your body.
Many people have hepatitis C so you are not alone. It takes many years for hepatitis C to cause damage to the liver and to make someone sick.
There are many things that people can do to help fight Hepatitis C, and the best time is to start is early – before Hepatitis C has a chance to damage your liver.
One of the most important things you can do is to stop or cut down on drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco.
There are also medicines to get rid of Hepatitis C and they work for one half of the people who take them.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about ways to stay healthy and about medications that can get rid of Hepatitis C, and if they can help you.
HCV Facts
The government estimates that there are about 4-5 million Americans infected with hepatitis C.
However, some experts believe that the number of Americans infected with hepatitis C is closer to 5 to 6 million Americans.
About 8,000 to 10,000 Americans
die every year as the result of Hepatitis C.
It is expected that the number of people in the next 10 to 20 years who will die from hepatitis C will be 3 times more than now.
Hepatitis C is so common that it is the main reason that people need liver transplants.
Anyone with hepatitis C should try to stop drinking or cut down on drinking and smoking tobacco.
People with hepatitis C should be given shots to protect them from hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
What is the Liver?
The liver is the largest organ in your body. It is reddish-brown and is about the size of a football.
The really amazing thing about the liver is that if they took away half the liver – it would grow back in a few weeks.
The liver’s job is to run over 500 bodily functions to keep you healthy.
It is also a very important organ because it filters everything you eat and breathe – even things that get on your skin. The problem is that things such as alcohol, street drugs, cigarette smoke, toxic fumes, some herbs and even some regular medicines people buy without a doctor’s prescription can damage the liver.
The liver helps the body by taking certain foods and turning them into chemicals that give you energy and keep you healthy.
The liver also stores many important things such as vitamins. Sometimes you can take too many vitamins and this can damage the liver.
HEALTHY LIVER TIPS
Stay away from toxic fumes or liquids.
Stop drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and taking street drugs. If you can’t stop, try to cut back – talk with a doctor, family or friends about getting some help to stop.
Talk to your doctor about vaccines to help protect the liver.
Tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking, even if it’s just an aspirin or Tylenol.
Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.
Drink lots of water.
Stay away from raw or undercooked shellfish.
How Do You Give Or Get Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is spread by direct blood-to- blood contact.
This means that in order for someone to give hepatitis C to someone else they must get their blood into someone else’s bloodstream.
For this reason, it is difficult to get or give hepatitis C unless there is blood involved.
So if you have hepatitis C, make sure that your blood does not come into contact with anyone.
If you do not have hepatitis C, stay safe by making sure that you stay away from any blood from other people.
How Do You Give or Get Hepatitis C?
Getting Hepatitis C from Needles and Works
The most common way that people get hepatitis C is from sharing needles and anything else that is used to inject street drugs, hormones, steroids, vitamins or any other substance that is injected into the body.
Things used to inject drugs include needles, cookers (to mix drugs), cottons (to filter drugs), and tourniquets or ties. Even the water used to clean drug equipment can have Hepatitis C in it.
It is also important to wash your hands to help reduce the risk of getting Hepatitis C and other diseases.
Getting Hepatitis C from Sex
Getting hepatitis C by having sex is rare, but it could happen if someone has sex with a lot of different people, and engages in risky behavior.
Many experts believe that the risk of spreading hepatitis C is very low if people have sex with only one person over many years. But if the person with hepatitis C or the person you are having sex with is worried about catching hepatitis C then use condoms (rubbers) during sex.
People who have many sex partners or who have other sexual diseases should always use rubbers and take other precautions, such as covering any open cuts or wounds since these could pass Hepatitis C during sex.
Hepatitis C is also easier to spread while a woman is on her period. Remember to be safe if there is any blood during sex.
Getting Hepatitis C from Blood
Another way that many people got hepatitis C is from having a blood transfusion before 1992.
This can include having an operation that required someone to receive blood from another person or any other way where a blood product was used.
Other Ways to Get Hepatitis C
Some experts believe that you can get hepatitis C in other ways, such as by getting a body tattoo or piercing or sharing personal hygiene items (toothbrushes razor blades, nail clippers), but there has never been a proven case of this happening.
The Good News
The good news it that you can not get or give hepatitis C by sneezing, hugging, breast feeding, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses. It is just not spread by this type of casual contact.
Safety Tips
Do not share needles or works (cottons, cookers, ties) used to inject drugs, hormones, steroids and vitamins. Do not even share the water. Wash hands before injecting.
Cover any open cuts or wounds.
Sexual transmission is low, but the use of condoms and barriers will help reduce the risk even more.
A mother can transmit hepatitis C to her baby during pregnancy or birth, but this doesn’t happen very often.
Do not share any straws to snort drugs, or pipes to smoke crack.
Make sure that in healthcare settings standard safety precautions are being carefully followed.
Do not share any personal hygiene items such as razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers or pierced earrings. Cover personal items and keep them separate from other people you live with.
Make sure tattoo and piercing equipment is sterile.
For a tattoo – make sure that a new needle and ink pot is used for each person.
For a piercing – make sure that a new needle is used and that the package that contains the needle is opened up in front of you.
What Are The Test For Hepatitis C
There are blood tests to find out if you have Hepatitis C.
The first test is to find out if you have ever been exposed to hepatitis C. This is called an antibody test.
This test only tells you if you have ever been infected. It does not tell you if you actually have the hepatitis C virus in your blood now.
There are other tests used to help find out what is going on in your liver and how sick or healthy you may be.
WHAT ARE THE TESTS FOR HEPATITIS C?
Antibody Test
When the hepatitis C virus enters your body, your immune system releases chemicals into your bloodstream to help fight off the hepatitis C virus.
These are called antibodies.
If you have hepatitis C antibodies it means that you have been infected with hepatitis C at one time, but it does not mean that you have active hepatitis C.
For some people (about 2 to 3 people out of 10) the body’s natural defenses can get rid of the virus, but for the other 7 to 8 people the body cannot kill off this virus.
Hepatitis C Viral
Hepatitis C Viral Load Test
There is a blood test that looks to see if it can find the virus in you. It is called a hepatitis C viral load test.
There are two reasons this test is done.
The first reason is to tell you whether you still have the virus in your body.
The other important reason for having a viral load test is for treatment.
It can help tell you the chances of getting rid of the hepatitis C virus from your body with HCV medicines and whether the medicines are working.
The really important thing to remember is that the amount of hepatitis C virus you have in your body does not mean how sick you are.
For example, having a lot of virus (high viral load) does not mean that you will get sicker more quickly.
For this reason it is not a very good test to monitor or tell you how much the hepatitis C virus is damaging your body.
ALT Levels
One of the most common blood tests used is a blood test that measures a certain chemical in your blood called ALT.
This chemical is released by the liver into the blood when the liver is damaged or sick.
High levels of ALT can be caused by many things like alcohol, drugs, toxins, and viruses such as Hepatitis C.
Unfortunately, it is not a perfect test for people with HCV – most people with what we call “normal†ALT levels will have little damage, but some people can still have ongoing liver damage.
In the past, if people with HCV had normal ALT levels they were not treated with HCV medications, but now doctors will treat Hepatitis C if there are other signs that the liver is damaged.
If your ALT level is high it means that something is going on in the liver, but it could be caused by many things.
Different Kinds of Hepatitis C
Not everyone with hepatitis C has the same kind.
In fact, there are six different kinds of hepatitis C.
These different kinds of Hepatitis C are called genotypes and are numbered 1 to 6. The genotype test is a blood test.
Knowing which genotype you have is really important to your doctor because some genotypes are easier to treat with HCV medications.
For example, genotype 1 or 4 is a little harder to treat than genotypes 2 or 3.
Also, the kind of genotype you have will tell your doctor how much medicine to give you and how long you should take the medicine.
Just because you have a certain genotype does not mean that you will get less or more sick.
It is important to remember that most people with hepatitis C never develop symptoms – no matter which type they have.
Other Blood Tests
There are many blood tests that are used to see how well your liver is working.
These tests will look at many types of chemicals that the liver produces and releases into your bloodstream.
Liver Biopsy
A liver biopsy is the best way to find out if your liver is healthy or damaged. It is also the best way for your doctor to know whether you have other liver conditions.
During a liver biopsy, a needle is put into your liver and a small sample of liver tissue is taken.
Try not to worry too much because most people only have mild to moderate pain. If you are nervous about the test, ask you doctor for some medicine to help you relax. The liver biopsy is done while you are awake.
Sometimes an ultrasound is also performed to take a picture of the liver. This will help to decide where to put the needle for the biopsy.
Most people are really concerned about having a biopsy because of the pain.
The good news is that only about half of people who have biopsies done have some brief pain that may spread to the right shoulder.
However, a few people have to be hospitalized after the biopsy due to pain or from another organ being accidentally hit during the test, but this doesn’t happen very often.
After the biopsy is performed the patient will lay on the right side of the body and will be checked for several hours to make sure nothing serious happens.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about having a biopsy. They will advise you about what to do before and after the test.
After the biopsy is done the liver tissue will be sent to another medical person to look at under a microscope and issue a report on the health of the liver.
Scientists are studying other ways to get the same information that they now get from biopsies.
Some of these new blood tests measure certain blood chemicals.
These new tests can tell if the liver has no damage or there is a lot of damage to the liver, but unfortunately, they do not tell your doctor if you have moderate damage to the liver – for this reason blood tests can not replace the liver biopsy at this time.
Some people with hepatitis C have no symptoms but others can have many symptoms.
The most common symptom people with hepatitis C say they have is that they feel tired a lot (fatigue).
Other symptoms people with Hepatitis C report is feeling sick to their stomach, aches and pains in their muscles, joints, stomach, and liver.
Some people have fevers and may sweat in their sleep. Others say that they feel depressed or worried all the time.
Still others say that they can’t think or remember as well as they used to before getting hepatitis C. These types of symptoms can be very troubling and they should be reported to your doctor to make sure that they are from Hepatitis C and not from another illness or condition.The good news is that for most people with these types of symptoms it may not mean that you are getting any sicker – it may just mean that your body is fighting
the Hepatitis C. But talk to your doctor about any of these symptoms you’re having to make sure they are not serious.
There are other symptoms that people can have if their liver is really damaged and scarred.
The term for this condition is called cirrhosis (sir-oh-sis).
When you develop cirrhosis the liver cannot perform many of its important functions. There will be many warning signs and symptoms that your doctor will need to know about.
For this reason it is important to have regular check-ups with your doctor to keep an eye on you more closely and treat you for some of the symptoms.
What Are The Symptoms?
COMPENSATED CIRRHOSIS
Means that the liver is really scarred but can still do many of its important functions to keep you healthy; people with compensated cirrhosis have few or no symptoms.
DECOMPENSATED CIRRHOSIS
Means that there is so much scarring that the liver can no longer do its job without help.
People who have this type of severe scarring can develop
many signs and symptoms such as bleeding from the blood vessels in the throat, retaining a large amount of fluid or liquid around the stomach, and even a type of brain disease that causes mental confusion.
What About Treatment?
First of all, not everyone with hepatitis C needs to be treated with HCV medicines.
But if you are thinking about being treated for Hepatitis C, there are many things to think about.
The decision to treat should be made by you and your doctor based on how hepatitis C is affecting you. You will need to know your viral load, genotype and how much your liver is damaged.
The good news is that there are medicines to treat hepatitis C that can get rid of the virus in about 50% (5 out of 10 people) of the people who have genotype 1. For people with genotypes 2 or 3, treatment works up to 80% of people.(8 out of 10).
However, treatment is not easy and the decision is a difficult one for most people. Talk to your doctor about the possible benefits as well as the treatment side effects you might get.
There are two medicines (called combination therapy) to treat Hepatitis C – interferon and ribavirin.
Today, the use of a longer acting (time-released) form of interferon – pegylated (peg-a-lated) – combined with ribavirin is now considered the best way to treat Hepatitis C.
There are two brands of interferon – Pegasys and Peg-Intron. These are used in combination with ribavirin.
Many people with Hepatitis C can lead normal lives and will die of something other than Hepatitis C.
However, some people with Hepatitis C will get very sick, but this usually takes many years (up to 40 years).
The damage caused by hepatitis C usually takes place in the liver.
When the Hepatitis C virus gets into the liver it can irritate it and cause it to become inflamed like a sore.
The inflammation can lead to the liver becoming scarred, and for a few people Hepatitis C can lead to a form of cancer of the liver.
There is a simple way to estimate how many people will get sick from Hepatitis C:
About 80 out of 100 people who get hepatitis C will
develop chronic (long term) infection.
About 20 people out of the 80 people who have chronic
hepatitis C will become very ill or sick. It usually takes
many years to make the liver really sick.
About 2-3 people out of the 80 people who have chronic
hepatitis C will get liver cancer.
The important point to remember is that hepatitis C takes a
long time to damage the liver and many people will never get sick from hepatitis C.
There are also many things that you can do to stay healthy such as eating a healthy diet, getting lots of exercise, cutting down or stopping drinking alcohol, joining a Hepatitis C support group, taking HCV medicines – and many other ways to stay healthy.
What About Herbs?
Some people with hepatitis C take herbs and vitamins.
There are some herbs and vitamins that some doctors consider “safe†and other herbs and vitamins that should not be taken because they can damage the liver.
Since herbs are like medicines it is very important that you talk with your doctor before taking any herbs or high doses of vitamins.
Some Tips about Herbs and Vitamins:
Some people think that since herbs are natural that they should take them – but just because an herb is natural does not mean that it is safe. There have been deaths of people reported from taking certain herbs.
Do not take more herbs or vitamins than you are instructed to take.
Get advice about herbs from experts – medical doctors and herbal doctors.
How Do I Stay Healthy?
There are many ways to stay healthy. Here’s our top ten list of things you can do to stay healthy:
1. See your doctor and nurse for regular check-ups. Make sure you tell them of any problems or symptoms you are having. Talk to them about medicines to treat Hepatitis C.
2. Eat a healthy and balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruits, and try to stay away from too much sugar, salt and fatty food. Balance the amount of food you eat with regular exercise such as walking. Walking will help to make you feel less tired.
3. Stay away from or protect yourself from chemicals. Everything you breathe or absorb
through the skin must be filtered by the liver. Fumes from paint thinners, pesticides, and aerosol sprays can damage your liver and should be avoided.
4. Rest when you are tired. Try to find time during the day for a short nap or times you can unwind and relax.
5. Get the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines if you have not already been exposed. You
won’t want to get another illness that might make your hepatitis C worse so ask your doctor or nurse if you need to be vaccinated.
6. Cut down or stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol can harm the liver so it is important that you try to stop drinking. If you can’t stop drinking, cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink and ask for help on ways to stop drinking alcohol.
7. Be careful when mixing alcohol, drugs or herbs or when using over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol and ibuprofen.
8. Join a support group. People in a support group can help you with emotional problems and give you information about how best to take care of yourself.
9. Try to do things that help you cut down on stress and to keep a positive attitude, such as meditation and prayer.
10. Try not to worry too much. Learn as much as you can about hepatitis C so that you know what you are facing.
The Bottom Line
It is important that if you have ever been in a situation where you may have caught hepatitis C that you are tested.
If you have Hepatitis C there are many things that you can do to stay healthy. One of the most important things that you can do is to find out as much as you can about Hepatitis C and work with your medical team to make the best choices to keep you healthy.
There many more things that you can do to educate yourself.
The Hepatitis C Advocate Fact Sheet– www.hcvadvocate.org contain information about all of these things in much greater detail.
Easy C Facts:
100 People
African Americans and HCV
Alcohol and HCV
Antibody Test
Biopsy
Diet
Feeling Tired
Genotype
Get Healthy
Herbs
HIV-HCV Coinfection
Hygiene Items
Immune System
Liver
Natural and Alternative Medicine
Needle Exchange
Piercing
Prevention
Ribavirin Warning
Sex and Hep C
Sleep
Tattoos
Treatment
Viral Load
What is ALT?
What is Cirrhosis?
What is Hepatitis C?
Whom Should I Tell?
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/easyfacts/BW_EasyC_Guid
e.pdf
Live Blues Music
Enjoying listening to music in general
Trying to learn to play the guitar
Stopping to smell the roses
San Antonio Spurs "Go Spurs Go!!!"
Fishing when ever I have a chance.
Sitting around with good friends, laughing and have fun.
Enjoying every day to its fullest...Carpe Diem...De Colores
I try to live my life as a Christian everyday. This is a lot harder then the life I use to live.
Helping others in need when ever I can.
Educating as many people as possible about about Hepatitis C Awareness.
This Silent Killer has taken to many loved ones from us already, and is going to continue to get worse in the years to come. Please Educate yourself about the Hepatitis C Virus.
The Dragon and Hepatitis C
A few years ago the "hepatitis C community" on many internet sites began referring to the disease as "the Dragon" Probably because they were very hard to kill (like eradicating Hep C viruses).
In many legends-from China to England, many brave warriors and Knights lost their lives in fights with Dragons. In most of the legends they were very destructive beasts as well. A good blast of their fiery breath could destroy a whole village.
I taught English for a few years to a group of five Vietnamese Zen monks at a small temple in West Houston. In exchange they taught me the fundamentals of Zen - simple methods to meditate, the control of breathing, the ultimate goal of becoming an Enlightened person, etc. and some of the important symbols they used. The most important being the Dragon! In their culture the Dragon represents the "life force" or the thing that motivates you to do the things you need to do to become a better person.
Many of us have heard a recovering alcoholic say that they were grateful, that the suffering the endured made them a better person.
I feel that way now about the "Dragon" of Hep C. I think longer and deeper and with much more compassion for those who still suffer than ever before.
So, like so many things that occur in our lives, what starts out seeming to be the very worst thing that could have happened turns out to be a thing that makes us richer, deeper more compassionate people in my case it was, "What, I have Hepatitis C"? There go my plans for all the stuff I was going to do the rest of my life. Blam, it was all over! Now, 7 years later, the bulk of my daily work is with people who are suffering with Hepatitis C and the work is the most rewarding I have ever had. I think the philosophers and religious thinkers were right: "You are never going to be happy unless you are helping someone else". Remember, in many cultures, the Dragon is the force that keeps us alive.....
From the http://www.texasliver.org/ web site
Myspace Comments
Hepatitis C
Cyber Memorial WallIn Memory of our loved ones.
Please list the names of loved ones that died with Hepatitis C (HCV). The names will be read at a candle light vigil held each year in Washington DC.
Participants light candles and read names in remembrance of all those that passed from this devastating disease.
If you have lost a loved one or a friend to the Hepatitis C Virus and would like to leave a message for them, please go to
http://march-on-dc.com:80/Memorial/CyberWall1.asp
Check out this video: Hepatitis C Ad
Hepatitis C/ Stress
http://healthresources.caremark.com/topic/hepcstress
It's natural for everyone to feel stress, but people with hepatitis C have additional concerns. There's the prospect of medical tests and procedures, worry over medical bills, and the fear of infecting others to name a few.
Some people feel angry either at themselves or at someone else -- or simply at the rotten blow that life has handed them. That anger can lead to depression, which only adds to the burden of emotional stress.
Being diagnosed with hepatitis C can be especially stressful because of the uncertainty associated with its course. Uncertainty creates a feeling of helplessness, which, researchers have learned, is one of the key factors in stress. Having a lot of demands on you isn't inherently stressful, after all. Not having control over those demands is.
Taking stress seriously
Stress can erode the quality of life, taking the pleasure out of work and relationships. It can also compromise overall health. There is no direct evidence that chronic stress worsens hepatitis C infection or injures the liver, but there is good evidence that chronic stress can impair the immune system. Easing stress, on the other hand, can boost immunity.
The most startling evidence comes from experiments involving AIDS patients. In research conducted by Michael Antoni, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Florida at Coral Gables, volunteers who took part in group sessions on stress reduction lowered their levels of cortisol and noradrenaline -- two hormones associated with stress that are known to impair immunity. One year after learning and practicing stress-reduction techniques, the volunteers had significantly more new T cells, the immune cells that are generated to fight infections. So by learning to handle stress, the volunteers were actually able to restore some of their immune function.
Reducing stress has also been shown to alleviate symptoms of other conditions, such as heart disease and asthma. Learning to cope with stress is obviously important for your emotional well-being, but it's also important for your ove
rall physical health.
Know the danger signs
The first step is recognizing the symptoms of too much stress. Remember: Not all stress is negative. Pressures at work and occasional tensions within your family are a normal part of life. Sometimes stress pushes you to do your best. However, stress becomes negative when you feel as if you can't escape it, or when you feel as if the pressures in your life are out of control.
The immediate physical reaction to stress can include high blood pressure, perspiration, a racing pulse, and a fluttering feeling in your chest. Adrenaline, the biochemical that readies the body for fight or flight, surges into the bloodstream. Other typical signs of stress include:
•Headaches
•Insomnia
•Neck, shoulder, or back pain
•Fatigue
•Irritability
•Loss of concentration
•Loss of appetite
•Increase in cigarette smoking or alcohol consumption
•Stomach pain, cramps, and diarrhea
Unfortunately, there is no objective test for stress. But if you feel as if the pressures of dealing with hepatitis C are a problem for you, it's time to make some changes.
Different ways of reducing stress work for different people. Most people try a few approaches before finding the ones that work best for them. The good news is that you won't have to turn your life upside down to tame stress, says psychologist Frederic Luskin, PhD, a researcher at the Stanford University Center for Research in Disease Prevention. "A few simple techniques, things you can do anywhere and that don't have to take more than a few minutes, can stop the stress response before it goes out of control."
Here are seven strategies for beating stress:
1. Clear your head
At least once every day, find a quiet corner and take five or 10 minutes to sit quietly and do nothing. Sitting quietly slows heart rate and reduces blood pressure, countering two of the most obvious effects of stress. A quiet break can also increase your sense of control over events. At the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine at the University of Massachusetts, patients are encouraged to sit and become aware of their feelings and the sounds around them. Taking a quiet break like this can help you get past the fatigue that is a common symptom of hepatitis C infection.
2. Refocus your thoughts
Shifting the focus of your thoughts from things that worry you to things that bring you happiness can change your mood for the better -- and ease stress. Psychologists call this technique "positive emotion refocusing." Thinking pleasant, calming thoughts can actually counteract the physiological changes that occur during stress by slowing your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure, for example.
3. Take a deep breath
Deep breathing exercises have been part of meditation techniques for centuries -- with good reason. Concentrating on the simple act of inhaling and exhaling almost inevitably calms mind and body. Some people get even more benefit from repeating a mantra-like word or phrase each time they breathe in. Another technique is to picture each inhaled breath filling your body with soothing light. Imagine each exhaled breath blowing away tension and stress.
4. Have a laugh
Laughter really is the best medicine, according to studies at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California. Researchers there have shown that laughter lowers levels of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. A good belly-laugh also boosts immunity and these physiological effects can last up to 24 hours. Amazingly, the team at Loma Linda found that just looking forward to something funny helps. Telling volunteers that they would participate in an experiment that involved watching a humorous video lowered their stress levels and created a more positive mood.
5. Do what you love
Managing a health problem like hepatitis C isn't easy. The best solution is to make time in your day for at least one thing you really love to do, whether that's listening to music, dancing, gardening, playing with the kids or the dog, painting, or reading. Listening to music may be especially soothing. At Monash University in Victoria, Australia, two groups of students were told to prepare an oral presentation. One group worked in silence. The other listened to the gentle strains of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Blood pressure and heart rate were more likely to climb among the silent workers, while those who listened to music reported feeling much less stress. Another study, this one at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, found that patients who listened to music while undergoing uncomfortable medical procedures required less sedation.
6. Take a hike
Exercise of any sort can help ease stress. Walking is an especially good choice because you can do it almost anywhere. Even if you're feeling tired as a result of your condition, you probably have the energy for at least a leisurely walk around the block. And walking has proven benefits. In a 2002 investigation Stanford University School of Medicine, researchers studied people who were taking care of relatives with Alzheimer's Disease. Volunteers who began walking for 30 to 40 minutes four times a week reported feeling less distressed and sleeping better. Also, tests showed that their blood pressure was more likely to hold steady when they were under pressure.
7. Change what you can
If you notice yourself getting stressed out again and again in the same situations or because of the same problem, think about what you can change. Overwhelmed by chores at home? Create a chore-sharing plan with the other members of your household. Does your blood pressure climb every time you find yourself searching for your glasses or the car keys? Decide on a place to put them and get into the habit of placing them there. Having trouble with your boss at work? Consider sitting down to talk about the situation and offer constructive ways to make things better.
8. Accept the rest
Of course some of life's frustrations and worries can't be eliminated. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with hepatitis C, this is a reality you have to live with. It's important to recognize what you can't change and move on. The process is very much like forgiving someone who has hurt you, according to psychologist Luskin. Accepting what you can't change allows you to let go of hurt and anger and focus on more constructive thoughts.
-- Peter Jaret is a contributing editor for Health magazine and a winner of the American Medical Association's award for medical reporting. His work has appeared in National Geographic, Newsweek, Hippocrates, and many other national magazines. He is also the author of In Self-Defense (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich), Active Living Every Day, and Heart Healthy for Life.
References
Benson, H. The Relaxation Response. Harper Collins
King, AC. et al. Effects of moderate-intensity exercise on psychological, behavioral, and emotional responses to family caregiving: a randomized controlled trial, Journal of Gerontology, Jan 2002, pp M26-36
Smolen, D. et al. The effect of self-selected music during colonsocopy on anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure, Applied Nursing Research, Aug 2002, pp 126-36
Knight, WE et al. Relaxing music prevents stress-induced increases in subjective anxiety, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate in healthy males and females, Journal of Music Therapy, Winter 2001, pp 254-72
Berk, LS. et al. Modulation of neuroimmune parameters during the eustress of humor-associated mirthful laughter, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Mar 2001, pp 62-76
Berk, et al. Neuroendocrine and stress hormone changes during mirthful laughter, American Journal of Medical Science, Dec 1989, pp 390-396
Antoni, MH. Stress management effects on psychological, endocrinological, and immune functioning in men with HIV infection, Stress, Sep 2003, pp 173-88
Antoni, et al. Cognitive-behavioral stress management reduces distress and 24-hour urinary free cortisol output among symptomatic HIV-infected gay men, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Winter 2000, pp 29-37
To all the people and different organizations helping to spread the word about Hepatitis C Awareness.
To everyone that lives with this Dragon on a daily basis. To those who have been lucky enough to put this Dragon to rest.
Some of my new friends that I have met here on this site.
List of people with Hepatitis C
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This page was last modified 09:41, 23 February 2007.
This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. Revisions and sourced additions are welcome.
This is an alphabetical list of people who have or had the infectious disease hepatitis C. This disease, four times more infectious than HIV, has infected roughly 3% of the world's population. More than 170 million are chronic carriers (most of whom are symptomless and unaware of their infection) and are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. It is the leading cause of liver transplant in the United States. Organisations such as the American Liver Foundation encourage celebrities to speak openly about their infection to raise awareness and encourage those who at risk to get tested.
E-mail site : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_hepatitis_C
Stew Albert
(1939–2006) A co-founder of the Yippies. He died of liver cancer and had previously been diagnosed with hepatitis C.
Pamela Anderson
(1967—) TV actress famous for her role as C.J. Parker on the series Baywatch. Went public in March 2002 after being diagnosed a year earlier. Anderson claimed that she contracted it after sharing a tattoo needle with her ex-husband Tommy Lee, who denied he had the virus.
Penny Arcade
(1950—) A performance artist and playwright, who was diagnosed in 2003.
Jeannine Parvati Baker
(1949–2005) A midwife, herbalist, author and homebirth advocate.
Lawrencia Bembenek
(1958—) A former Playboy bunny, convicted of murdering her husband's ex-wife.
Rolf Benirschke
(1955—) A former placekicker in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. Diagnosed in 1998, we was infected by the blood transfusions he received in 1979 to treat ulcerative colitis. He actively campaigns to raise awareness and encourage people to get tested.
David Crosby
(1941—) A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, well known for being a founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. In 1995, he became seriously ill from hepatitis C. A liver transplant restored his health.
Willie Dixon
(1915–1992) A blues bassist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Diagnosed shortly before his death, he caught hepatitis C from blood transfusions during bypass surgery in 1987.
Alejandro Escovedo
(~1951—) A musician. Diagnosed in April 2003, various benefit concerts and tribute albums covered his medical bills.
Freddy Fender
(1937–2006) A country, and rock and roll musician. Diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2000, he received a liver transplant in 2004.
Freddy Fender passed away in 2006.
"Superstar" Billy Graham
(1943—) A former professional wrestler. Had a liver transplant after his was destroyed by hepatitis C, which he suspects was caught through blood spilt during a match.
Larry Hagman
(1931—) An actor who is famous for playing J.R. Ewing in the television soap opera Dallas
Chet Helms
(1942–2005)A music producer who helped create the vibrant San Francisco rock music scene in the 1960s. He was undergoing interferon treatment for hepatitis C when he suffered a stroke.
Dusty Hill
(1949—) Bassist and vocalist with rock group ZZ Top. Their tour was cancelled when he was diagnosed in 2000. After undergoing treatment, they resumed touring in 2002.
Diamanda Galás
(1955—) An avant-garde performance artist, vocalist, and composer.
Allen Ginsberg
(1926–1997) A Beat poet best known for the poem Howl. He died of liver cancer after suffering for many years with hepatitis C.
Naomi Judd
(1946—) A country music singer and songwriter who retired in 1991 after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. She started the Naomi Judd Research Fund to help find a cure for the disease, which has raised over a million dollars for the American Liver Foundation.
Ken Kesey
(1935–2001) An author, best known for his novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Died of liver cancer, caused by hepatitis C.
Jack Kevorkian
(1928—) A controversial pathologist, noted for publicly championing a terminal patient's "right to die". He is currently serving a prison service for second-degree murder. His attorney claims Kevorkian contracted hepatitic C after testing blood transfusions during the Vietnam war.
Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel
(10/17/1938— 11/30/07) A stuntperson, best known for his public displays of long distance, high-altitude motorcycle jumping. Had a liver transplant as a result of hepatitis C, which he believed was contracted during an operation.
Phil Lesh
(1940—) A musician and founder member of rock band Grateful Dead, in which he played bass guitar. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1992 and received a liver transplant in 1998.
Lance Loud
(1951–2001) A journalist, best known for his role in An American Family, a 12-part 1973 documentary. Died of complications from hepatitis C.
Linda Lovelace
(1949–2002) A pornographic actress, notable for the 1972 film Deep Throat. She contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion after a car accident in 1969 and had a liver transplant in 1987.
Natasha Lyonne
(1979—) An actress, best known for her roles in the first two American Pie films.
Mickey Mantle
(1931–1995) A baseball player for the New York Yankees. Hepatitis C lead to cirrhosis and cancer. He underwent a liver transplant in June 1995 but the cancer had spread to other parts of his body and he died in August.
David Marks
(1948—) An early member of The Beach Boys, Marks believes he contracted the disease through drug use. He campaigns to raise awareness, supporting the UK National Health Service's "FaCe It" campaign.
Chuck Negron
(1942—) A singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.
Martin Phillipps
(1962—) Lead singer of New Zealand indie band band The Chills. Successfully treated with interferon, he resumed his music career in 2004.
James Earl Ray
(1928–1998) The confessed assassin of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Died of liver disease due to hepatitis C.
Chopper Read
(1954–) An iconic Australian criminal and author, who claims to have contracted hepatitis from his time in prison, along with other prisonmates, through using a blood-stained shaver.
Anita Roddick
(1942—) Founder of The Body Shop chain of cosmetics stores. She contracted hepatitis from a blood transfusion in 1971.
Curtis Salgado
(1954—) A Blues, R&B, and Soul singer-songwriter-musician. Developed cirrhosis and liver cancer because of hepatitis C.
Jerry Stahl
(~1954—) A novelist and screenwriter. His autobiography, Permanent Midnight, was adapted into a movie starring Ben Stiller.
Lucy Saroyan
(1946–2003) An actress who had minor roles in over 20 movies. She died from cirrhosis of the liver complicated by hepatitis C.
Steven Tyler
(1948—) A musician and songwriter in the rock band Aerosmith. In September 2006, he announced that he had been diagnosed three years ago and had just completed eleven months of treatment with interferon.
Francisco Varela
(1947–2001) A biologist and philosopher who, together with his teacher Humberto Maturana, is best known for introducing the concept of autopoiesis to biology. Hepatitis C caused cirrhosis and liver cancer. He wrote about his liver transplant in the Journal of Consciousness Studies.
Gene Weingarten
(1951—) A humour writer and journalist on The Washington Post.
Elizabeth Young
(1950–2001) A literary critic and writer.
___________________________________________________________
Ray Benson
Lead singer of the western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. From the AARP Magazine article with Naomi Judd. May / June 2007
• Frank Reynolds
Experts speculated at the time that the newsman's death in 1983 was hastened by the virus later known as hepatitis C, which he may have contracted through a transfusion.
Benito Mussolini:
Did Il Duce, the World War II Italian dictator, have the disease? A new biography speculates that his chronic health problems -- stomach pain, fatigue and depression -- stemmed from an ulcer and a mild case of hepatitis C.
Kenneth P. Zebrowski,
New York Assemblyman passed away on Monday, March 19, 2007, due to HCV, reminding us that Hepatitis C can affect anyone.
Christopher Lawford
(1955—) An actor best known for his role as Charlie Brent on the soap opera All My Children in the early 1990s. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2001.Son of actor Peter Lawford and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. During the 1970s and 1980s, he had almost died from chronic drug and alcohol addiction. After 11 months of treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, Lawford had no detectable trace of the virus in his blood, and he has remained virus-free.
“Uncle John†Turner, Legendary Texas Blues Drummer
August 20, 1944 - July 26, 2007
B.B King once exclaimed, “Man, I can set my watch to your time!â€
Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Uncle John was a childhood friend of another southeast Texas native, Johnny Winter. While playing drums with Winter in 1968, Turner convinced him to try a full-blown blues band format and sent for his friend Tommy Shannon to play bass. Success quickly followed, and the trio went on to record what many consider to be three of Johnny Winter’s finest albums: “The Progressive Blues Experiment,†“Johnny Winter,†and “Second Winter.†With fourth member Edgar Winter, they played Woodstock in 1969, as well as numerous other festivals and shows around the world.
After splitting with Johnny Winter in 1970, Uncle John moved to Austin, where he and Shannon formed Krackerjack, a band featuring a young Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. Throughout his long career, Turner played or recorded with many great artists, including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
During the 80’s and 90’s, Turner continued to shape Austin’s blues scene, playing with guitarist Alan Haynes and with Appa Perry’s Blues Power. A great friend and mentor to young blues artists during this time, Turner helped launch the careers of many Austin musicians, including Gary Clark, Jr., Erin Jaimes, Mike Keller, Eve Monsees, and Carolyn Wonderland.
Dame Anita Roddick, 1942-2007 : Body Shop founder dies, aged 64
LONDON - Anita Roddick, founder of beauty retailer The Body Shop and one of Britain's best known businesswomen, has died at the age of 64 after suffering a major brain haemorrhage, her family said.
Roddick founded The Body Shop in Brighton in 1976, selling toiletries made from natural ingredients, and her brand became a byword for socially and environmentally responsible business.
The daughter of Italian immigrants, Roddick saw her business mushroom into an empire of more than 2,000 stores serving more than 77 million customers in 51 different markets. She sold her stake in The Body Shop to France's L'Oreal last year.Roddick revealed earlier this year that she was suffering from liver damage after contracting the Hepatitis C virus more than 35 years ago and soon began campaigning for support for sufferers of the potentially deadly disease.
She developed Hepatitis C from infected blood given to her during the birth of her youngest daughter, Sam, in 1971.
Anthony Kiedis (born November 1, 1962) is the lead singer and a co-founder of the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. He is also responsible for writing most of the band's vocal melodies and lyrics.
Marianne Faithfull (born December 1946 )
British singer/songwriter with a recording career that spans over four decades, Faithfull has continually reinvented her musical persona, experimenting in vastly different musical genres and collaborating with such varied artists as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker, Beck, Sly and Robbie, The Chieftains, Tom Waits, Lenny Kaye, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Rupert Hine, Metallica, Roger Waters to name a few. Faithfull's subsequent solo work, often critically acclaimed, has at times been overshadowed by her personal history.
In addition to her music career, Faithfull has had a modestly successful career as an actress in theater, television and film. Later this year Marianne will release a second volume of autobiography called Memories, Dreams and Reflections. The book, to be published by Fourth Estate, is a more personal history than Faithfull.
Lee Mallory (1945 - 2005) Lee performed with: Hoyt Axton, Ian and Sylvia, Sam Parsons... loads of folks at the Troubadour hoots & on the road with the first national touring company of HAIR - Meatloaf comes to mind.... Lee's first recording session was as a background vocalist on Tommy Roe's "Hooray For Hazel. Tommy Roe remembers Lee fondly as one of the people who made that era so special. Lee wrote for & recorded with The Association, did a credited AND uncredited session work and arranging in Hollywood, worked with Gary Usher on many projects; sang BG vocals for Paul Revere & The Raiders; shared the bill with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the debut appearance of John Sebastian's Lovin' Spoonful, was fast friends with the great Mama Cass... Lee Mallory influenced at least as many musicians as he was influenced by. Sunshine pop, psychedelic rock, that "California Sound"... With Lee's rendition of Phil Ochs' "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" and as a founding member of the Millennium. The Millennium started as Lee's backup band (Jerry Scheff, Toxie French, Ben Benay). It was named by bassist Jerry Scheff, who described the millennium as "a thousand years of peace and perfection." The Millennium was soon joined and famously produced by Curt Boettcher. Lee was present at the creation. And the music lives FOREVER. Lee would like to thank Kelly Z of Kelly's Lot, and all who work on behalf of musicians with Hep C. He wanted his "adventures in life and other excesses" to serve as a cautionary tale to other musicians. Take care of your health y'all!
Alejandro Escovedo.
He was born into a large Mexican-American family in San Antonio and raised in Southern California. From his birth, music was an essential element of the Escovedo family experience, with the Latin and Chicano styles of his parents’ generation mixing with the thrilling new sounds of rock’n’roll arriving on the radio. His father Pedro was a musician who had played in mariachi bands and labor camps during the Great Depression to eke out a living. Older brothers Pete and Coke are influential percussionists who helped fuse Latin music with rock’n’roll and modern jazz with their work in the bands Santana and Azteca as well as with a pantheon of esteemed artists. Younger brothers Javier and Mario, like Alejandro, both became rock’n’roll guitarists and songwriters.
By his teen years, Escovedo was enthralled with rock’n’roll even though he had yet to seriously take up an instrument. Teethed on the garage bands of the mid-1960s, he was regularly found among the fervent fans at the front of the stage at concerts and clubs throughout Southern California, following favorites like The Faces and Mott The Hoople from show to show. He began to surmise the possibilities for rock’s elemental sounds to express literary and intellectual notions as well as explore darkness and decadence with the emergence of The Velvet Underground.
He finally began playing guitar during his college years in the mid-1970s in San Francisco when he formed a group to play “the worst band in the world†for a student film he was making. That band became The Nuns, one of the seminal groups of the Bay Area punk movement. Escovedo then followed his longstanding desire to move to New York City, arriving at the height of the downtown Manhattan new music scene to play with Judy Nylon and other acts. There he joined forces with fellow San Francisco punk scene veterans Chip and Tony Kinman (from The Dils) in Rank & File, who forged the early 1980s country-punk sound that was the first inklings of what later became known as alternative country.
Rank & File relocated to Austin, Texas, where Escovedo started writing songs after he left the band. He formed True Believers with his brother Javier and Graham, and they quickly became the leading lights of the Austin scene. In 1986, the “Troobs†released their self-titled debut album, produced by Jim Dickinson and recorded on a slim budget of $10,000. They blazed a trail of rock’n’roll fury through the clubs and concert halls of America, often sharing the stage with their West Coast spiritual cousins, Los Lobos. Just a few weeks prior to the release of their second album, True Believers were dropped from their label, EMI Records, and the now legendary outfit sputtered to a halt soon after without ever receiving even close to their just due.
Escovedo continued to refine his songwriting skills while working at Austin’s Waterloo Records, laying the groundwork for a solo career. Gravity, his 1992 debut, was immediately hailed on its release as “a near perfect album of stunning originality†by critic Rob Patterson in the Austin Chronicle. It went on to win Escovedo raves in the national media and “Musician of the Year†honors at the annual Austin Music Awards.
He followed Gravity with a series of albums that continued to earn unstinting high praise from the critical community: Thirteen Years (1993), With These Hands (1996), More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996 (1998), Bourbonitis Blues (1999) and A Man Under The Influence (2001). Years of grueling road work in North America and Europe brought Escovedo a devoted cadre of listeners. And even before the close of the 1990s, No Depression magazine hailed him as its “Artist of the Decade.â€
In the process, Escovedo created what Rolling Stone’s Fricke calls “his own genre,†describing him as a “folk-blues classicist with a gritty, plaintive voice and an equal fondness for dirty boogie and spectral balladry.†His sound melds such diverse inspirations as Lou Reed, Townes Van Zandt, the “Glimmer Twins†of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, classical string quartets, the Mexican-American music of his home state of Texas and the English glam rock of David Bowie, T-Rex and Mott the Hoople, to name some but hardly all of the colors and hues to be found in his music. He has toured solo as well as with a rock combo, a string quintet and various combinations and permutations thereof, and performed in the mid-1990s with his 13-piece Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra in his hometown of Austin. He also toured Europe and cut an album with Walter Salas-Humara of The Silos and Michael Hall of The Wild Seeds as The Setters and played and recorded an album with his hard rocking foursome Buick MacKane. In 1994, Rykodisc released the True Believers set Hard Road, reissuing the band’s first album in tandem with their previously unreleased second recording.
Yet for all the intimations of greatness, Escovedo’s life and career continued to be a hard road of more miles than money. Throughout 14 years as a solo act in which the rewards of artistic triumph and musical pleasures were leavened by tribulations and personal tragedy, Escovedo has struggled to balance the demands of touring to earn a living and support his family with the commitments of raising his children.. A diagnosis of Hepatitis C in the late 1990s created even further burdens for him to bear.
Towards the end of the decade, he began developing a dramatic work based on his songs about his father with the innovative Los Angeles theater company About Productions. By the Hand of the Father premiered in L.A. in 2000 with Escovedo performing his songs as part of the production, earning superb critical notice on its debut and in subsequent presentations at some of the most prestigious theaters and cultural centers across North America. An album of songs and stories from the theaterwork garnered further praise.
At the dawn of the new century, he was blessed with a new love, poet and college instructor Kim Christoff. The two eventually married and had a daughter, Amala. At the same time, “I was having a really good time playing music and drinking and smoking and living the life.†As Escovedo now admits, he was in deep denial regarding the deadly dangers of continuing the rock’n’roll lifestyle while infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
Then in April 2003, during a performance of By the Hand of the Father in Tucson, Arizona, Escovedo fell critically ill from the effects of the disease and was rushed to the emergency room. “I came close to dying in the hospital and didn’t know if I was going to live or die,†he says, his voice still echoing with a chill at the thought. “I wanted to live. But I really didn’t know if I had a chance.â€
His health crisis resulted in huge medical bills that, without insurance coverage, were well beyond his ability to pay. It also rendered him unable to earn a living by playing his music on tour and appearing in the play. But as soon as the news spread of Escovedo’s illness, friends and fans began to spontaneously send funds to assist in his treatment and support him and his family. His peers and admirers in the music community staged benefit shows in more than a dozen cities across the nation. The Alejandro Escovedo Living & Medical Expense Fund was set up by his manager to receive contributions. Harp magazine ran a half-page ad soliciting donations to the fund without even being asked, and Roche Pharmaceuticals generously provided expensive medication for treating his Hepatitis C through an assistance program. Though Escovedo had sometimes wondered if he had been laboring in the margins of contemporary music, the outpouring of generosity proved that he had deeply touched the souls of those who heard and appreciated his music.
The culmination of the benefit effort was Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, a two CD set featuring 31 artists performing his songs, released in the fall of 2004. Some of the featured artists, like John Cale, Ian Hunter, Bob Neuwirth and Ian McLagan, were heroes and longtime inspirations to Escovedo. Others were musical peers: Lucinda Williams, Cowboy Junkies, Steve Earle, The Jayhawks, Son Volt, Peter Case, The Minus 5, Lenny Kaye and Calexico, to name some but hardly all. Austin friends such as Los Lonely Boys, Charlie Sexton and Jon Dee Graham contributed tracks, as did artists Escovedo had worked and recorded with like Jennifer Warnes, Tres Chicas, Ruben Ramos, Chris Stamey and Rosie Flores. Family members like older sibling Pete Escovedo and Sheila E. — Pete’s superstar daughter and Alejandro’s niece — and younger brothers Javier and Mario (with his band The Dragons) rounded out the critically lauded set.
“I used to sit and listen to that Por Vida album and just sob like a baby,†Escovedo confesses. “And people would send me things in the mail: a card that their kids had drawn, some Buddhist thing — all these forms of love. It was kind of overwhelming at times. I almost felt embarrassed, like I wasn’t worthy of it.â€
His struggle over the next two years to regain health and wellness “was just hell sometimes,†says Escovedo. The effects of the medication he took to combat the virus were nearly as debilitating as the disease itself, and for a while it was unclear whether he would be able to make music again. Two appearances while he was still far from recovery during the South By Southwest Music Festival in 2004 proved that he had continued to have the will and spirit to create. Later that year, Escovedo began playing selected shows with his band, which now included Graham whenever he was able to join them outside his commitments to his own career. The rapturous reception of his fans at the shows proved to be a nourishing tonic that further aided Escovedo’s recovery.
Looking back over the last three years, “It’s ironic that out of being so sick so many great things have happened,†Escovedo observes. And the best of them all may be recording a new album with Cale.
“The reason it seems so perfect is that I’ve been trying to rip him off for years,†Escovedo says with a laugh. “I finally got it right; I had to get the master in there to learn how to do it.â€
From the first time that Escovedo heard The Velvet Underground in the 1960s, they have been a touchstone musical act for him as a fan and later as a musical creator. He first met Cale in New York in the late 1970s. Later, in Austin during the 1980s, Escovedo also became friends with Cale’s Velvet Underground bandmate Sterling Morrison, who was teaching at the University of Texas.
Escovedo began to get to know Cale better when they both played on a tribute show in Austin for Morrison after his passing. “He was one of the first artists to sign on for Por Vida and the first recording we got was his,†Escovedo explains. “And all the things he did to promote the record afterwards were so generous.â€
During 2005’s South By Southwest, Escovedo and Cale performed together at the Austin Music Awards. “While we were rehearsing, I just started talking to him about whether he still produced other artists. He told me, ‘I haven’t in a while but certainly would.’â€
Further discussions and Escovedo’s new record deal finally made the collaboration a reality. “It was a leap of faith. I just threw myself into Cale’s arms and I’m glad I did,†says Escovedo. “As I’ve said before about his version of ‘She Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ on Por Vida: I never would have thought of anything remotely close to that arrangement. And that’s what he did with most of that stuff on this album. He really turned the songs into something special.â€
The recordings started out with just Escovedo and Cale running through his songs and ideas together. “When he sat across from me in the studio, I thought of that opening scene in Songs For Drella, where he and Lou Reed looked at each other, sitting across from each other. Suddenly I’m looking at this man and he’s playing piano in that way and singing with me and teaching me little parts. There were times when it was….†Escovedo’s voice trails off as the sheer immensity of working with Cale hits him once again.
After all, if you’d told Escovedo back when he was a teenaged Velvets fanatic that he’d someday make a record with Cale, “There was no way I’d ever have believed it. But it was all happening so fast that I didn’t have time to be intimidated. I had to step up and play and perform. I had to work on my instincts at the moment,†he says.
The entire experience of creating The Boxing Mirror and being in Southern California again, this time with Kim and Amala along, had a salubrious effect for Escovedo. “We stayed on the beach in Santa Monica, and I got to ride my bike along the beach every day. And it brought back a lot of memories of growing up there, and made me realize how lucky I was to be there and be alive at this point in my life.â€
Escovedo proclaims himself “very, very pleased with everything on this album. I learned a lot of things on a lot of levels working with John. I’m definitely outside the capsule a little bit on this album, hanging out there. I feel like it’s really fresh for me again. It’s something new for me.â€
In many ways, it all feels new for Escovedo. “When I go out and play now, people are really happy to see us again. And the songs mean something to them, and that’s the greatest gift you can give a songwriter,†he says. As for his sometimes wild ways in the past, “I was just playing Russian roulette. Now I know better. If I had a drink, even one, it could be the drink that kills me. I can’t take that chance.â€
With his renewed health has also come a greater clarity of thought and purpose that imbues The Boxing Mirror with a stunning emotional power. “This really sums it up,†says Escovedo. “A friend of mine was over at my house while we were packing to leave for L.A. to make the album, helping me to remember what to bring. And I was playing him some ideas for songs I had recorded at home. And I said to him, ‘Can you believe it? I’m going to make a record with John Cale.’ And he said, ‘You know, that’s really great. But what I’m really happy about and what impresses me more than anything is that you’re just making a record now.’
And he goes, ‘Do you remember two years ago when we were sitting out in the garden and you were trying to help out with the gardening and you couldn’t work for more than five minutes because you’d have to sit down and catch your breath? And you couldn’t even walk to the gate? I’d leave here thinking that I might not see you the next day. This is why it is so important that you’re making a record. Two years ago, it didn’t seem like you’d ever make another record.†And that certainly wasn’t on my mind then. I was just trying to survive and get better.
“It was a long climb up from that deep hole,†Escovedo concludes. “I can’t say that I’m fully recovered yet. But I feel so great about everything right now, especially this album.†And with The Boxing Mirror, Alejandro Escovdeo has created what can truly be called the album of his life.
Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, Texas Blues, all Blues in general. Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lightin'Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, Skip James, Otis Spann, Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, John Lee Hooker, Paul Butterfeild,Mike Bloomfeild, Charlie Musslewhite, Stevie
Ray Vaughan, and the list goes on and on.
Paul Newman, Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson movies, a good western, action, mystery movie, comedies. Tombstone is one of my all time favorite. I'll be your Huckleberry.
Mind of Mencia, 2 1/2 Men, Everybody Loves Raymond, National Geographic, A&E, History Channel, and TCM
The Bible,
Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide to Hepatitis & Liver Disease
Being Sick Well, Jeffery H.Boyd M.D.
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My Mom and Dad for always being there for me when I was growing up.
People who survive this virus to face another day. People who are helping spread the word to the public about the virus.
My wife Carol, for always being there for me, and not killing me when I was going through the different treatments I've been on. She has been my Angel.
My Pastor.
Some of my new friends I've met on myspace.
To all the people that are working hard to help educating, and helping to spread the word about Hepatitis C Awareness.
People that will reach out to others, in their time of need