How does one explain?

I am not a writer.  I do well putting 3 words in a sentence these days.  Fog in my brain seems to be thicker than “pea soup”.  It has been an awful beginning to 2008, yet it has been better than 2007.  I could complain, yet I know that only drives people away.

What is one supposed to do ?

I have much to be thankful for and will continue to try to concentrate on those issues.

What do you have to be thankful for?

I will be back and adding more.

kindness always,

karen

New Theory of how Viruses/Contribute to Cancer

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071023213311.htm

New Theory Of How Viruses May Contribute To Cancer

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2007) — A new study suggests that viruses may contribute to cancer by causing excessive death to normal cells while promoting the growth of surviving cells with cancerous traits. Viruses may act as forces of natural selection by wiping out normal cells that support the replication of viruses and leaving behind those cells that have acquired defects in their circuitry. When this process is repeated over and over, cancer can develop say study authors, led by Preet M. Chaudhary, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Infection with viruses has been linked to many human cancers, including some forms of Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, sarcomas and cancers of the throat and liver. Over the years, scientists have proposed a number of mechanisms to explain this link. One commonly held belief is that when a virus infects a cell, its genetic material alters the cell, making it grow uncontrollably, eventually leading to cancer. Some viruses also are thought to promote cancer by causing chronic inflammation. In his study, Dr. Chaudhary proposes that viruses also can lead to cancer in a less direct manner.

“We believe a separate mechanism may be at play in which a cellular insult, such as infection with a virus, selects a few pre-existing mutated clones of cells, promotes their further growth and multiplication, eventually leading to the emergence of fully cancerous cells. Consequently, similar to the role played by natural selection during evolution, excessive cell death, rather than its absence, may be a defining force that drives the initial emergence of cancer,” said Dr. Chaudhary. He named this model the Phoenix Paradigm in which cancer theoretically arises out of the ashes of dead cells.

The paradigm was developed based on a study of cells infected with the Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus, or KSHV, also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). The researchers examined a gene called K13 that activates a pathway previously implicated in cancer development. Cells with low K13 expression allowed KSHV to replicate, and these cells subsequently died off, the researchers noted. Cells with higher expression of K13 emerged after KSHV replication and showed defective expression of two key proteins that are known to promote cancer.

“This paradigm, if validated by further studies, has implications not only for an improved understanding of the processes involved in cancer, but also for the development of effective strategies for its prevention and treatment,” said Dr. Chaudhary.

Their findings are published by Public Library of Science in the Oct. 24 issue of PLoS One.

In addition to Dr. Chaudhary, holder of the Larry Ellis, M.D., Endowed Chair in hematology-oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, authors on the study include Jinshun Zhao, Ph.D., Vasu Punj, Ph.D., Hittu Matta, Ph.D., Lucia Mazzacurati, M.S., Sandra Schamus, B.S., Yanqiang Yang, Ph.D., Tianbing Yang, Ph.D., and Yan Hong, B.S., all with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences.

Too early to tell?

Maybe and maybe not.  I have now been on Lyrica

for 13 days.  The energy level started to increase on Sunday.  Monday I had 4-5 good hours.

Tuesday I had 6 good hours and today, I was awake, showered and coloring my hair by 7 a.m.  Haven’t done that in months.  I still experience excruciating pain due to other Bone issues but I am able to control the pain level now. (if that made sense)

It will be another month or so before I will say all “is well”……yet I can share that relief is coming.  Yea!!!!!!

When one lives in/with Chronic Pain or Disease daily, one gets weary.   I am encouraged.   May we all get a reprieve from whatever we deal with daily.

kindnesses sent out always,

karen

Fibromyalgia & HepC….

AGAIN….I have been MIA…..when the fatigue is so overwhelming that I cannot blog, or post, then I know this body I inhabit is really fighting with me.  These bodies are so absolutely amazing, even when they don’t want to cooperate.   And yes, I do know ….IT COULD BE WORSE.~

Those are fighting words some days.

Back to the title of this post…..Fibromyalgia is often found in those of us that have and deal with Chronic HCV.  Although I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1990 and the non-a/non-b virus wasn’t named HCV until 1991.   Interesting.

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/36/9/981

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/157/21/2497

http://www.janis7hepc.com/Symptoms.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12946286&dopt=AbstractPlus

http://hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2006/advocate0706.html

I always like to give links to any & all info.  Some of the abstracts listed here are older, yet they are still used.

Is there a link between the virus and this tissue disorder?

http://www.fmnetnews.com/

http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer

http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/fibromya_new.asp

I wrote a poem several years ago….Lizzie is a pregnant with twins elephant.

That is how I describe living with Fibromyalgia…it is like living under the belly of Lizzie.   Not a great way to get through a day, then add more fatigue because of the HCV and Bone issues and……

Lyrica is a drug that has now been given to me.  I have been on it 10 days.  It has helped the Neuropathy in my feet.  Today I have increased energy level.  That is a plus.

http://www.lyrica.com/

Here’s hoping….I have read of others that have actually been helped by this drug…I even have a friend who is being treated and it is helping her.  YEAAAAAAA!

Well for this afternoon I am encouraged and I hope you are too.  May kindness be in your life.

I have decided to get a bit personal with this blog.  Am hoping that the personalization might bring readers in and also share the facts vs. myths about HEPC.

Today was an okay day.  I live in a apartment and keep my surroundings pretty simple.

There is a person I do pay to come in 1-3 times a month to help with heavy cleaning, washing floors/waxing, moving items way to heavy for me to move.

Today was one of those days that I thought I could do my 2 loads of laundry and vacuum all by myself.  WRONG!

I usually sit in a chair that has rollers on it to vacuum.  Amazing what you can do when you have to or want to.

In our apt. we have a really nice laundry room it isn’t that far from my apt. so I have my soiled/dirty laundry in a mesh bag that I can drag.  It works.

In between the 2 loads of laundry, I decided I would vacuum and dust.

Would have been okay if I hadn’t turned at the waist.

 

Such it is.

Some of what I deal with physically has to do with side effects from doing the mono-interferon in 1997.   Spinal/Bone issues, Heart issues are some from  genetics and hereditary.  The Genetic Pool I come from was quite murky.

Am delving again into Holistic/Alternative/Complementary types of medicine.

Should you have tried any, please leave a comment.

Thanks for the moments of time you took to read this.

Kindness always,

karen

More tomorrow

Coffee& HCV

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2007/advocate0907.html#5

Coffee

Alan Franciscus, Editor-in-Chief

In the process of researching the lead article on the potential benefits of coffee in regards to liver cancer, I came across a lot of interesting information about coffee that I thought I would share with our readers.  Just so you know, I have been a coffee drinker for many, many years and my love of coffee can be viewed by some as creating a certain bias when writing about the potential health benefits of coffee.

History
Coffee consumption can be traced back to the ninth century in Ethiopia and its use spread to Egypt, Yemen and reached Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa by the fifteenth century.

It eventually spread to Italy where it was revered by the wealthy in Venice.  From there coffee consumption spread to the rest of Europe and eventually the seeds of the coffee bean were obtained and planted by the European colonialists in other parts of the world.  In the U.S. coffee was not widely consumed until the Revolutionary War.  The switch from coffee to tea was a necessity because the U.S. was at war with England – the largest supplier of tea to the colonies.  In some circles switching from tea to coffee was considered patriotic.  Today, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the U. S. and around the world.  Starbucks is probably the most well-known of the coffee store chains.  In the near future, Starbucks will have as many stores as there are McDonalds in the U.S. If you want to get an idea of the popularity of Starbucks and coffee go to http://www.starbucks.com and enter your zip code into the store locator for a list of stores within a 5 mile radius.  Probably the highest density of Starbucks of any city in the U.S. is in New York City.  When I typed the NYC zip code 10036 the store locator listed a staggering 203 stores in a 5 mile radius.

Coffee
The coffee plant is a member of the group of flowering plants called the Rubiaceae.  A coffee plant can grow up to more than 16 feet tall.  It has glossy green leaves and fragrant white flowers.  The coffee beans are actually green berries that are processed and roasted before they are consumed.

There are two main types of coffee – coffea  robusta and coffea arabica.    The most popular type and the one considered to have the best flavor is arabica which accounts for about 75% of cultivated coffee.  Robusta tends to have more of a bitter taste compared to the Arabica.  Robusta is easier to grow because it is more disease resistant and also contains more caffeine than Arabica.  For these reasons and because it is cheaper to grow, it is the type that is usually used in more inexpensive forms of coffee.

Once the coffee beans are picked by hand, the seeds are processed to remove the pulp,  dried and sorted.  At this stage the seeds are green in color.  The next step in the process is roasting the green coffee beans.  This is the step that dictates the appearance and taste of the brewed coffee.  The darker the color of the roasted bean the smoother the flavor.  However, the lighter roasts contain the most caffeine.

Caffeine
Caffeine is a substance that is found in certain plants such as coffee.  When a person drinks a cup of brewed coffee it is quickly absorbed into the blood stream and passes into the brain.  Caffeine is used for quick “pick me ups” but, because it is not stored in the body, the effects are short term.   However, caffeine is a stimulant so there is a potential for addiction, although it is considered a mild addiction in most people.  Withdrawal from caffeine usually produces mild symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, nausea, and irritability.  If possible slowly reduce the intake of caffeine to reduce any withdrawal symptoms.

The side effects of consuming excessive amounts of coffee can include nervousness, excessive urination, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, upset stomach, appetite suppression, and difficulty sleeping.

Decaffeinated coffee
Decaffeinated coffee is processed in two ways – the European Process and the Swiss Water Process.  The European Process involves soaking the beans in water and then washing them in methylene chloride to absorb the caffeine.  After the beans are soaked they are rinsed off to remove the chemicals, and the beans are dried.  The Swiss Water Process  involves using hot water and steam to remove the caffeine from the coffee.  The next step involves putting the water solution through activated charcoal filters to remove the caffeine.  Once the caffeine has been removed, the beans are soaked in the decaffeinated solution which allows for the re-absorption of the fluid into the coffee beans and restores most of the flavor.  It is interesting to note that the caffeine used in various products such as energy drinks, diet drinks, over the counter stimulants, and medications is the by or end-product of the decaffeination process.

Preparing Coffee
Coffee is purchased in whole beans or already ground up.  Whole beans must be ground up before making a cup of coffee.  Coffee purists will swear that the only way to truly make a good cup of coffee is to grind up the coffee just before brewing.  The grind (course, medium, fine) will also influence the taste and texture of the brewed coffee.

Once the coffee is ground it can than be brewed by boiling (Turkish), percolation (an old American standard), pressing (French press), espresso (forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee), and, the most popular in this country, the drip process.

You will note that this article does not mention instant coffee – this is my bias because the thought of drinking instant coffee is abhorrent to me.

Health Claims
There have been many studies that have found various health benefits from consuming coffee.  But many of these benefits have been refuted by other studies.  Similarly, the health risks of drinking coffee have been widely studied, but there is also data that refutes the claims.   However, the number of studies on the benefits of coffee on the liver suggests that there might be some truth in the notion that light to moderate coffee consumption may be healthy for the liver.

Safe Levels
It is recommended that healthy adults can consume up to 3 cups (8 oz) a day without any health risks.  It is also generally recommended that pregnant women and people with coronary heart disease or ulcers refrain from consuming caffeinated beverages.  Children should be closely monitored so that they don’t consume too much caffeine. It is important to remember that caffeine can be in other food and drinks including sodas, teas, and chocolate as well as some medications; so always check the product label. Check in with your medical provider to find out if there are any potential interactions between any medications you are taking and caffeine.

Disability & Benefits:Cobra

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2007/advocate0907.html#5

Disability & Benefits: COBRA
Jacques Chambers, CLU
Extending Your Employer-Based Health Insurance

Passed in 1984, COBRA (Comprehensive Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) was originally a federal law that requires employers to allow employees and dependents losing health insurance to stay on the employer’s plan.

Because small employers and certain other employee groups do not come under this federal law, many states have enacted “Mini-COBRA” statutes to extend coverage for some who are not covered under the federal law.

The Federal COBRA Continuation Law

Who is covered by the federal law? Almost all employers who provide health insurance to their employees except:

The federal government and its employees;
Churches and most religious affiliated employers such as church-owned hospitals; and
Employers with less than 20 employees.
NOTE: See state “mini-COBRA” laws in several states covered below.

How does the law work? If you are covered under an employer’s health insurance plan and are losing coverage under your employer’s health insurance because you are terminating employment by resignation or firing or your hours are reduced so that you’re no longer eligible, COBRA allows you to continue coverage under the employer’s health insurance plan.

Your dependents also have a right to continue their coverage if you die or if your spouse divorces you or if your children are no longer eligible to be insured due to their age.

The only employees who cannot continue their coverage under COBRA are those who are terminated for “gross misconduct,” which usually means due to a violation of law such as theft or embezzlement.

How long can I stay on my employer’s health plan?

If you lose coverage due to termination or reduction in hours, you can stay on the plan for an additional 18 months.
If you are disabled when your coverage ends, you may stay on the plan for 29 months, which is how long it takes to get Medicare, provided you meet the requirements of that separate law.
If you are the spouse of an employee and lose coverage due to the death of the employee or due to divorce, you can continue coverage for an additional 36 months.
If you are the dependent child of the employee and you lose coverage due to passing the age limit for dependent children, you can continue the coverage for an additional 36 months.
Can that time ever be cut short? Yes, you will lose your COBRA continuation rights before the time limit expires if:

You fail to make a premium payment by the due date and grace period. Coverage lost due to late premium payment is not normally reinstated.
Your employer stops all health insurance plans for all employees of all of their companies. If, for example, your former employer goes broke and lays off everyone, then there is no coverage left for you to continue.
You become eligible for another group health insurance plan from another employer that covers all of your pre-existing conditions.
You become eligible for Medicare. (NOTE: If you are on COBRA continuation and become eligible for Medicare, your right to COBRA continuation stops; conversely if you are on Medicare when you become eligible for COBRA continuation, you may keep both up to the maximum COBRA period.)
What are the benefits of the COBRA plan coverage? COBRA is only a law, not a plan. It says that you must be allowed to stay on exactly the same coverage you had when you were an active employee. If your employer allows employees to switch plans once a year in an open enrollment, you must be given the same privilege. This also means if your employer changes plans, your plan changes too.

Does this only apply to health insurance? It applies to all types of health insurance plus all health-related plans, such as dental, vision, or prescription drug benefits. It does NOT allow continuation of group life insurance or group long term disability coverage. See the plan document for those plans for any continuation they may provide.

Does my whole family have to take the Continuation? No, each insured member of your family has their own right to COBRA continuation and may decide to continue the coverage or not.

How much does it cost? This is the big problem with COBRA; to stay on your employer’s plan, you must pay the entire cost of the insurance including what the employer used to pay on your behalf plus what you used to pay through payroll deduction plus a 2% administrative fee. For a single individual, this can be $150 or more per month, and much more for the spouse and dependent children.

Is there any help with paying those premiums? If you qualify for Medicaid in your state, most states have a plan that will pay the insurance premiums for you. If you are also dealing with HIV/AIDS, many states have set aside some Ryan White funds to pay health insurance premiums. Some doctors and hospitals have been known to pay the premiums so their bills will continue to be paid, but it’s not common.

How do I get on the COBRA continuation? If you are losing your employer’s health insurance, the employer is required to mail you a notice that tells you about COBRA and how much the plan will cost. The employer must also give you the chance to continue the coverage, usually with an enrollment form.

You have 60 days from receiving the notice to accept the coverage. You will owe premiums all the way back to the date you lost coverage but you will have an additional 45 days to pay it from the date you notify the employer of your intention to continue.

State Mini-COBRA Statutes

In addition to the federal law, over 40 states have enacted laws which permit some people not covered under the federal law to extend their coverage. These laws generally extend the right to stay on the employer’s health plan but the similarity ends there. State laws vary on how long a person may stay on the employer’s plan. They cover different groups of people although almost all states with such laws provide coverage for people working for groups with from 2 – 19 employees.

To briefly summarize the various state laws:

Arkansas: Requires employers with 2-19 employees to offer COBRA for 4 months

California: Cal-COBRA extends coverage for 36 months and covers all insured group health plans regardless of size.

Connecticut: State COBRA mirrors federal law for small employers.

Colorado: Covers small group employers.

Florida: The state law covers groups of 2-19, however, the employee must request the extension within 30 days of termination.

Georgia: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 3 full months, only if covered for at least six months prior.

Illinois: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 9 months. Dependents can qualify for 2 years.

Iowa: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 9 months.

Kansas: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 9 months.

Kentucky: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Louisiana: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 12 months.

Maine: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 12 months.

Maryland: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for up to 18 months if the employee is terminated without cause. Employees terminated for cause are entitled to receive 6 months of continuation coverage. Must have been covered under the group contract and been employed for 3 months.

Massachusetts: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Minnesota: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Mississippi: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 12 months.

Missouri: Plans with 2-19 can qualify for 9 months.

Nebraska: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

New Jersey: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18-36 months, New Jersey State continuation applies to church plans also.

New Mexico: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

New York: Guaranteed issue law that require insurers to cover anyone who applies, and plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months anyway.

Nevada: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

North Carolina: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

North Dakota: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 39 weeks.

Ohio: Employees must be terminated from employment involuntarily, have had three months of prior continuous coverage, and be eligible for Unemployment Compensation.

Oklahoma: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 1 month.

Oregon: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

Rhode Island: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

South Carolina: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

South Dakota: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Tennessee: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 3 months.

Texas: Employers with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

Utah: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.
Vermont: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 6 months.

Virginia: The employer can choose between offering 90 days of continuation coverage under the current group policy rate or conversion to an individual policy.

West Virginia: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Wisconsin: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 18 months.

Wyoming: Plans with 2-19 employees can qualify for 12 months.

Whether your state is listed above or not, it is important to check with your state’s Department of Insurance as new states add coverage and existing laws may be substantially different from the federal COBRA provisions.

My health insurance is very important to me. What should I watch out for when continuing it under COBRA?

Don’t wait for the mailing from your employer. Ask for it when your coverage is about to stop. Some employers may insist on mailing it to you, but you will know when to expect it and can follow up if it doesn’t arrive.
Don’t refuse the COBRA extension even if you know you won’t take it. Let the 60 day period expire. That way, if there’s a medical emergency during those 60 days, you can take the COBRA and have the coverage.
Pay your premiums on time! If you are ever late, they can cancel you and they do not have to reinstate your coverage. When possible stay one month ahead so you have time to correct any mix-ups or lost payments.
Make sure you keep a record of everything you send and everyone you talk to about your COBRA continuation. When possible, send materials Return Receipt Requested or deliver the documents and payments in person and get a written receipt.
Be very careful if your employer hires a COBRA administrator to handle the COBRA Continuation. These companies operate with the goal of getting everyone off COBRA that they can legally get off.
If you’re disabled when your coverage stops, learn the rules for extending the COBRA to Medicare. They are complicated and most employers don’t understand them.

Months have passed

I have had months of days and weeks that, well it is a good thing I keep a journal.
Will be catching up here in the next few days.
Much has happened. Liver Biopsy, Endoscopy and a gamut of tests.
Lots to share.
With kindness always,
karen

A long week. (past few weeks)

Since January 8th, it seems I have not only been making excuses for my well-being or lack of, but I have come to the realization that if you don’t have physical health your life can really really become a hindrance. Did any of that make sense? Probably not, but it is my blog and I live with this mutative virus and so I will leave it.

Jan. 8th, it was suggested I receive a bag of Zometa it is supposed to help the bone make bone. I have severe Osteoporosis.Will know in a few weeks if it made a difference. Also will know in a few weeks what condition my liver is in. Notice I didn’t say where the liver is…hahaaaa….I know where it is..in my body. Ha!

Knowing that people deal with Cancers, Appendages being gone..etc… truly I try to not whine, complain or moan and groan. Operative word being ‘try’.

Will catch up and add the new info I have gotten.
Here’s hoping everyone has a Great Weekend ….
Happy Easter.
Blessings for Passover.
Etc……

Daily doings with HCV….

Living with Chronic HCV daily is frustrating.  At least for me it is.  Soon  I will have another Liver needle biopsy.  http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/liverbiopsy/index.htm
Then once again it will be determined at what Stage/Grade I am at and how the Liver itself is dealing with the ravaging of this virus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_for_End-Stage_Liver_Disease

Do you know someone with HCV?  Have you been tested?