It's Been A Year

Well, it’s been about a year since I decided to give Dr. Zhang’s Chinese Herbal Medicine protocol for Hepatitis C a try. Was it successful? I just had another check of my liver enzymes this past month and the labs showed continued elevation of my ALT and AST enzymes. AST was now 100 compared to 110 back in May, while ALT now measures at 170 compared to 181 back in May. So judging by these criteria there is no objective improvement, but I must admit, subjectively things are much better, especially, compared to last October when I was very ill. I feel much better now, more energy and though I still have bouts of not feeling well, lethargy, malaise, body aches, loss of appetite they are nowhere near as severe as a year ago. I do know I enjoyed a round of golf this morning on a beautiful Fall day and was grateful to be there.
One important point to remember is that lab testing of liver enzymes does not in any way indicate the amount of liver damage, yes, it does show definite evidence of liver inflammation but the only true measure of actual liver damage is the liver biopsy. I have undergone two biopsies in the last 7 years and both of them graded only a 1, which leads me to believe that aggressive treatment with interferon is, in this case, unwarranted. I’m still not convinced that interferon therapy is the answer in most cases of Hepatitis C infection, especially since it can cause even further health problems and with barely a 50% success rate is it really worth the risk?
All I know is that I am able to enjoy today, and really, isn’t that enough?

“17. Also the Holy One came upon me, and I beheld a white swan floating in the blue.

18. Between its wings I sate, and the æaons fled away.

19. Then the swan flew and dived and soared, yet no whither we went.

20. A little crazy boy that rode with me spake unto the swan, and said:

21. Who art thou that dost float and fly and dive and soar in the inane? Behold, these many æons have passed; whence camest thou? Whither wilt thou go?

22. And laughing I chid him, saying: No whence! No whither!

23. The swan being silent, he answered: Then, if with no goal, why this eternal journey?

24. And I laid my head against the Head of the Swan, and laughed, saying: Is there not joy ineffable in this aimless winging? Is there not weariness and impatience for who would attain to some goal?

25. And the swan was ever silent. Ah! but we floated in the infinite Abyss. Joy! Joy!

White swan, bear thou ever me up between thy wings!”

---Liber LXV, Cap. II, vs. 17-25