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Well hurray my haemoglobin has gone up to 11.1! My iron is back down to 5 (normal range about 11-40 depending on what you read), so have started on ferrous sulphate and so far no adverse reaction. And I get to put my ribavirin back up to 800mg! That is the best thing, as I was rather concerned about being at the lower dose. My haemoglobin may well drop again, but I have only 18 weeks to go, and maybe I can manage for this last push. It would be worth feeling worse again for the last bit to have more of a chance of it working.

The weather has been great today. I've been to the bird hide twice and saw for the first time a nuthatch, a coaltit and a pipit. OK 6 months ago I wouldn't have been able to tell a finch and a sparrow apart, but now I can spot all sorts of different things. It has helped keep me sane, being able to look out of the window at the birds coming and going. In fact, in the early days of treatment when I felt very unwell, I would lie in bed and watch the chaffinches line up on the telegraph wire outside the bedroom window - being blown around in the wind and doing amazingly synchronised re-balancing. If you've ever watched this you'll know how funny it is - if you haven't, look out for it. OK maybe if you get really stuck for something to do...

This time has really allowed me to learn more about and connect with a much slower and low key way of living. This has made me actually appreciate the small things so much more. I look at wildlife, trees, flowers all in a very different way. I see them now. Yes, I saw them before but not properly. Funny.

So anyway, this is another positive thing to add to the list of good things about having hepC. It's certainly a journey.

Lu