March 4 - 6 Month Post-tx PCR = NEGATIVE

Well, that’s the very good news that I’m pleased to share this Saturday morning, with a Starbucks coffee and lemon scone in hand. Negative. That’s the last pcr testing that the government will fund, Ontario feeling that if you’re negative six months after finishing treatment, you’re negative for good. I feel inclined to share their optimism, feeling mighty optimistic myself. However, I will arrange to get tested annually, realistically disinclined to ignore the possibility of relapse.

Other hepc-related business – went for my annual liver ultrasound, which was just perfect – liver looking good, no cirrhosis, no portal hypertension and no masses. Was scheduled to do the “health care worker as patient” research interview yesterday morning, however, am sick as dog with some kind of cold, so have deferred until Monday morning, when I plan to be completely well again.

Cuba week long vacation was excelente! Resort was small, very clean, very nice, had great staff, reasonable food, fantastic white powder sand beach and a turquoise blue, clear ocean. A week “away from it all” was so good. My sister Sally and I flew with Sunwing and for the vacation charter concept, they were terrific, certainly surpassing other charters I’ve flown with previously in virtually every way. Weather was variable; we had about 3 cloudy days with some rain and about 4 knock you on your back scorchers. Managed to obtain a respectable amount of light tan and freckles. Sally, who inherited our mother’s French Canadian skin (as compared to the pale, freckled stuff I received via our Scot paternal line – thanks Dad!), is now a darkly tanned goddess. Very mixed crowd – hotel is German chain and there were lots of Canadian, Italian, German, French and British – it was great! Everyone was extremely tolerant of my continued pathetic attempts at Spanish. Kept up with daily yoga practice in the exercise facilities. The cloudy days allowed us to explore the local area, which is quite rural and beautiful; we were in the Guardalavaca area. This is the second time I’ve been to Cuba on holiday and it is lovely, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Flying into Holguin as you land at the airport, there is a long, tall white billboard/fence on which is printed in long, tall red letters “socialismo o muerte” – sort of says it all. Pics this month are Cuba vacation shots (a little variety from the regular Toronto fare).

Return to work, home and the real world now makes Caribbean vacation a distant dream. Work very busy, particularly with several of us hit by this illness. Suspect it’ll be awhile before work settles down. Lots of stuff going on with both of our kids, which is keeping us busy too. Phil off to Italy and Greece with his school music program in a week and we’re trying to get prepared. He turns 16 in two days…. man, the time flies….

Listening to: Arctic Monkeys (thanks to Banger and others on Ron’s forum, who are turning me on to tons of new music with a British/Euro slant), Boards of Canada, Rachid Taha and De-Phazz. Continuing yoga, with a restorative class on Wednesdays and, on Saturdays, a very interesting yoga practice with focus on Qigong breathing. Also still keeping up with Shiatsu massage every 2 weeks, convinced it is one of the big positives discovered during treatment.

It’s been freezing here (-20 C pre-wind chill this morning on our deck), but there is little snow. Still walking everywhere and am truly looking forward with longing to Spring, with the equinox and the balancing of the light and dark approaching.

Sue