It is very important once diagnosed or maybe you have known for some time and have put off accepting your diagnosis, that you begin to strategize your game plan.  What I learned going through this that having a good “TEAM” around you helps you get your mind focused on the most important game of your life....  FIGHTING HEPATITIS C.

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How does one even begin to open up or plan a playbook?  
I will share my secret or my play by play notes with you.  As this so called “Game” of my life is not one to be kept within my own team.  I want to share my victory secret plays and help you gain that control back over your life and start trudging toward that finish line or goal line.
For many, sharing their diagnosis is not something they feel comfortable doing. But I want you to seriously read what I am writing here and try to put a few of these tips into action in your own life.
First ~ It starts with those closest to you. Your spouse, your children, your parents, a best friend or even a co-worker or neighbor. Choose someone that you know will be accepting and helpful and not someone who you feel you will be afraid to share about hep C with.  Share with them your health diagnosis. Have informational material ready to help you explain what hep C is and how it can be contracted.  I have you do this not as a coming out of the closest type thing but for that emotional support you will need in the days coming to fight hep C. 
Ask this person or persons (the larger your support the better) to join a few online private support groups for hepatitis C with you. Together you both/all can learn all there is about the disease and the effects it has on the body. It might even help them understand you better if you have been acting strange (brain fog, fatigued, tired, joint pain etc). It will give them a better way to know how to help you.  Whether it be emotional support, or physical support helping you manage your muscle and joint pain.  
You don’t need to get into the reasons of how you contracted Hepatitis C unless you feel comfortable sharing this. It doesn’t matter how anyone contracted the disease whether blood transfusion, IV drug use, tattoos etc... The important part is that your get your life on track and have someone there to help you hold yourself accountable. Everyone deserves to be cured....regardless.
I will admit I am not the most “healthiest” liver diet person. I love my junk food. Do I know it is bad for me?  Oh YES i do... does it keep me from eating it?  No... and here is where I ask you have that person who will help you manage that and remind you to eat healthy. Do I get totally frustrated when my daughter speaks up and says “Hey Mom, are you supposed to be eating that?”  Darn right I do...many times i will go ahead and eat whatever it was I was not supposed to be but I only eat a portion of what I really set out to eat. By having that extra loving support it helps me maintain a little bit of control. Yes I still ate the bad, not so liver friendly item, but I did not eat the whole thing...maybe only a taste.  After all we do need to “treat” ourselves a little at a time (within reason).  I am not talking alcoholic beverages here or illicit drug use.  Those things I will share in BOLD PRINT... ARE NEVER OK to eat or use again.  And in case you scanned over what I just wrote....  DO NOT EVER TAKE ANOTHER DRINK OR USE DRUGS if you are fighting a liver disease.
What I am talking about is general food items like potato chips, fried foods, sugary things.  
I have you get this close personal team player so that you have someone that can assist you with remembering things, medication, doctor appointments etc.  As the disease progresses the more the liver is not filtering the toxins from our brains causing a brain fog effect. Here is where we get dazed and lose the ability to remember things, and this person will be there to help steer you back in and guide your thoughts.
For those who say “ Kim, I just don’t have anyone to help me. I am afraid to share my story, my diagnosis.”  I would say to you, I recommend joining an online support group full of many other people who have hepatitis C  you can search up a few that my foundation offers on line The Bonnie Morgan Foundation for HCV. Befriend someone who can be your online support and reminder.  These friendships work out well but I strongly urge everyone to find “in person” support if at all possible, as the one on one, face to face support is where you can get that hug when you need one and that tender touch to rub your painful legs.  
But no matter what way you find that close confidant person to be there for support, this is that starting point. Find that person you trust.
Next I will share the next step in your game plan to fight hep C.  In meantime, I am here to remind you to EAT healthy liver friendly food (fruits and veggies)  We will get you to that finish line one game plan at a time. 
“Not without a FIGHT!~HCV~(c)”