A letter to myself Hepatitis C (Hep C) Blog-Post

Diary Post

Dear Ian,

So pleased to hear your good news; that you’ve finally been put forward for a liver transplant.

I know that options are limited and no-one would envy your situation, but this really is your last best hope. Try to look at it in the same way you once looked at life; a rare opportunity that should be seized and enjoyed to the full. That’s what made you so much fun to be around in the good old days!

Life can be a dirty game sometimes. Who could have foreseen you getting hep c during the heady days of your youth? Who would’ve believed that it would tear down the life you built for you and your beautiful family almost 25 years later?

You’re probably weary of it all at the moment, but that’s just the virus, not you! We both know that when they’ve finished ‘patching you up’, you’ll feel as good as new. Remember that song by Iggy Pop you used to love so much - Lust for Life, it was your anthem and will be again.

Don’t let the operation worry you too much, after all, what have YOU got to lose, if it’s your life then remember someone has all ready paid that price in order for you to prevail. Don’t let that be in vain.

If you believe in an afterlife (and I’m not sure you do), then at least I know that you wouldn’t be judged too harshly. To my mind, I believe you have acted always with the best of intentions at all times. Life just ‘skews’ things sometimes, however well meant.

If you don’t believe in religion as such, then believe in the people that you would leave behind. They have given you their love and their trust unconditionally; you owe it to them to give it your best shot.

I know you will have learned many cruel lessons from all of this but everything happens for a reason. It’s just change and change is a good thing that should be embraced. You should know by now to have a little faith and that it will be OK in the end.

If life is a roller coaster of highs and lows, then no doubt about it, you’re in a bit of a dip at moment. But boy, have you had some highs!

And if when you get to the end the line I ask if you’d like to go round again, I know you’d look at me with that same wide eyed anticipation you had as a young boy and say “Yes please!” and not change a thing.



Ian, just keep on doing what you’re doing, the rest will sort itself out.

p.s. She would never have slept with you in a million years if she knew
what I know about you!