Week 15 - Blown Up To 3 Metres High And Put On Public Display!
I have just come from a photo-shoot at the studio of photographer Michele Martinoli. She was taking a black and white photographic portrait of me for a forthcoming Hepatitis C Awareness Exhibition. Michele is a photographer who is also HepC+ and has done a series of portraits of others who are HepC+ for this exhibition. When we talked a little about HepC and treatment Michele expressed surprise that I am currently on treatment - you don’t look like you are on treatment. I was surprised enough I forgot to ask how she usually can tell or why I don’t look like I’m on treatment! I will the next time I see her.
I also met Nick Green, who is also HepC+ and a lecturer in Education from Derby University; he was recently interviewed about Hepatitis C for the Evening Telegraph of Derby. (You can read that interview by clicking here). He has recently started, and stopped, treatment twice - he is hoping to begin again in April. From what he said I guess he is in quite a lot of ongoing pain and discomfort with symptoms. (I feel like I am talking about his information ‘behind his back’ but I know Nick will read this - he commented he had seen my blog, and I hope I am not misrepresenting him in any way!) Nick said he hadn’t met other HepC+ people since he was diagnosed, so I experienced again that ‘frisson’ of discovering other individuals in the world who understand what it’s like to live with this virus. I also met his wife (whose name I have forgotten - put it down to age or brain-fog, with my apologies!) who is obviously committed to caring for Nick - and is also ‘going through treatment’ too (in the way I have referred to Carol doing).
I was both excited and nervous about going to this photo-shoot. Excited to be meeting two more HepC+ people. Nervous because I know the photograph taken today of my face will be blown up to 3 metres high and put on public display! In Leicester Square in the middle of London for two days next month - as part of the Hepatitis C Awareness Campaign.
I will write more details about the event nearer the time. The exhibition will be portraits of people living with HepC, including that of David Marks of the Beach Boys. He will open the two day exhibition on 16 March in Leicester Square. There are plans for the exhibition to travel to other UK cities in the near future.
February 27th, 2005 at 7:05 pm
Hi Ron,
Regarding hemochromatosis which you mention. I too suffer from this as well as hep C. It is a genetic condition where the body does not rid itself of excess iron in the blood. This iron builds up primarily in the liver, causing liver damage if treatment is not initiated soon enough. It can also build up around the kidneys and the heart. It is a surprisingly common genetic disorder but often goes undiagnosed. Symptoms do not usually show until the person is around forty. The treatment is venesection,which is the removal at intervals of weeks or months, of a unit of blood, until the iron level drops. It is not an infection. http://www.ghsoc.org/home.html will take you to the Hemochromatosis Society UK.
Fighting on through here, hope everybody else on treatment is not having too hard a time of it. All the very best to all. Christine.
P.S. Excuse any awful spelling, wish there was a spell check!!
February 28th, 2005 at 8:43 am
Hi Ron,
Michelle is an excellent photographer, you are lucky to have the opportunity to be under her lens. I will be in London on 18th March and will nip over to Leicester Square to take a look at the picture.
Jonathan
March 2nd, 2005 at 5:00 pm
Hello Jonathan
The hepatitis C photography exhibition on Leicester Square will be on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th March from 9am to 7pm daily.
Regards BC
March 7th, 2005 at 1:00 pm
Hi Christine
Thank you for the information on hemochromatosis (I too wish there was a spellchecker on this software!). Perhaps it’s not as unusual as I thought to come across the combination of HepC and hemochromatosis!
I know you started your treatment in January - hope you are doing well with it.
All the best
Ron