A wee shout out to all hep c sufferers past and present.

[cityman62]

Its the dreaded cityman poem again.Not to anyone in particular,to my friends,but also to ghosts too.

To All who came this way.

Sold on past failure,newly flushed with success,

my little apricot friend,

I genufluct,prostrate,truly bless.

The slavering beast,I can now forfend

his aimless thrash and cruel rend

thwarted,retarded,finally gainsaid

it comes to this,the fiend lies broken-slayed.

there were others too-they took this track,

Faced with hopeless odds,they were torn on the rack.

the cure was noisome,their future hung grey,

Poisoned with goodwill,few decided to stay.

the Bastard of the past is the child of the future,

Yesteryears poison sore is todays pure white suture.

many came before and battled with fire

we tiptoe over their wasted bones,

truly, they are our Sire.

[Tatjana]

Hi Cityman, things have not been the same without you. This poem is amazing. As I understand it your little "Apricot Friend is H? Am I one of the "others" who took this track? Are you saying that the "fiend" is broken is HCV? Does 'noisome" mean  unpleasant? If so please explain because I think I can identify with this. 

Is the 'poison sore' Interferon?  

Can you explain the last sentence as I think I have brain fog. 

I think what you are saying is that your HCV is undetectable!  XX  

[liveronmymind in reply to Tatjana]

It's a great poem and like all great poems open to the readers interpretation! On second reading I thought that the apricot friend must mean the hep C medication which is working wheras in the past treatments for hep C failed hence hes addressing the ghosts who came this way. Great poem no less than to be expected from Cityman!

[Tatjana in reply to liveronmymind]

That is what I put above, the little Apricot friend is Harvoni (hep C treatment) that is the colour of the tablet sort of.  That was 12 days ago.  Now all I want to know is where it the poet????

[liveronmymind in reply to Tatjana]

Yes, where is he? Bring him on! He deserves some sort of whats the word? Recognition! It's truly ' awesome!' 

[cityman62 in reply to liveronmymind]

Hey!I do hope you're keeping well.My words mean nothing.But I hope they mean something to someone/somewhere too-if you see what I mean,best to you,Andy.

[liveronmymind in reply to cityman62]

They mean A LOT and will undoubtedly mean A LOT to someone/somewhere 

Best regards,

[cityman62 in reply to Tatjana]

Hey tat,glad to see you are on here still,keep well and keep trucking on xx

[rickyrocket1]

very thought provoking 

[briccolone]

worthy of the bard.....

[ballie52]

Hits a nerve cityman..well put!

[cityman62 in reply to ballie52]

Cheers,hope its all good for you too-let me know please.Best,Andy.

[liveronmymind]

I came here looking for you! I had to scroll back to find you and I haven't yet read your post but I am about to but I just thought i'd tell you that!!

[liveronmymind]

Well! Ive just read it but I am not really sure what it is about! It sounds impressive though. Somehow reminds me of TS Eliot! I will reread to see if i understand more on second reading!

[liveronmymind]

Is the apricot friend your medication? that would make sense of the poem! Did you ever see my poem? You should try and get your work published!

[liveronmymind]

I love this poem.  It expresses everything and it's so sad too, especially the last lines yet at the same time Cityman pays hommage to them. I am so pleased for him that the treatment  has worked for him and what a lovely way to broadcast it!

[Tatjana]

Are we all coming back on this forum?  That would be great!

[liveronmymind in reply to Tatjana]

Where's the poet? This feels like Hide and Seek!

[Tatjana]

Cityman you have competition,

We all know you have no inhibition,

So, exactly why are you playing this game

Hide and seek is not really your name,

When things have to be said,

You say them outright,

Some may argue and get uptight,

Whether they are near to the bone,

You don't care a damn

And the reason's easy,

Your'e our Cityman.

If we are honest, 

We have missed your poetic innuendo,

So please give this BLT forum,

 your usual crescendo!

[H1ghtower]

Is it me or does everyone on this site suddenly turn into shakespeares apprentice whenever im on. Cityman youve got alot to answer for, lol.

[Tatjana in reply to H1ghtower]

Sorry H1ghtower, I am lucky poetry comes easy to me and I did it just so that Cityman may decide to respond - how about it Cityman - Andy, please!

[liveronmymind in reply to Tatjana]

He Did!!

[cityman62 in reply to H1ghtower]

Bloody hell,so you're still alive and kicking........ Lol.

[liveronmymind in reply to H1ghtower]

H1ghtower, do you write poetry too?!

[liveronmymind]

Great poem Tatjana!  and yes! It's just not the same without him and that other lady Robs Wife.....

[liveronmymind]

Andy, where are you?

 We are all waiting for you to come on out and take a bow, along with Tatjana that is as her plea in the form of a poem was also superb! and as SHE said 

"Your'e our Cityman.

If we are honest,  

We have missed your poetic innuendo, 

So please give this BLT forum, 

your usual crescendo! " 

[cityman62]

Hi to all,thanx to all for your responses to my blatherings.I dont come on here too much these days,because I'm cured of hep c and would feel a bit of a 'pseud', commenting.My words just meant to reflect how incredibly lucky I am,and also how hard it has been/is for fellow sufferers-past and present.I include my late brother who found out far too late.And more importantly,to the thousands of other late mothers,fathers,children and siblings who all trod this miserable path with very little hope of light at the end of their endless tunnels.Heres to medical progress and keep strong all.

[liveronmymind in reply to cityman62]

We understood all this through your meaningful eloquent poem. You said it all. 

I understood and it was absolutely NOT blatherings - everything was there and I know too about your late brother and how you feel. 

Well, even though I lost my husband (hep B) I am still here reading and commenting from time to time and I still think you should remain around to inject hope to present sufferers of hep C so they know the cure is there. 

(All I can do is encourage and give advice when I feel it might be useful.....)

I still roam around as it connects me to my past, and I can't just forget. 

Hep B is a different kettle of fish to Hep C.

Please accept my heartfelt delight for you that your treatment proved successful!

[ballie52]

I am coming close to the end of treatment with Harvoni. .so far so good it's been undetectable since week 2

Hoping it will be the start of a new beginning for me and my husband. .i get what cityman is saying..having lost 5 family members from my husbands side due to this miserable deadly virus.

Cancer and 3 Transplants later my husband got cured a few yrs back and that was after a 3rd transplant and on the dreaded Interferon!

As for me cirrhosis and going down hill fast Harvoni came just in time!..a hell of a journey I'm happy to see the back of..get exactly what cityman is saying!

At last this could be the end of Hep c for most people now..sadly a lot of people lost their life along the way!

[liveronmymind in reply to ballie52]

That's what Citymans poem was all about..... that apricot friend. It must be a glorious wonderful feeling for you both to be getting rid of it .For those gone before it's really sad....

[Tatjana in reply to liveronmymind]

Yes it is a good feeling to be free of HCV.

[cityman62 in reply to ballie52]

Just like me too-I think,I needed it now pretty damn fast from my bodily symptoms,and I'm thrilled for you too,but,equally,I get incredibly angry that there are far too many people out there dying by degrees,with (literally) a time bomb ticking away in their bodies,who are being denied treatment due to locality/budget constraints/ health board local policies etc.Its been proven to be cost effective,so my attitude is give to all Now.

[H1ghtower]

Sorry, i keep losing my place....i,m not Hep C, just end A to C cirrhosis of the liver diagnosed must be almost ten years ago i think. I was told if i behaved and stopped drinking COMPLETELY i might last another couple of years and qualify for a transplant....

I hope that answers a question somewhere at least

[liveronmymind in reply to H1ghtower]

the liver is a strange mean mysterious thing. It's puts up with so much and most often gives out no symptoms until it's too late. Wait! I can feel a poem coming on...... H1tower do you write poetry?

I'm glad you were able to take care of the cirrhosis before it took care of you though!