This past week was terribly heart breaking for me. My friend, my best friend for 8 years Royal Whitehead was lost this week. He had had HepC, probably jailhouse tattoo infected close to 30 years ago but refuse the old interferon treatment. When in 2012, the year I joined the Hepatitis C Family and Friends Support Group following my Carla's HepC death in Dec 2008 Royals HepC health issues became serious leaving him unable to work and homeless. I couldn't see my friend and his dog Patches living on the street so they moves in with me and my dog. Then in 2014 when Harvoni was FDA approved I convinced him to start treatment. He cured with 12 weeks treatment but having stage 4 cirrhosis at EOT. 2 years post treatment he had improved to stage 2. But then he started back drinking heavily again and I've no doubt his liver was affected and returned to stage 4. We all tried to convince him to quit but with no luck and he became using IV methamphetamine and heroin use. He got his own place a few months ago and he continued his downward spiral. The on this past Wednesday he was found dead in his living room. Sadly no matter how hard you try, drugs and alcohol can take the best of us.
Forever my friend
Royal William Whitehead
1/3/1963-3/31/2020