Hep C & Me: Kaz’s Story One bad decision and living with the after-effects Let me introduce myself: my name is Karen Dean. I have been living with hepatitis C, genotype 1, for 21 years. I don’t believe it’s ever really that important to ask how someone contracted hepatitis C, as we all know there are a number of ways by which this insidious disease has become an epidemic. I have tattoos, but no, it wasn’t contracted from those. I have never had a blood transfusion, so that only leaves one likely possibility for my infection. Yes—I shared one needle one time with someone when I was only 26. I had been raised in what one would call a perfect home environment. We were taught morals and all the good things in life. We—I have 3 sisters—were always able to approach our parents, who were concerned for our well-being, to talk about anything that was on our minds. At the age of 18, working full-time as a computer operator, I would enjoy drinks with my colleagues. I also was an active sports player. Again, again it was a social environment, and we would arrange parties and get-togethers where the alcohol ran freely. I was a normal, wellbalanced young lady whose only possible bad habits were smoking cigarettes and drinking (not that I see
drinking as a bad habit, as long as it isn’t one!). I married a man from the tennis club, and he was a lovely guy. Paul was straight and, I came to realise as time went on, unfortunately a little nonadventurous and boring. I left him and within six months had met man who would become the father of my children. I had no idea he was a heroin addict. We travelled for months and had a ball seeing Australia. When we arrived back to Adelaide I was pregnant with my first son. Unfortunately, it was at this time that he told me he used heroin, socially, from time to time. “Oh well,” I said, “that’s your business, and I don’t judge you for that.” Later, I found I was making many judgements. I lost everything of value, and ended with no credit rating. That’s the trivial part of the story, though, because the one time I watched him inject himself with heroin I was fascinated, and I asked if I could have some. I’ve always been one of those people who would try anything once. Well, once was all it took. Though he knew he had hepatitis C, he still shared a needle with me. I was young and naive and I’d had no education regarding drugs or sharing needles.
Above: some of the most recent postings to Kaz’s video blog on Youtube: see www.youtube.com/user/ TheKazdean1965 That’s all in the past now. I was offered the opportunity to go on interferon 10 years ago, but unfortunately the man I was involved with at the time was very against any kind of treatment like that, and he had me brainwashed
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