cheers Alan, i would love to tour pharma factory too! (always loved, as a kid, to visit factories)

be careful on that high heat!

Good on ya Alan. Good to hear that the best laid plans do indeed pan out!! Keep on keepin' on.

Thanks everyone for the nice replies. As my good friends Shep and JoAnne can attest, we pulled through this as a team. I guess we will always feel like family.

The visit to Roche in Florence, SC was incredible. I arrived fifteen minutes early, as is my custom, and was greeted by a smiling guard who gave me accurate instructions and wished me well. Strange, I thought. Then when I pulled up to my building there was a lady standing on the sidewalk, smiling. It was the lady who had set the whole trip up for me. We walked inside and everyone I saw smiled and nodded a quick hello as I passed. It was then it finally dawned on me... these folks all knew I was coming, and were happy to see me.

I toured the entire plant, even wearing protective clothing, safety glasses, rubber gloves, beard and hair nets, a hardhat, the works. There were sticky mats at the doors to get the dirt from the bottoms of your shoes. Being a techy, geeky sort of person, I must have looked like a kid in a candy store. There was so much to see and learn about, and the people loved explaining it. I had lunch with the Employee Council, then spoke to their All Hands Assembly in the afternoon. They listened attentively and asked meaningful questions. It was awesome. Afterwards we all went outside in the hot, South Carolina summer, for a party with drinks, treats, burgers 'n dogs, lemon squares (my favorite), plenty of shade and lots of visiting. Then one of the emplyees drove his dragster up to the party for all of us to sign the body of the car. He was going to race it, with all our signatures on, in a couple of weeks.

So all in all, it was a great experience.

And the cycling continues, big time. Adam (grandson) and I ride regularly, even in the unusual heat we are having. We have not done another century since June 1, but we have made a few 40-milers and many short runs. Life is good.

Hang in there, slayers.

Alan

Wow Alan, thats great! I was hoping to do my first century this year with the diabetes ride, but thought that it might be too much stress on my body since it was my first day of treatment as well. I did 75 miles last year and I WILL do my century next year! 

Alan,    way-to-go!    Your strength-stamina-energy-drive never ceases to amaze!    If there was a way to sell that, you'd be rich. 

Alan, So proud of you and your grandson!
Oh what a ray of hope you were for me and so
Many others during tx. I am 7 weeks post
And feel human again...zombie is gone.
You helped me in so many ways.
Glad you
Shared this great news to give us hope!
I will get my 3 months VL test July 17th!
I couldn't be happier for you.
Lots of us finishing into post tx.
Big hug to you CHAMP!!

Thank's for the update, gives us hope. I am done in 2 and half weeks of 48..Whew ,that's a century run there.

Hi Alan, great that you`re doing so well one year post.  You amazed us all last year doing the bike tour when you were still on tx, and you continue to inspire!

Your visit to the Genentec/Roche plant sounds like it will be interesting, and I`m sure you`ll be an excellent patient representative after going through tx yourself and travelling along the same path with others here.

Carry on enjoying post tx life to the full, and enjoy all the good times you share with your grandson!

I finished a 36-week treatment (Incivek for twelve weeks then just peg/riba for 24 more) last July. Got my SVR late January this year. Last June I rode in the MS 150 Bike Tour for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. After 63 miles on the Saturday run, I gave myself a Pegasys injection at the camp site. I didn't ride much on Sunday at all. This past weekend I again rode in the event. I did a 100-mile course on Saturday, in blazing heat and high winds. There was no Pegasys shot this year. On Sunday I grabbed another quick 30 miles just to work the kinks out. My grandson was right with me the whole weekend, and he actually finished his first complete "century" (100 miles in one day). We are both pumped up, and extremely happy about the outcome.

This is to demonstrate that there is life after treatment if you hang in there and stay positive. Just did an ultrasound and I see the nurse practitioner on Thursday. She says the results look good. But I always have to go in for a visit after tests.

At the end of June I have been invited to tour the Genentec/Roche plant and speak to the employees about my treatment and how I used their product. I will mention my friends in this forum as I describe the difficult task of ridding the body of the Hep C pest.

Alan