Since Austin’s story ran well over 6,000 words, there were parts I left out, one of which is how he contracted Hepatitis C from sharing needles back in his drug-using days.
Austin started his treatment for Hep C the weekend of our last interview. The good news: Hep C can be cured. The bad news: like how Austin met God, the road to the cure often runs through hell, in the form of horrible symptoms similar to what chemo patients experience.
Austin has to take 7 pills a day that work with his weekly shots of interferon. Interferon is a chemical already in our bodies that fights diseases. For example, when you have the flu, it’s not the flu that actually makes you sick — it’s the interferon in your body fighting the flu. So Austin is basically injecting himself with more interferon to combat the Hep C, which is a blood disease that attacks the liver.
The stuff usually makes patients sick for half the week. It’s bad. Austin was dreading it.
The first night Austin gave himself the shot, he felt sick.
He hasn’t felt sick a day since then.
“God’s good,” he says, grinning.”It’s just amazing that I feel normal.”
