Hi guys, my name is Kathy and I'm from South Carolina, USA. I'm 57, widowed, currently unemployed- broke busted and disgusted, lol, sorry, normally a very positive person I've become unbearably cynical lately, I'm workin' on it. Anyhow, I was diagnosed the end of Sept., 2011 after having four flares between June and then. My primary interests are in animals and art. I worked for many years (18) in animal research and then another10 years or so as a farm manager, (llamas), and as a vet tech. I also have Hep C so the plan for my treatment is that I'm on 60 mg prednisone now and awaiting (hopefully) a freebie on the Rituximab. If I had one concern to ask others it is how the news of this disease was received by family members. Mine are completely ignoring it, and it really hurts, I feel so alone, at this point I don't know if I'm taking it too seriously or they are just not. I've come to think that the best thing for me is to just to let it go due to the stress it's causing me, I hate asking for any kind of help and definitly never expect anything from anyone.