Following last week’s comment about him from Michael’s Consultant at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Andrew explains the technique that he and Michael use to ensure that Michael takes his HIV meds every day. Continue reading medication adherence: our technique
Positive results from the clinic on how Andrew has helped change how I am coping with living with HIV. Continue reading a mark of 8% is good news, and next to zero is even better…
And so once again I am not well. The persistent cough and cold has not gone away. Despite the use of decongestant and chest rub, I am told by Andrew that it is getting worse. Therefore we are off up to the RVH again this afternoon. Will report back when we know more. The best update is that the Meds have been taken every day. So that is good news. Continue reading when you’re ill, take it easy
As we begin a new year, many think about the things that they can decide to do in the new year. For me some of these have already been decided. Some are very private, others are much more public.
Two of mine are ones that I want to tell you about. Continue reading “meditation: meds and myself…”
Well, I had hoped to get into town, collect some red ribbons from The HIV Support Centre and get up to another meeting today, but this was not meant to be. I obviously needed my sleep – I slept mostly until 1.30pm. So much so that friends were becoming concerned. I’m intending on going into Queen’s University Belfast Students’ Union to watch Rent. It will be the only time that I will be out and about today. But at least I am still here. Taking my meds – though in the excitement I had forgotten yesterday and had to jump … Continue reading WAD2010 – another day being unwell
Up to the Royal Victoria Hospital again this afternoon for my, now standard, weekly check up. First the results: Viral Load 5 October 2010 – 250 21 October 2010 – 1,100 11 November 2010 – 8300 CD4 count Don’t have dates but it is 110 and 6% – so that is all much of a muchness. What these results mean For those of you who have been reading this blog since the beginning, this will be obviously not the best thing at all. With the viral load rising, and me taking the anti-retrovirals it seems that some drug has failed. … Continue reading 1, 2, 3, and an apology
It’s another week, and I’ve not had anything put up on this blog for ages, but it’s not because nothing has been happening – quite the opposite in fact. Life has been moving on. I have been working away and getting on with various things. However, last weekend I felt a bump on the back of my neck, and on Thursday I fought through the rain, gale force winds and awful traffic to make it up to the Gay Men’s clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. I thought it was probably a recurrence of the now dreaded PVL-MRSA … Continue reading Another week, more treatment, lots of support
It’s been quite a while since I posted here. The main reason was that everything came to a head at the end of March, and I ended up being admitted to hospital with an abscess caused by MRSA. This was actually quite a good thing as this resulted in a number of things happen. Whilst in hospital: I restarted my antiretrovirals (Truvada and Viramune) the abscess was drained my clinical psychologist arrived down (instead of me going to visit him) my social worker arrived came in to talk about what would happen next there was a referral to the Psychiatric … Continue reading May 1, 2010
Well it is nearly eleven months since I found out that I was living with HIV. Yesterday, I was up at the HIV clinic once more. Results CD4= 160%, 8% Viral Load = 60,000 On diagnosis, my CD4 count was 100, but my Viral Load was 29,000. Meds With the news that my viral load was more than double what it was when I was diaganosed – I rethought the issue of medication and was prescribed the same combination as the last lot I tried. That is, Viramune and Truvada. I took them last thing at night last night and … Continue reading February 24
A year ends… It is the last day of the year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Nine, the year that will go down in my life as being the year in which I was diagnosed HIV positive. The year that everything changed. Whether the change is for the worse or better is still to be worked out in my life. …and more drugs From Sunday night I have been suffering from pains in my chest and continued joint pain together with a headache. I’ve hardly been able to eat anything. And some nights I’ve been shivering. Eventually, like usual, … Continue reading December 31 – Final Day of 2009
Gyronny Herald 