Category: Support

Adherence, HIV, Support2 Comments

WAD2010 – another day being unwell

hivblogger

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

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HIV, Support1 Comment

ending the stigma: guts needed to tackle it head on

hivblogger

World AIDS Day 2010 It’s World AIDS Day 2010 today, another year has gone past, those of us living with HIV are still here – and still the stigma is being broken by some of us that are courageous enough to tell our friends, our family, and other people that we are here, living with HIV. “Coming Out” That’s right – telling others. So, today, I’m ‘coming out’ publicly on this blog as to who I am. Complete with photo. Unsurprisingly given my job and other interests, I was at a political conference a few weeks ago. I was talking … Continue reading ending the stigma: guts needed to tackle it head on

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DVD, Music, Support2 Comments

When I go… will they cry?

hivblogger

Last night was difficult – I’m not quite sure why, but it was. I was watching the last episode of Series 1 of Queer As Folk (American version) with my friend Andrew. Right at the end of this episode is the scene where Justin Taylor, played so excellently by Randy Harrison, ends up as the victim in a vicious homophobic attack. Justin is taken to hospital, and there is a lot of crying, not just on screen – but in the audience. I said something then that I possibly shouldn’t have. But I’m repeating it now to see what others … Continue reading When I go… will they cry?

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Adherence, CD4 count, Drugs, HIV, PVL-MRSA, SupportLeave a comment

Another week, more treatment, lots of support

hivblogger

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

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Drugs, HIV, SupportLeave a comment

it wasn't like it is in the porn films…

hivblogger

It’s about twenty-four hours since I went into hospital as there was blood and pus oozing from an abscess, and the doctor on call told me to head for the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. So, BelDoc told me to go to Accident and Emergency, so a friend of my boyfriend came over from north Belfast to east Belfast to take us to west Belfast and the RVH, I suspect that we did make it into south Belfast at some point but I’m not quite sure of the constituency boundaries. Once there, I reported on my predicament: having attended the … Continue reading it wasn't like it is in the porn films…

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Adherence, Drugs, Food, HIV, Recipes, Support1 Comment

May 1, 2010

hivblogger

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

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HIV, Support1 Comment

September 12 – coping or not

hivblogger

It’s Saturday afternoon. Away with the local support centre. It’s a great weekend. But I’m realising how I’ve not accepted nor am I coping with my diagnosis. I walked out of a discussion group. My outlook on life has always been too different. This weekend is just proving it. I want to run away. Just to leVe here and hide. I like the weather. Even lying in the sun. But I don’t want to talk about HIV. Continue reading September 12 – coping or not

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SupportLeave a comment

August 30

hivblogger

Last night was one of the worst since diagnosis. But today has been much better. The support that I’ve received over the last few months has been made even clearer in the actions of others today. Kr- texted to check I was ok after last night. K. also contacted me to check we were mates still after our falling out yesterday. And S. made in clear he was worried about me. And today’s BBQ was great. Awful weather but great friends. Thank you to all of them. A., S., S., P., N., B., T., T., J., and R.! Continue reading August 30

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Drugs, Support, UncategorizedLeave a comment

August 28

hivblogger

It’s some time since I have posted on here. But the events of last night really do need recorded. Five Hours of a Meeting I was at a meeting last night which lasted five hours – but it was reasonably productive depsite starting to cover ground that is not this year’s committee’s responsibility. Then two of us decided that it would be a good idea to head for a pint. Everything goes awry OK, so I shouldn’t be drinking alcohol whilst taking Citalopram, but I was planning only to have one pint. I say planning, because as with all best … Continue reading August 28

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