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Author Topic: I'm a Guinea Pig Again  (Read 4013 times)

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Offline Basquo

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,385
I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« on: December 18, 2012, 09:48:17 am »
It was confirmed yesterday that I'll be going back to Boston to participate in studies at the Ragon Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. Nice to be invited back to the "Boston Blood Club," but it's a bit more involved this time around. I'll be going for 4 days this time, to give blood three times, along with urine, stool and skin cell samples, as well as endoscopy and colonoscopy with tissue specimens. I don't give up eating for just anything, and I'm damn sure not looking forward to airline travel on the bowel prep day before the scopes, so I'm really hoping that we're closer to a cure for it!

Even though they've got plenty planned for me, there will still be some time to explore Boston some more. They put me up in the Holiday Inn next to MGH, which is close to some good restaurants and a train station. I'm definitely eating a lobster while I'm there. Maybe two. I wonder if POZ would be interested in an article on my experience. Do you think that would make an interesting read? Maybe take a comedic spin on everything but drive it home to the hopeful promise of research at the end?

Offline Anqueetas

  • Member
  • Posts: 116
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2012, 10:05:14 am »
I deeply glad that people like you are taking part of something great like this.
ARS, hospitalized for very high fever-July 2011
diagnosed HIV positive - October 16 2011
CD4 460 19.5% VL 49000 - late October 2011
CD4 625 19.5% VL 50030 - January 2012
CD4 369 19% VL 69000 - March 2012
Start Sustiva+ Truvada - April 17 2012
CD4 524 24.5% VL UD - August 22 2012
Switch to Nevirapine+Truvada
CD4 490 26% VL UD - November 2012
CD4 539 29% VL UD - February 2013
CD4 621 28% VL UD - May 2013

Offline Jmarksto

  • Member
  • Posts: 667
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2012, 02:17:49 pm »
Hey Basquo;

I also appreciate your participation.

It sounds like you are pretty familiar with Boston, but a few less known "gems" I found there were the glass flower museum and gem museum at Harvard.

Wish you the best,

JM
03/15/12 Negative
06/15/12 Positive
07/11/12 CD4 790          VL 4,000
08/06/12 CD4 816/38%   VL 49,300
08/20/12 Started Complera
11/06/12 CD4   819/41% VL 38
02/11/13 CD4   935/41% VL UD
06/06/13 CD4   816/41% VL UD
10/28/13 CD4 1131/45% VL 25
02/25/14 CD4   792/37% VL UD
07/09/14 CD4 1004/39% VL UD
11/03/14 CD4   711/34% VL UD
03/13/15 CD4   833/36% VL UD
04/??/15 Truvada & Tivicay
06/01/15 CD4 1100/50% VL UD
10/16/15 CD4   826/43% VL UD
??/??/2017 Descov & Tivicay
2017 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850
2018 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850

Offline buginme2

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,426
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2012, 03:00:33 pm »
You dont say what the study is for.  Is it HIV related?
Don't be fancy, just get dancey

Offline Basquo

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,385
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2012, 08:10:07 pm »
The studies are HIV-related. The blood draws are part of the ongoing Long-Term Non-Progressor studies, and from what I gather, the GI scopes are related to nausea in HIV+ people. I just today got and haven't read the info on the skin and stool samples but I'm sure it's to do with HIV.

Santi and I saw the glass flowers when we were in Boston for AMG 2009. I remember we say lots of rocks and minerals but I don't remember seeing "gems" as in "jewels." He couldn't care less about diamonds and the like (unlike me!)

Looking forward to Chinatown. He has commanded me to go back to a fabric store we found and buy more heavy silk. I want something with pandas on it. I've also thought about trying my feet at ice-skating.

Offline WillyWump

  • Member
  • Posts: 7,367
  • EPIC FIERCENESS!
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2012, 08:35:40 pm »
Way to go Creighton! I too appreciate your participation in the study, really cool.

Have a good time back in Boston. I think Jody, Curtis and I went and saw the rocks at Harvard too, I dont really remember any Gems either but it was cool.

I dont know about the Ice skating, seems a bit dangerous. Shouldnt you let sleeping dogs lie and all that...not poke a hornets nest? ;)
POZ since '08

Last Labs-
11-6-14 CD4- 871, UD
6/3/14 CD4- 736, UD 34%
6/25/13 CD4- 1036, UD,
2/4/13, CD4 - 489, UD, 28%

Current Meds: Prezista/Epzicom/ Norvir
.

Offline Jmarksto

  • Member
  • Posts: 667
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2012, 04:55:48 pm »
The Harvard collection is a Mineral and Gem collection, although most of the gems are generally left uncut (not a reference to circumcision), or are sliced open and really look like minerals or rocks.

Another Boston site that has been recommended to me, although I have yet to visit, is the Isabella Steward Gardner museum.

JM
03/15/12 Negative
06/15/12 Positive
07/11/12 CD4 790          VL 4,000
08/06/12 CD4 816/38%   VL 49,300
08/20/12 Started Complera
11/06/12 CD4   819/41% VL 38
02/11/13 CD4   935/41% VL UD
06/06/13 CD4   816/41% VL UD
10/28/13 CD4 1131/45% VL 25
02/25/14 CD4   792/37% VL UD
07/09/14 CD4 1004/39% VL UD
11/03/14 CD4   711/34% VL UD
03/13/15 CD4   833/36% VL UD
04/??/15 Truvada & Tivicay
06/01/15 CD4 1100/50% VL UD
10/16/15 CD4   826/43% VL UD
??/??/2017 Descov & Tivicay
2017 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850
2018 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850

Offline wolfter

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,470
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2012, 06:01:26 pm »
I think it'd be great if you could write an article to be published here.  Thanks for participating, perhaps you hold the key for all of us? ;)

Wolfie
Being honest is not wronging others, continuing the dishonesty is.

Offline emeraldize

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,397
Re: I'm a Guinea Pig Again
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2012, 06:08:19 pm »
Thanks Basquo!!!

 


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