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Author Topic: My August Column.  (Read 5628 times)

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Offline Moffie65

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,755
  • Living POZ since 1983
My August Column.
« on: August 30, 2006, 11:51:09 am »
Our local paper, the Sierra Vista Herald, svherald.com did not make it to the internet, so in the interest of those of you who have requested to see this column on a regular basis, I have placed it here out of my own files in my Word program.


AIDS-Meds Gathering ’06, Montreal.

Well, so much has happened in the world of HIV in the last month, and also in the life of this columnist. 

My body has seemingly adjusted to the new medications that were causing the twenty four hour a day nausea, and now I am enjoying several days in a row of no such annoyances.   I am now looking forward to a more stable therapy for the foreseeable future.

One of the things that I do in my work with HIV/AIDS, is participate on an online forum at AIDSmeds.com.  This website is one of the only ones on the planet that is completely AIDS centric, and is owned and operated by people that are living with HIV/AIDS.  The website contains important reference material concerning drug interactions, lessons on how to deal with HIV infection, testing questions, and support forums which help people to come to some comfort and focus, living with HIV.  It is used quite heavily by Infectious Disease Doctors, and people in the work of HIV, as a resource of up to date information for the care of PLWHA.

Last year, several of the members of this website decided to make an attempt to gather together once a year, to get to know each other and establish a more physical and personal contact with the people we communicate with on a daily basis.  Through our discussions, we chose the name of “AIDS Meds Gatherings”, and this one will go down in history as AMG 06, Montreal.  Our first such gathering in 2005 was located in Toronto, and this years is just coming to a close in Montreal as I am typing this column.  The reason for the need to gather together in an offshore location is because of a very questionable and strange law that the Congress of the United States passed some years ago, that prevent people “Living with HIV/AIDS” from entering the United States for a visit of any duration.  We, and all of the scientific and medical community, know that this viral protein is not passed casually, and to focus on foreign visitors living with the virus seems a bit trite and a terrible waste of time and energy; while still ignoring the incredible spread of the virus in all of our own country.  We never the less, must take this into account, so we choose to meet in Canada to be able to be as inclusive as possible.  One of the things that is very important for you as the reader to understand, is that many of the attendees are not capable of paying their own way to attend such a gathering, so other members that are more financially able, pay for those who want to attend. 

This year, the gathering was neatly dovetailed with the conclusion of the International AIDS Conference - Toronto, with a theme of "Time to Deliver".   From that conference, one of the owners of the site gave us a very comprehensive overview of the current climate of research, testing and a basic overview of where the pandemic is going, and how some of the countries around the world are viewing the science of vaccines, therapy and prevention. 

I must say that I was very privileged and happy to be able to attend this rather laid back function where people of all nationalities, races and backgrounds come together.  One of the attendees, who I have been helping in the “ways of HIV Activism” since about November of last year, is Loreen Willenberg.  That name might just ring a bell with you as her story has been picked up by CNN, The Washington Post and over twenty other world wide news outlets.  She has been living with this disease for 14 years now, but her immune system is one of the very few on the globe that is capable of fighting off the virus, and has not progressed to advanced AIDS.   She is enrolled in a Boston study that is looking at the nature of these people on a genetic level, and most of the scientific and medical world is fairly sure that these people hold the absolute key to understanding not only the disease, but the solution for a cure and development of a vaccine.  Look for more news in the near future about this very revolutionary study, and this very interesting lady.

On a final note, BLAST and the NAACP are planning the first ever AIDS Walk here in Sierra Vista.  It is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 21, in Tompkins Park, from 7:00am to 12:00noon.  Be there, and make a difference for the men and women in our community that are now Living with HIV/AIDS.


For those of you from around the world, BLAST stands for BorderLand AIDS Services Team, the organization I founded and now help direct, and the NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.  I hope you enjoyed this column and in the future I will be placing my column here, whether or not they place it on their website.  They are not a huge paper and they don't place all content on the web due to their web space contstricts.

In Love and Support



[attachment deleted by admin]
The Bible contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals,
and 362 to heterosexuals.
This doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals,
It's just that they need more supervision.
Lynn Lavne

Offline Christine

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,069
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2006, 06:40:07 pm »
Hi Tim,
That was a good article. Thanks for posting it! Also glad to hear your belly problems are resolving.
Christine
Poz since '93. Currently on Procrit, Azithromax, Pentamidine, Valcyte, Levothyroxine, Zoloft, Epzicom, Prezista, Viread, Norvir, and GS-9137 study drug. As needed: Trazodone, Atavan, Diflucan, Zofran, Hydrocodone, Octreotide

5/30/07 t-cells 9; vl 275,000

Offline jkinatl2

  • Member
  • Posts: 6,007
  • Doo. Dah. Dipp-ity.
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2006, 06:55:18 pm »
Once more, I am inspired by a true hero.

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

-Kimberly Page-Shafer, PhD, MPH

Welcome Thread

Offline Eldon

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,664
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2006, 08:10:15 pm »
Moffie, Excellent article, it was well written.

Offline Quarter Horse

  • Member
  • Posts: 77
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2006, 08:39:09 pm »
Tim,

Thanks for sharing!
Brian
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: IT GOES ON.

Robert Frost

Offline Moffie65

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,755
  • Living POZ since 1983
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2006, 09:50:24 pm »
Thanks guys.  I think it is obvious that I enjoy this opportunity, and I am already working on next months, as I have heard some very disturbing news from our own hospital here, in their penchant for refusing service to those living with HIV.  You must also know that those kinds of things just grate my last nerve, so I am looking into it as we speak.

IN Love and Thanks.
The Bible contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals,
and 362 to heterosexuals.
This doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals,
It's just that they need more supervision.
Lynn Lavne

Offline Eldon

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,664
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2006, 09:58:24 pm »
Moffie,

Does the hospital have such a right to turn away HIV patients? That is disturbing news. Please keep us updated on this one.



Have the BEST Day.

Offline Jeffreyj

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,403
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2006, 10:38:30 pm »
Moff.., great job on the article, and congrats on that first Aids Walk! That is awesome!
Positive since 1985

Offline IzPoz

  • Member
  • Posts: 332
  • God, grant me the serenity...
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2006, 11:06:07 pm »
Awesome article, Tim!!  I can't wait to see the next one, and hear the feedback from the hospital, lol.
The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly. ~ Chesterton G. K.

Offline Robert

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,658
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2006, 12:37:02 am »
great article tim.  i'm glad it got there in time.

robert
..........

Offline Moffie65

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,755
  • Living POZ since 1983
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2006, 06:55:55 am »
Thanks again all.

I cannot say too much just yet about this hospital and their unorthidox operating policies, as I am still digging up stuff to look into and finding people that I can talk to about this unbelieveable standard.  I don't want to mess up any opportunity to shake the board of directors up, but be assured, I will keep you posted on this and report back to you when I get the chance.  In the State of Arizona, they are given a license to practice medicine, and with that, the responsibility to serve the whole community.  All I can say at this point is that this is going to be fun, and I will have to resurect my suits and ties.

Thanks for all of you who give a damn about the clients here who are being abused and neglected.

In Love.
The Bible contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals,
and 362 to heterosexuals.
This doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals,
It's just that they need more supervision.
Lynn Lavne

Offline Biggums

  • Member
  • Posts: 199
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2006, 10:18:03 am »
Good work Tim, you're my role model.  Sorry haven't been in touch more lately.
44 year old gay man .......just broke up with the only man I've ever really loved.

You can love completely without complete understanding.

Offline Teresa

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,755
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2006, 01:25:45 pm »
Tim,

Again, you amaze me!

Love and Big Hugs
Teresa
Hubby HIV+ 5/5/06
CD4:320
  %: 26.7
 VL: <20
Atripla (started it 8/24/06)

Offline emeraldize

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,397
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2006, 10:39:54 am »
Hi Tim. What a good thing to read this morning. Thank you for posting it. Anne

Offline aztecan

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,530
  • 36 years positive, 64 years a pain in the butt
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2006, 11:05:26 am »
Hey Tim,
I just read the column. Well done! Reminds of my old days, which I still find I miss from time to time.

Sounds funny to say I just read the column, since I was with you in Montreal when you sent it. But, as you can probably understand, things were hectic upon my return.

Anyway, keep up the good work and let us know what happens with the hospital issue.

HUGS,

Mark
"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline fearless

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,191
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #15 on: September 01, 2006, 12:27:34 pm »
Tim,
You truly are a hero.
But, through no fault of yours, your spirit and fight makes me feel inadequate and unworthy.
steve
Be forgiving, be grateful, be optimistic

Offline Jeffreyj

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,403
Re: My August Column.
« Reply #16 on: September 02, 2006, 05:32:27 am »
Go Get EM TIM I can't wait to see more! You are "the man" ...I know if anyone can nail them it's you!!!
Positive since 1985

 


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