Author Topic: new to the forums (Read 3443 times)

hopefully1 · « **on:** May 21, 2011, 04:42:38 pm »

hello to all here-i am posting for the first time here, although i have been following the forums for over a year now........my name is adam, i am in memphis tennessee. i am a hetero guy diagnosed in oct '09. i was simultaneously diagnosed with stage 4 live and bone marrow cancer. my vl was around a million and my cd4 was zero. i had just recently gone to work for myself and left the umbrella of insurance that i had with an employer of 10 years. i was immediately destitute in the eyes of the medical establishment. i was almost refused chemotherapy because the docs said i had only a few days to live, and the drugs would be wasted on me.

i got lucky and my parents fought to get me my treatments, which i survived. i was immediately put on atripla as well by my i.d. doc-a wonderful woman who originally began/organised the ryan white program here in my region...another bit of luck.

after my 6 chemo's i was deemed in full remission as well as being swithced to another med regimen for my hiv because the effects of the chemo hindered the atripla. i was changed to a combo of lexiva/norvir/sustiva/epivir.....once a day, but in higher doses than normal to offset the simultaneous chemo treatments. by the time chemo was over, i was down to 40 copies and a cd4 of around 250 or so.....which has continued to climb slowly out of the gutter ever since. i am still undetectable, and i adhere religiously to my regimen.

i have been given a crash course in matters such as ssdi, state medicaid assistance and the ryan white program-as well as learning the ins and outs of the disease itself. i have been very lucky to have suffered very few to no side effects at all from either the chemo or the hiv meds, for which i have no explanation other than luck and prayers from others.

i have had 2 very brief relationships since diagnosis, one with a poz woman and one with a neg woman. both ended for reasons related directly to hiv. i am alone and fairly isolated. i am healthy, upbeat for the most part, and lucky to be alive. i am a member of a couple of other support sites for poz folks, but i see the same issues in those places that i see in myself......isolation, quiet acceptance, support from arms length, and days empty of anything truly colorful.

this thread has no real meaning other than to introduce myself and say that i am here. i have read and re-read many of the things posted here, and i am continually amazed at the level of knowledge you all exhibit about our shared virus. oftentimes, it makes me feel as though i am not pulling my own weight as it were, for lack of a better term.

hiv services in my area are like many other rural southern areas, they are limited, almost hidden, and overrun with the poor. i also find that they are largely devoted to minorities, gay/lesbian, etc......which also tends to feed my isolation. i am a lower middle class 30 something hetero white male with 1 child, and it is not lost on me that i am in a sub-sub-set of the virus' victims.

i am not racist, sexist, or homophobic-i was raised in a very open minded if not liberal atmosphere where there is acceptance for all-so i welcome any and all who wish to comment, reach out, get to know me, whatever label fits......

i guess i am just another survivor adrift in a sea of hiv infected folks........

i suppose that's all for now-just an introduction of sorts, and a thank you to all of you who post here-your knowledge, insight, and interaction is very heartening to see-and i am sure there are plenty of folks who don't post here that quietly depend on your open sharing just as i have these past months. thank you all-

i look forward to commenting on some of your threads in the future as well as reading anything new that comes down the pipe, so to speak-

thanks for reading......Adam

Rev. Moon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:50:17 pm »

Hi Adam,

Welcome to our family forums. Glad to read that you are doing well, that was one hell of a battle that you had to fight.

Looking forward to your participation

Da Rev.

phildinftlaudy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:51:56 pm »

Welcome Adam and thanks for opening by sharing a bit about yourself.
While the reason you got here isn't the best - I'm glad that you found us. I'm sure that in your viewing of the threads on here you have found that we are a mixed bunch.

Hopefully, your experiences here will be filled with many emotions - and more importantly support.

Once again, welcome.

-Phil

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:53:33 pm »

Hi Adam, welcome to the forums. You've had an intense experience over the past (almost) two years and I'm glad to see that you've dealt with it as well as you have

hope_for_a_cure · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2011, 05:01:02 pm »

Hey Adam,

WOW - not only are you a survivor, you are a fighter and apparently a good one too. Welcome to the site and as you probably already know, you are in a good place here.

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2011, 05:19:40 pm »

HI Adam,

Welcome to the forums!

Being HIV positive can be a terribly isolating experience, moreso for people of your stripe. I've no doubt you'll find this place to be a fantastic support and source of comfort.

MtD

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2011, 05:25:08 pm »

Welcome to the forums Adam.

Your fighting spirit is evident in your story above. I'm glad you've decided to join us and I look forward to your participation in the forums.

Thomas

Solo_LTSurvivor · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2011, 05:40:03 pm »

Hi Adam,

Welcome aboard. I hope that you will discover that this place will offer whatever you may need at any given moment: lots of advice, truth, laughs - and above all else lots of love and genuine concern from people who truly care.

Looking forward to your continued participation here.

thunter34 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2011, 07:40:31 pm »

Howdy there, Adam. Welcome in.

-Tim

Jeff G · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2011, 07:48:52 pm »

Hi Adam , welcome to the forums .

littleprince · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2011, 07:56:14 pm »

Welcome Adam.

You say that yo are amazed by the wealth of knowledge of the people on here but I'm sure there are many who could benefit from the knowledge you have gained from the combo of chemo and HAART. Hope you stick around and chat with us.

Jeffreyj · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:18:48 pm »

Adam,
Wow quite the introduction. It's always nice to welcome new members to this site. You are brave and a fighter, I like those kind of people!

Welcome to the Aidsmeds forum, which I think should be re-named to The HIV fight club!

Look forward to your posts!
Jeff

emeraldize · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:56:08 pm »

Hi Adam,

Welcome. You have great parents and apparently they passed on the family's fighting genes.

Em

WillyWump · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2011, 11:00:31 pm »

Hi Adam,

Wow, just wow. What a story. My hat's off to you, you are a true fighter aren't you. We would be honored to have your presence among us.

Welcome and Hugs!

-Will

tednlou2 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2011, 01:34:46 am »

Nice to meet you, Adam. As everyone has said, you've been through hell. I'm so glad to hear you're doing so much better. I will never understand why some docs want to give up. They should never give up, and I'm glad your family pushed for your care.

I'm looking forward to hearing more from you.

wolfter · « **Reply #15 on:** May 22, 2011, 11:04:13 am »

Welcome. I hope this site provides you with as much support as it did/does for me.

Greg

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Author Topic: new to the forums (Read 3443 times)