it hasn't been easy

[Tonny2]

     ojo    Hello everyone            bear with me English is my second language ;p

It was a day like today, November 29, but in 1994, after losing around 20 pounds and later on, no being able to sleep, I decided to go to the ER...dx PCP, therefor HIV test came back +, cd4 20...I was treated with pentamedine for my PCP, after five or seven days (don't remember) I was sent back home....December was a month to recover...In January 95 went to see an ID doctor, started treatment, don't remember what treatment I started with, but I took the D's (HIVID, ZERIT, VIDEX), still dealing with the side effects (neuropathy)...for five years (95-2000) I tried everything there was, everything failed, so, I got lots of OI, 3 PCP episodes (no need to go to the hospital), MAC, MOLUSCOUS, CMV RETINITIS, due to CMV, i had lots of eye surgeries, lost my retina's right eye (bad surgery), then CMV RETINITIS started killing my optic nerve, no peripheral vision in my left eye, I just see through what doctors called "tunnel vision" and I have blurry vision due to another doctors mistake, grrr....summer 2000, I started taking KALETRA, SUSTIVA AND AGENERASE, after a month of treatment, my cd4 were 361, all my OI, MOLLOSCOUS and CMV RETINATIS, stopped, so, I did not go completely blind....summer 2005, ended up in the ER with PANCREATITIS (my third time), caused by KALETRA, so, I switched to REYATAS, NORVIR and LEXIVA, they failed too....July 2006, I got VASCULITIS (so painful, I did not eat or sleep for the pain)....went back to the doctor August 21 (my bd), doctor told me, there was no more treatments for me (resistance to Ali), so I went home to wait for an OI to kill me...October 2006, doctor called me and told me, if I wanted to participate in a program, where the pharmaceutical companies, will give some medication for free, tho, there were not approved by the FDA, I said yes, I have nothing to lose....January15 2007, I started taking, PREZISTA, NORVIR AND INTELENCE, my CD4 360, my CD4% 26 and my VL for the first time since DC, UD, that day, March15, my doctor added a new class of drug ISENTRESS, since then, 2007, till now, 2014 I have been UD and my latest numbers are: CD4 538, CD4% 26...ithis isgreat!!!  20 years of living with a new boyfriend, that goes everywhere with me, but now, it is not causing any problems, I hope and I can share another 20 years celebration with all of you...hugs    ojo

PS sorry for the long post, its been 20 years

[harleymc]

Hi Tonny
I'm glad that not-so-new boyfriend isn't causing you grief anymore.  I'm sure you'll be kicking along in another 20 years, I know I'm planning to.

Please don't leave it another 20 years to post again. Welcome to the 'they can't keep us down' party.

Hugs from Australia

[Jeff G]

Thanks for sharing Tonny. I always get the feeling from your post that the world is better place with you in it, so keep up the good fight and lets go for 40 more good years or more this time .

[Almost2late]

My god Tonny, you sure have been through a lot of shit... You are a true warrior my friend... I hope the years to come brings better days and better health for you... Wishing you the best

[mitch777]

That's quite a journey you have been on Tonny! You are a gentle but strong man.

Hope to be chatting with you for many decades to come!

[Tonny2]

Hi Tonny
I'm glad that not-so-new boyfriend isn't causing you grief anymore.  I'm sure you'll be kicking along in another 20 years, I know I'm planning to.

Please don't leave it another 20 years to post again. Welcome to the 'they can't keep us down' party.

Hugs from Australia

    ojo    Hi harleymc...I thank you for your kind words...my old boyfriend can't handle me anymore, now he is resting, I hope stays like that for a long time, lol...you will be fine, with the new drugs, this bug has become manegeble...again, I appreciate you taking the time reading and replying, now, you have made a friend with an old friend, in Ohio, USA....hugs     ojo

[Tonny2]

Thanks for sharing Tonny. I always get the feeling from your post that the world is better place with you in it, so keep up the good fight and lets go for 40 more good years or more this time .

     ojo    Thanks Jeff, you, as usual, are so kind, where is that "LIKE" button, lol...I appreciate it, like I said, it hasn't been easy, hopefully, my cocktail keeps working, otherwisw, I will be in trouble....thanks again buddy....hugs      ojo

[Tonny2]

My god Tonny, you sure have been through a lot of shit... You are a true warrior my friend... I hope the years to come brings better days and better health for you... Wishing you the best

     ojo     Hi almost2late, thanks for your kind words...we all are warriors in here, and we have to keep fighting, until we have a cure, thanks again...hugs     ojo

[Tonny2]

That's quite a journey you have been on Tonny! You are a gentle but strong man.

Hope to be chatting with you for many decades to come!

     ojo     thanks Mitch, how nice of you....yes, I hope we can keep chating here for a long time, well, no  that long, I'm already old, and almost a pirate, lol...hugs   ojo

[stuka]

tonny, my friend, i hope you live another 100 years .. the world is a better place because of awesome men like you! you (along with Jeff) was there for me in my darkest hour.  i hope they fix the problem with your eye soon so you can enjoy life even more

[Tonny2]

tonny, my friend, i hope you live another 100 years .. the world is a better place because of awesome men like you! you (along with Jeff) was there for me in my darkest hour.  i hope they fix the problem with your eye soon so you can enjoy life even more

     ojo     thanks stuka, I really appreciate it....hugs      ojo