POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Pre-HAART Long-Term Survivors => Topic started by: J.R.E. on November 25, 2011, 06:11:13 pm
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On October 31st, 1985, I walked into the Pinellas County Health Department in Clearwater, Florida. I was 33 years of age then, soon to be 34, in just a little over a month. I will be 60 in 8 days. :o I had my HIV test just a couple weeks sooner, and I was scheduled ( through a code number) to be present at the facility, so they could inform me of my status.
According to the paper, I had a "post test counseling date" , set for 11/14/1985 I never went to that. I never went to any type of counseling. The time for Counseling was set 9:00 am.
This is the building as it appears now:
http://www.pinellashealth.com/Locations_clearwater.asp
The building wasn't much different back in 1985, and I remember very clearly walking into Health Department in the afternoon. Even before the diagnosis was handed to me, I already had a good idea that the results were going to be positive.
According to the document I was/ or had been going through swollen glands at the time. It's hard for me to remember back then, but I had very little memory of seroconversion. I never really felt ill at any time. Never during 26 years, have I even dealt with diarrhea. Pretty lucky there !!
In some ways, it seems like such an eternity ago, and in other ways, it seems like only yesterday.
Here's some pictures I took today, of that of paper. I am not sure how they will appear:
This was the original envelope that was handed to me by a nurse practitioner, On October 31st, 1985. We were in the examination room, when she opened the envelope, took out the contents, and told me I was HIV positive.( in a very heavy German accent). I can't remember much of the conversation back then, But I know that my total stay in the exam room, was not more than 5 minutes.
What bothered me the most, ( especially afterwords), was after our conversation, I was told to exit the building through the service entrance, in the back of the building. I was not permitted to use the front entrance that I entered through. It's as if they didn't want to to pass by other people, possibly spreading the bug. By the way, the nurse practitioner, entered the room masked and fully gloved.
Original envelope:
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/001.jpg)
This is the original confirmation:
The test back then was called HTLV--lll Antibody. On the top left is the date. Under test results: "positive for antibody"
Other info included: mo/yr of birth/ Sex/ fee paid ( $20.00) / county of residence/ State and/ country of birth.
Left ( upper top) was the code used to get the results. In this case, my code was # 52. They wouldn't gove you the results by phone, you had to be present. Also in this section was the confirmation date of mo- 10/ day 31/ and year 85. Under the date was the "pretest counseling date, counselor and time. Below that was the post test counseling date ( no counselor name) and the date.
Under that was " send report to " PCHD ( Pinellas county Health Dept. ) Also a doctors name of "Houston" / The address /city /State and Zip.
In the bottom portion of this, "High risk is checked. And under optional information,
There were various items checked, stating that I was not a Hemophiliac, not an IV drug user, No major surgery or transfusion, No multiple heterosexual sex partners.
Toward the bottom of the page: The only thing checked was "Swollen glands"
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/002.jpg)
Here's some other pictures: and close ups
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/003.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/004.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/005.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/006.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/007.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/008.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/009.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/010.jpg)
(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b473/exrrje/011.jpg)
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WOW Ray, keep that is a safe place, I wish I had mine, but I have no idea where it is, it probably got thrown out by one of my old dysfunctional crazy ass BF's way back when, just to get back @ me cause they were in a fit of jealous-rage ???
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WOW Ray, keep that is a safe place,
Very seldom, does it come out of the plastic bag storage. Even smells old! When I received this in 1985, the next time I looked at it was in 2003, when I showed my HIV doctor.
Ray
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very cool Ray. ;D that's a cool bit of history seeing it called the HTLV test. Hang onto that. In another couple of decades, it'll be museum-worthy ;) :)
when I was sorting, throwing away and packing up to move from OH to SC, I went through a lot of old paperwork. Now somewhere in a box that moved with me is the slip of paper with my anonymous testing number on it that was used to get my poz results in 92 from the health dpt; but no documentation about the diagnosis or those early yrs. Oddly though, I do have some of those early docs of Randy's from the clinical trials he was in (zerit in one trial with cd4 count of 3). The next docs I have for myself are from the hospital stay in 96 when I had my first big OI - PCP (cd4 count of 7. no VL because the test was brand new and wouldn't be returned for 2 wks).
I used to have a lot more docs from back then; but one of those times when the docs "assured" me that I was about to kick the bucket (and I thought I was going to too!), I trashed a lot of stuff so that my family didn't have to deal with all that junk. (Wow! It's so weird sometimes thinking how things were then vs. now)
At that time, I also put a lot of porn into a big box and marked it: "upon my death, please destory this box and contents without opening. Thank you". I've since scanned in and digitized all that porn, so I guess I should put some sort of warning/destroy sticker on my external hard drive now LOL you know, just in case teh aids does me in. ROFL
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I read this when you posted but couln't come to comment. I tend to get a bit overwhelmed and emotional. It was such a dark period for all of us here. I've worked hard lately to put it in our new perspective. At the end of that darkness, the clouds finally opened and let the sun shin through. Again, it's up to us how much sunshine we let enter.
Thanks for sharing such an intimate portion of your life. That's not always an easy thing.
Wolfie
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Boy this brought back some bad memories for me. After the nurse at the local health department delivered the news to me and all the color drained out of my face she said and I quote " We never know how long we will live. You could be hit by a truck on the way home and die today". I did not find that statement to be very reassuring so the next week I went to see an ID at NC Baptist Hospital. He is still my doctor after all these years.
Peace,
Billy
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Its hard to look at this. As Wolfter said.....its brings back some emotional memories. I have mine as well.
I keep everything in file folders.
When I cant close the drawer anymore...I throw out and clean up.
But that document never got tossed.
edited for grammer and to say:
It should be part of your medical history.
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Wow Ray, powerful stuff; it does bring up some emotions. Speaking of which, I recently watched "Longtime Companion". I had not seen it since the 90's....it would be a good history lesson for some of our newer folks....
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It was nice of you to share !
I have mine , I NEVER look at it ! I know where it is .
I will never forget how rude and crude people were back then .
God bless us that have made it this far in life with an awful virus !
Weasel
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Thank you for posting the Document, like others it had a powerfull effect.
My experience in the UK was two fold first when LT partner was diagnosed in 88, I was offered counseling, which I did not take up. Then in 90 I was tested , first you had a pre test session with a health advisor/counsellor which was gentle and aimed at looking at why I wanted the test, then an appointment for I think 2 weeks later with the same counsellor.She told me the news and asked if it was OK for me to be examined by a Doctor. this had been told to me in the pre test session.I asked to be left alone for a time,and I sat in the room with a rushing sound in my ears trying to get over the fear rush. After awhile I opened the door and the examination started.On leaving the clinic with my next check up appointment and telephone numbers I had to drink something sweet so went to a expensive burger bar and had a chocolate malt vanilla pod ice cream shake. Went as arranged to friends C & J talked for hours then got totally hash stoned.