Please tell me a summary of your story living with HIV/AIDS
I have successfully been living with HIV for 30 yrs. I have been undetectable most of those years except for the first few until I was able to manage my regimen and get use to all the side effects and ups and downs of the body changing due to the disease and meds. I have found taking your med daily and/or as directed and staying up on your doctor visits and blood work with a positive attitude does wonders for the body and mental state. I haven’t let HIV get me down much – just in the matter of the stigma. Once you meet someone and tell them you are positive, it seems that’s the end of the conversation or interest from the other person. Loneliness from this disease is the worse part, but hey you only need yourself and friends and a relationship beyond that… I’m still hoping for? Also keeping a job and being a productive member of society, paying your own way really helps to keep the body in shape and the mental downs at bay. So glad meds have came a long way and doesn’t seem to be the voo-doo ordeal it once was! I plan on living many more years even with myself just aging from life in general.
What would it mean to you if we ended this HIV epidemic?
It would mean people could live a normal fun filled responsible life without the woes of this disease.
What does U=U mean to you? How has it impacted your life?
Means I am undetectable and plan to stay that way with taking my meds correctly and eating right and taking care of my body to the best I can. Staying undetectable has given me a reason to keep my mind and body active, knowing this virus is at bay and close to being wiped out one day. It makes me happy to know I am undetectable and it’s impossible to pass this is on to another person. I do not wish this on anyone!
How many years have you been undetectable?
25 yrs approx.
Anything else I should know about you?
Try not to regret my past actions cause I made the choice to do what I wanted and should have been more careful. Life can be hard to manage and never what you set out for it to be like. You can represent someone you are not and then life’s challenges step in with disease and other ailments and sends you for a loop to deal with and figure out. All good tho and can’t go back nor would I want if i couldn’t change anything! Always something new and different to look forward to. What does tomorrow hold for you? I can’t wait to see for me.
