One lucky guy

I was reading blogs by fellow pozzies when I came across an article in www.positivism.ph that made me realize just how lucky I really am to have survived a bout with pneumonia last March. As I mentioned in my previous blogs, my bout with pneumonia was what prompted me to take an initial HIV test and also upon the prodding of a friend. In that test and in a subsequent confirmatory test, I discovered that I was HIV-positive.

Here's the link to that article ----> http://www.positivism.ph/main.php?cid=160. If you can't access it from here, go to the website itself. The article is actually a letter lifted from Pure Advocacy by Brian Gorrell. The letter mentioned about a guy who died of pneumonia in a local hospital despite potent antibiotics administered to the patient. At first, doctors were perplexed by the patient's condition until they privately told the patient to go through an HIV test. The patient consented but he died without knowing the results of the test - he was reactive or positive for HIV. Prior to that case, another guy who was unaware of his HIV status died of tuberculosis despite aggressive life-saving measures.

Looking back when I was confined for pneumonia, I was still unaware of my status then and the attending doctors told me what was ailing me. Where the heck did I get this pneumonia?! The doctors were hazy about it. Anyway, it was really a good thing I responded well to the antibiotics prescribed for me. I shudder at the thought of what could have happened had my body didn't respond to the medicines and my condition worsened.

But I survived and later on, I got to know the real reason why I got sick.

As it is right now, my body is still adjusting to the ARVs I am taking and it is no joke. The itching, pain, lethargy, fever and loss of appetite is taxing me physically, psychologically, emotionally and financially. But I am thankful that my partner, my family and fellow pozzies are there to encourage me to hang on and not give up, to bear with the discomfort because it is just temporary and it will soon be over, and to cheer me up even if it is hard to even smile through the pain. I am particularly grateful to my partner who I know is extending his patience for me despite my irritability and temper.

There is this text message from a AA, poz-friend, that struck me as I go through this adjustment phase. It lifted my spirit. He said "malakas na class of drugs kasi ang ARVs. They primarily tax our liver, which happens to be the same organ responsible for energy (metabolism). Good sign na medyo nanghihina tayo sa initial doses ng ARVs, it means na nakakapag-adjust ang liver natin. Tiyaga lang ******* (my name), kain ng healthy at pahinga lang para makabawi. Think of what's happening now as 'preparation/training' time ng system natin for our limited number of soldiers to become better fighters of invaders. Ginagawang ninja ng droga natin ang kakarampot nating mga CD4 cells!. :-)" To you, AA, maraming salamat. I owe you and the other pozzies a lot. Soon, I will pay forward to others what you've done for me.