When I saw in New Year 2010 with my head in the toilet being violently sick with the Winter Vomiting Virus, as it is so charmingly named, I just knew it wasn’t going to be the best year. Turns out I was right.

I had the WVV a few more times between January and March. I dislocated my clavicle at the end of January. My clavicle wasn’t properly put back into place and to this day, the end of it sits on top of my shoulder instead of nestling in front of my humerus as it should. It’s an odd look in a summer tank top, I can tell you! 

If I could figure out how to include photos, I’d show you my odd looking shoulder. It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog though and the software has changed so that’s something I’ll have to figure out, along with figuring out how to include links. But, as my very first New Year’s resolution for 2011 is to start blogging again, I’m going to finish this and figure out the finer points sometime in the next few days.

2010 also saw my CD4s start on what seemed to be a steady decline below the magic 500 mark. By October I had a combo all chosen (Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada) and my doctor was in agreement - provided my October draw also came back under 500. Of course, it didn’t. So because of the treatment guidelines set out by the Liverpool Health Care Trust, I had to scupper the treatment plans. Back on the shelf.

It wasn’t just my numbers declining either. I’d been steadily losing weight since the spring and I had several bouts of thrush that wasn’t caused by antibiotic use as is the usual case for me. I’d also had to up my acyclovir dosage from 400mgs once a day to 400mgs twice a day. But of course since I made the decision to start meds, all that has stopped and I’ve even gained weight back. Go figure. This damn virus has a mind of its own and I guess it’s high time I just accepted that.

So that is what was going on with the bod. Things were going haywire elsewhere in my life too. I had a major financial fuck-up (can I say the eff-word here?) which meant that I could not attend the London 2010 AMG. I lived off beans-on-toast and was generally skint for months. Much more skint than usual. So it goes.

My laptop and netbook had to get in on the act  and both became unusable for about a month in the spring. The first week was a nice break from the internet, but after that I began to feel like a part of me was missing and in a way, I suppose it was. Going on the AM forums is a big part of my daily routine and I did begin to feel lost without it.

2010 was also the year that stole three dear friends from me - Bobbi (aka Maggie), Lisa Sweetweasle and Daddy Tim from the AM forums. I miss Tim’s knowledge and wisdom and I miss Lisa’s infectious laughter. I’ll be forever sad that I never had the chance to meet them in person. Sometimes life just isn’t fair.

In addition to Bobbi, Lisa and Tim, 2010 marked one year since Kate left us (very nearly two now), three years since Christine went and five that James (Gecko) has been gone. I just don’t know where the time goes and why it won’t take the pain of loss with it.

So that was my 2010 in a nutshell. I’m sure there were other things going on but those were the main things. The good news is that I’m still happily in a relationship and my daughter is still a lovely young woman of whom I’m exceedingly proud. She’s half-way though getting her teaching certificate and with a bit of luck and cooperation from the economy, this time next year she’ll be teaching a gaggle of five and six year olds. And they’ll love her, I’m sure. The kids she is practising on this year love her, so it’s all good.

So good riddance to 2010! I’m looking forward to 2011 being a better year. It certainly started out better - at least I didn’t have my head in the toilet at midnight. That’s gotta bode well, right? Let’s hope so.

Happy 2011 everyone!