Ron's POZ Blog

November 3, 2006 will mark seven years since being diagnosed – four days before my forty-first birthday – some gift, huh?

When I was told I had AIDS then about PML (Progressive Multi-focal Leucoencephalopathy), my T-cells were ten (yep 1-0) and my viral load was 500,000+ and given the bleak prognosis of dying in three to six months.

Obviously, I didn’t, but as my strength improved, my T-cells rose nearing 200 and VL dropped to maybe 15,000 by May 2000, I was removed from hospice because I was no longer considered a terminal case. BUT, I was reminded that 200 was the highest level I would maintain and my viral load (VL) 5,000 to 10,000 during the two (yep 2) years I could expect to live by all these “experts” that I traveled to or my sister e-mailed.

Well, I have surpassed my so-called expects to mark my seventh year with my T-cells at an all time high of 653 and my VL remains undetectable (has been undetectable since July 2001! Five years!)

I gave up on myself at the very beginning – my sister made me promise to fight in February 2000, and over time, I just did it all for myself. Exercise, therapies and diet – all probably helped me and the fact I never had any horrible side effects from the medications is key for me. I have been on Trizivir and Viramune for four years and with no ill-effects thankfully. I am very, very grateful.

I have now had seven more years and have learned so much more and think I have grown as a human being. I have accomplished things that I was told were impossible and re-discovered many hidden talents out of necessity, not a “re-birth.” I just had to re-prioritize my life and use imagination to accomplish things again.

Hell, here I am!