Week 9 of the edited diary entries of a HIV positive man going onto a standard 'combination therapy' pill regime to boost the immune system and repress the virus. Wednesday A good day with no urgent, urgent rushes to the toilet and only a slight drop in energy during the early afternoon. It's been weeks since I felt this good. Thursday Another good day, two in a row! I'm starting to teach myself tricks to ensure I keep with the pill regime. I've got a little emergency supply at work now but some of the pills have to be refrigerated and the fridge is accessible to everyone. I've put them in a little container with my name on in the hope no-one will be nosey enough to peer inside. Friday No diary entry Saturday A brilliant day... spent the morning doing garden things, planting seeds and repotting. Lunch out in the sun then afternoon with friends who are building a huge table-sized board game debating the rules and having a test run. Going out for dinner was a last minute decision and I realised as I was walking between car and restaurant that this is the first time in weeks I have done something like this without weighing up the consequences of energy levels, rooted appetite and exploding bum. There's a freedom in that which is difficult to convey to anyone who has always taken it for granted. Sunday Shits from daybreak, tiredness from 1pm, cement taste from 2.30pm. The new normality rears its ugly head again today, but I don't feel so bad having had a dream run for a few days. Monday Already someone at work has asked what the pills are! They were cleaning out the fridge and thought my little container had been there for weeks! Because this is a person whom I haven't told too much about my illnesses I said they were food supplements to help recover from the illness I've been having and they seemed ok with that. I don't like lying to people like that, or even being devious. Otherwise a fairly good day though I started work late (usually start about 10am, today was 11.30) and finished at 3.30 very tired and going to the toilet every half an hour or so. That calmed down by about 6pm. Appetite still comes and goes, frustratingly it hardly ever comes at regular meal times. I've become a 'grazer.' Cement taste also comes and goes now on a fairly regular but unpredictable basis. Tuesday Tried to buy a pill container like my mother has for her heart GayNZ.com - 30th November 2004
Credit: John Stone; GayNZ.com
First published: Tuesday, 30th November 2004 - 12:00pm