Another Holiday...

I have some stuff to do today.  Mainly eat candy & the like.  SO, I'll be back tomorrow.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Cya...

PS.   Here's a link to some Craft Easter Projects like printable egg coloring sheets.

Dirty Dentist...

This article is about yet another dentist that opted not to follow basic safety & hygiene protocols.  As a result, up to 7,000 people may have been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis & who knows what else. We just went through this a little while ago with another dentist.

To make matters worse this dentist is my own back yard so to speak.  He's in Tulsa, OK.  I used to live there & did have dental work done while I was living there.  I checked to make sure this wasn't the dentist I'd used.  

These dentists & any other health care provider who refuse to follow safety protocols should be jailed.  If they infected any one with HIV or Hepatitis, they should be shot.  There is no justification for this type of negligence or indifference.    I seriously hope this man gets fried.

Cya...

Taking A Day...

My roomie & I've decided to take a day & just go out.  There's been a lot of weird stress in the house lately.    Not to mention a lot of loud, outdoor brush clearing by the neighbors.  Between the anxiousness & noise, we've opted to remove ourselves for at least a little while.  Sometimes you just have to step back & let yourself out of the crap your dealing with in your life.  

Cya...

Renewal...

That sounds like such a nice word.  However, in this case that ain't necessarily so.  I had to apply for renewal with social services today for continuation of my benefits.  I hate this process.  There's so much that can screw-up, get misconstrued or otherwise go boom. 

I find it annoying this is an annual event.  They know how much $ I make.  They could simply require me to send in an annual bank statement.  No, I have to go through the whole process again.  My time is occupied, the social worker's time is taken & I'm left fractious until the whole thing is over.  

I applied online, but the damn site kept kicking me out, so it took forever.  I took down all the verification they said they needed.  Now, all I can do is wait for them to call.  They say they'll need a phone interview as well.  Why not just do this all at once?

Until this over, I'm bound to be a little nervous.

Cya...

Acknowledgements...

I've talked about acknowledging things before.  Mostly I've referred to recognizing things in your own life  that need acknowledging.  Today I'd like to talk a little about acknowledging others.

Most everyday when I get on Facebook there's a notification of someone's birthday.  It'd be easy just to overlook it & go on with my own stuff.  But, I don't.  I always post something to acknowledge the person's birthday.   It's utterly irrelevant if I know them personally or not.

I won't go through my day thinking, "You know, that person might not receive a single Happy Birthday today."  You might not think that's possible, but it is.  I don't know that many people personally any more.  So few people, basically only my roomie, personally acknowledges my B-Day.  

However, the 1st birthday I had once I got on Facebook I received several messages & such concerning my birthday.   Sure, I don't really know these people & it may have been a knee-jerk response for them.  But you know what?  I don't care.  It was nice to be acknowledged.  I know if I found it nice that others will too.

Try acknowledging people's birthdays on Facebook.  Hold a door for someone & actually make eye contact.  Smile a little more & say hello.  If I had a little more ready $  I'd go back to sending random, greeting cards like I did in college.  People seemed to like them,.  To bad I really don't know anyone to send them to anymore.

It doesn't take a lot to acknowledge someone, but the impact could be huge.

Cya...

Stress, Blogging & Life...

Lately, I've been having a lot of issues beyond my control, a good example are the issues I keep having with my pharmacy.  This type of arbitrary thing drives me a little batty. I do all I can do to make this process go as smoothly as possible, to no avail.  The entire thing can be screwed up by someone at my doctor's office or the pharmacy.  Still, even if it was their mistake, I'm the person who gets screwed by the mistake.

Being + & on disability puts me at odds with a lot of things.  I'm often left feeling like a bit a flotsam scuttling along on the current with absolutely no control over what's happening.   Yet, I'm supposed to stay calm & carry on as if everything is fine.  I don't handle that last part very well.  I don't just carry on, it freaks me out a little & sometimes a lot.

As a person of less than great health, I know how important it is to control my stress levels.  The doctors tell you this all the time.  You need to reduce your stress.  Funny thing, no one ever says how.  I do my best to keep stressors out of my life but some I just can't get rid of that easily.  I mean these are my meds were talking about here.  The same meds that, oh I don't know, keep me alive.  Yet the people at my doctors office & my pharmacy are messing with things.  So, at this point, I'm not sure how not to get stressed out over this matter.

When these things come up, they become the focus of my day until I can get something resolved.  This certainly doesn't put me in a place to handle other things well, like writing a blog entry.  I have a social services review to fill out on Thursday & then I have to wait for them to decide whatever else they need & then wait to see if everything went alright.  I'm not looking forward to this.

I've been frazzled lately & I haven't been the most attentive to my blog.  Hopefully, these things will pass soon & I can get back to a more normal sate of being.  I really hate outside people screwing with my life.

Cya...

Day Trip..

I'm not writing that much today.  I'm back in the bad place with my pharmacy.  I was waiting around for UPS to deliver my meds & then noticed a message on my phone.  Somehow, they had screwed up & had to postpone my order.   At least they admitted it was on their end this time.  My meds are supposed to arrive on Wednesday, which is when I tried to get them delivered in the 1st place.

I'm more than a little peeved at this so I'm getting out of the house for a bit.  I need to focus on something else.  I've got enough in my life making me nervous, I seriously don't need more.

Oh well, I've got some errands that need to be ran, so I'll go do those today.  I'll write more tomorrow.

Cya...

The Day After...

I posted yesterday about the arrival of my glasses from Zenni Optical.  The fit is a bit weird, but that's always the case with new glasses for me.  They're so much lighter than my old pair, even though the lenses are slightly thicker.  

It's being a bit odd getting accustomed to the new lenses.  The left eye is fine, but the right eye is feeling a little strange.  There was a notable change in strength on the left & a notable change in astigmatism in the right.  Apparently, getting used to the cylinder change is harder than than the spherical.

I'm sure I'll get used to them, it usually takes me a few days.  Still, I'm happy with them so far.  I just hope that holds.  I think it will.

Cya...

Zenni...

OK, time for a little product placement.   My glasses just got in today.  I ordered them from Zenni Optical.   I had ordered a back-up pair from them in the past.  That pair cost me under $20 US.  I recently had an eye exam & my prescription had shifted.  It wasn't drastic, but it was enough to need new glasses.  Besides my old pair has been on death's door for over a year.

The exam cost me just under $60.  I went home knowing I really couldn't afford a pair from the place I usually get them. So, I opted to return to Zenni.  I really wanted 3 pairs.  I wanted a photochromatic pair, a tinted pair for driving & a plain back-up pair.  I didn't think I'd be able to get all 3 pairs.  I was wrong.  

Including shipping, the entire for 3 sets of glasses was just at $58.  My back up pair was just under $10.  The tinted pair was under $15.  The daily wear, photochromatic pair was about $29 with shipping being at $5.  

I won't tell you these glasses are the same quality as my old pair, but I've had worse.  Those came from  a cheap, chain glasses shop in a strip mall.  Watch TV & you'll see adds for those type places.  They also play fast & loose with pricing.  What you see, is not what you get.  

So far, so good.  It's dreary, so I can't tell how well the photochromatics are going to work yet. All in all, I'm happy with them.  If they break, I'll know what not to order next time & have a back-up pair for the duration.  Not to mention, another single pair would be under $30.  I'll probably be able to afford that.  To this point, I'd recommend Zenni.

Cya...

Little Frazzled...

The carousel keeps spinning round & here we go again.  I'm a little blitzed at the moment.  My pharmacy woes are back.  When CVS called for my refill order 2 weeks ago it went so smoothly I joked it was bound to screw up later.  Silly me for cursing myself.

I get a call from my doctor's office yesterday about my refill.  Mind you this order is supposed to arrive on Monday & they're telling me about this late Thursday afternoon.  Turns out the pharmacy still needs a refill order form the doc.  

This is where it gets weird.  Another CVS center gets into the mix.  The only problem is I've never done business with then & they have no idea who I am.  I still don't know how this other CVS got involved, but they were really screwing with things.

I think my order is fixed.  Crossed Fingers & the like.  Hopefully, it will arrive on schedule.  If not, I'll be making more calls on Monday.  It's scary to think these people do this for a living.

Cya...

ANSAR...

Except for the technician & myself being male, this photo is pretty much how my  morning looked.  I went in for my ANSAR, a test for my autonomic nervous system.  It's fairly easy.

1. Arrive at doctor's office
2. Go to exam room
3. Have 3 leads place on your body
4. Have a blood pressure cuff put on your arm
5. Remain seated, still & quiet for about 5 minutes
6. Throughout this period the cuff will inflate & deflate
7. You will do deep breathing for a minute or so
8. You'll do nothing for a minute of so
9. You'll do another type of deep breathing for a bit
10. You'll do nothing for a minute or so
11. You'll stand for 5 minutes, cuffed arm folded across your chest
12. You'll get unhooked & uncuffed
13. You leave

You've had an ANSAR exam.  That's it for the basic test.  You'll have to wait for the doctor to tell you how it went or if anything needs to be done.  But, for now, your done.

Cya...

Equinox...

Today is the 1st day of Spring, yoohoo!  It's still a bit brisk, but better that than blazing.  It seems appropriate that today was also trash day.  The beginning of spring cleaning was garbage going out the door & some laundry getting done.  Soon we'll be washing & putting away Winter blankets.

I'm looking forward to Spring.  Winter wasn't easy on us.  It was more of an emotional toll than a weather thing, but still.  

I have an appointment tomorrow for another ANSAR test.  I'll go & sit/stand for a while & then I'll get to leave.  It seems to be fairly standard now.

I know I've been down playing the "Functionally Cured" French people & the miracle baby.  I'm happy to have found this article.  The author agrees with my sentiment & takes it a bit further.   It's a good read.

I hope everyone's Spring is starting off well...

Cya...

New Drug...

This article details how the company Biotron has a new medication in development.  This medication unlike others doesn't target HIV in the T-Cells.  Instead it focuses on the virus existing in the background in longer lived cells called macrophages.  

These cells don't replicate HIV as quickly but they do so in a manner & location normally not affected by current medications.  This approach could lead to a higher likelihood that HIV could actually be eradicated from the body.   As it is now, the virus can hide in many places in the body such as bone marrow, the lungs, the brain & others.  

I realize there's been a lot of talk lately of "Functional" cures for HIV.  I purposely haven't been covering these articles.  There isn't a lot of actual info out there yet.   Yes, there are a ton of articles on the miracle baby & those other 14 or so people, but not much only the actual heart of the matter.

I still think the best hope for a "Cure" will come from a steady development of meds, education, testing & treatment.  I don't think the answers will be found in flukes.   Maybe in time these oddities might produce results, but I thinks it's too early divert all our attention to them, when we have so much more in the works.

Cya...

Slightly Manic Monday...

Today was a shopping day & it wound up getting extended to a trip over to Fort Smith.  Wal-Mart was out of a lot of the stuff we needed.  We opted to go get it today instead of waiting a week or longer for our local store to have it in stock.

I wouldn't mind the drive so much, if it wasn't for the weather being so dreary.  It's been grey here for 2 days now, with little actual rain.  At least it rained enough for me to put out bug granules in the yard.  Hopefully they'll kill off all the early fleas & slugs.

Everything was warming back up, then we took a dip.  It's a bit chilly today.  I actually turned back on the living room stove.This flip flop weather hasn't been great for me sinuses or sleep.  Oh well, it's nearly spring, things will start getting warm soon enough.

Cya...

St. Paddy's Day...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, especially to those who really embrace it.   It's a dreary day here for us.  It's been a drizzle fest all morning.  Luckily we don't have anything planned, so we aren't having to deal with the damp ick outdoors.

I've gotten about 2/3 of my exercise done for the day & most of what few chores I had to handle are underway or done.  We recently bought a pedal exerciser & it seems to be working well for us.  It may not be as strenuous as the steps, but I can do it when it's crappy weather outside or when I just don't feel up to any thing more involved.  

Some people don't give pedal machine much credit when it comes to calorie burning.  However, they do like it for increasing circulation.  Therefore it's good for helping with high blood pressure & cholesterol.  Regardless, it seems to be working for us so far & it was fairly cheap, just $25 US.  We'll use it til it dies.  If it doesn't die too soon, we'll probably get another 1.

Cya...

Midway Weekend...

We're midway through March & not much is going on this weekend.  Hopefully, it stays that way.  Last week was busy for us & it's nice just to stay put some days.  I like the days where there's no real expectations of me.  

The roomie & me are staying in & enjoying a nothing weekend.  It's getting warm here.  Yesterday it was almost 80 F. The windows are starting to open.  Soon, the Winter blankets will be washed & put away for the season.

All in all, it's a pleasant day so far.  Hope everyone else is doing well.

Cya...

Free Will...

I believe we are creatures of free will.  Social, environmental & biological issues can impact our baser drives, but our actions are our own.  I oppose the idea of predestination or destiny in general for that matter.  I believe some things may be more apt to happen, but something being more apt doesn't make it inevitable.

There are songs like Swedish House Mafia's - Don't You Worry Child that state "Heaven's got a plan for you."  There are people that say everything in life happens for a reason.  They believe some greater power has their life planned out in advance.  Then why bother living?

Personally, I think that's bull.  What happens in your life is due to actions taken yourself & other people, not some divine force.  Supporting predestination is saying that some god had it planned for babies to born to people who couldn't feed them, for wars to kill innocent people, for HIV to exist, etc...

I am who I am.  I am at where I am at, due to my actions & reactions to others' actions.  I am + because of things I did.  I don't sit around wondering what life would be like if I weren't +.   I don't look for someone to blame for me being +.  My being + is my doing.

I choose to accept my actions.  I'm doing my best to accept my life.  I can't change the past, so why live there?  Yes, bad things happen to people & they may not have done anything to have them happen.  But just because bad things do happen, it doesn't mean there's some destiny or purpose in it.  There's only the action & how you will react to it.

My advice to any + person is simple.  Accept the fact you're +.  Don't linger on things you can't change. Unless some matter or legality, ethics or negligence was involved, it really doesn't matter how you became +.  It won't change the reality of you being +.  

What you can do is accept it & choose how you are going live with it.  You can't do any more than that.  There is no cure & quite possibly there will never be 1.  Accept the new, + you & make a life for yourself.  

If this is sounding curt or nonchalant, it isn't meant to.  But, no good will come out of fighting reality or accepting fantastic destines.  Put your feet on the ground, accept your situation & make a plan to move forward.  It's really all you can do.

Cya...

Paying For It...

This article somewhat details the settlement concerning an Ohio hospital that refused access into an alcohol treatment center because the person was +.  The hospital was found to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  This sounds great except for the fact it was basically a slap on the wrist.

The hospital was ordered to pay the complainant  $32,000 US & pay $5,000 in civil fines.  I'm sure there were court & attorney costs as well, but still.  For under $50K you can deny treatment to someone because they're +.  Oh yes, they also have to promise to initiate an anti-discrimination policy.

This was a nothing settlement.  This finding will do littlle to convince other medical institutions not to discriminate against those with HIV.  This was petty change for this institution.  It was probably covered by some form of insurance.

Yes, the $32K will be nice for the patient, if they ever actually see it.  Even if they do, after taxes, it'll be considerably less than that.  In the meantime, this person has not been in an alcohol treatment center.  That settlement will be no means cover the damage do to this person or the situation at hand.

Cya...

Another Numbers Fest...

According the AIDS Gov Blog 1 in 4 new HIV infections is among people between the ages of 13 - 24.   I'm  not surprised.    It makes statements about how over 1,000 youth per month are diagnosed + with a prevalence of ethnics, gays & bi's in the numbers infected.

Again we're talking about marginalized people.  People often so disenfranchised with the status quo they often slip through the cracks of society.   The article goes on to say that 60% of  + young people have no idea that they're infected.  Therefore, they don't seek medical treatment & continue to spread the virus to others.

There isn't a lot new in this article, but it's serious enough to be worth repeating.  Other researchers have made these statements before, but now the CDC & other federal agencies are other supporting these claims.

It's easy, the more marginalized a person is or feels, the more apt they are to take part, willingly or not, in risky behavior.  This behavior model isn't being modified by anyone, so it's most likely going to continue.   This risky behavior leads to denial or dismissal about the possibilities of their actions.  So, the wheel keeps turning & the same-old, same old, just moves right along.

HIV will only be overcome via education, testing, treatment & inclusion of everyone.  It's really that simple.

Cya...

Errands...

Have some rather impromptu errands to run.  Not much time to write today.  I might actually get an eye exam.  It's been a few years since I had 1.  Then I'll just order some glass glasses from Zenni.

Cya.

Appointment...

Had my check up this morning.  Everything went well.  My doc set up an appointment to return for another ANSAR test.  I've talked about this thing before. I basically just sit & stand there quietly while they monitor me.  Then it's over.

As for the weight.  According to his scale I didn't budge up or down.  Considering I haven't been watching what I've been eating or doing that much exercise, I'm OK with staying put.  Not to mention, this time I had a jacket on & I didn't before, so I might have actually lost a pound.

In 2 weeks I return for the ANSAR.  In June I'm back in for the next check in with him.  In August, I go back for another Telemedicine appointment & labs.  Doctors, doctors, doctors...

Cya...

Not So Great...

My allergies & seasonal crap are really getting revved up here.   Then again  flowers are blooming & trees are budding, so the allergens are out in force.  Between that & the Daylight Saving BS, my body & brain are blitzed.  

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning.  It's with my regular doc & it's just a check-in.  Still, I hate going.  I'd much rather just stay at home in bed a little longer.   Here's hoping, everything goes smoothly.

Cya...

Who Knew?

This article is an unusual read.  It promotes a study stating bee venom can be used to kill the HIV virus.  The hope here seems to be to use this susbtance, melittin, which is found in bee venom, in nano-particle form for so form of preventative gel.  

This isn't the 1st place we've heard of nano-particles fighting HIV via prevention.  Previously we've mentioned silver being added to condoms to prevent & kill off HIV.  Silver sounds slightly less frightening than bee venom though.

This is a curious article.  Give it a read, it's brief.  It just makes you stop & wonder what they'll come up with next.

Cya...

Plumber Drama...

The saga of the leaky faucets & traps continues.  Yesterday when we left you, the plumbers were due to arrive about 9 this morning.  Being true to form for a plumber, the appointed hour came & went without a sign of the repairman.  Finally, he called & said it would be a little bit longer.  An hour later we called called & he said it would be an hour or so longer.  

I've got this & other things to attend to today, so I'm not going to post much.  I have no idea when or if the plumber will arrive.   I hope so, the drip has changed to a fast drop, to a trickle & it's rapidly approaching a stream.  Wish us luck.

Cya....

Busy Day...

Have a bit of a busy schedule today & might have tomorrow.  I'm scrunching some of tomorrow's errands into today's line up.   Tomorrow we have a plumber coming in, yes another plumber.  This time the bathtub faucets are leaking & the trap under the kitchen sink is still leaking.  A 2-fer.

I have mail & some shopping to do.  Then I have to get gas before I go pick up my roomie in Fort Smith.  It's a busier than normal day for me.

Cya...

It Continues...Of Course...

The conversation about the miracle baby allegedly cured of HIV is gaining momentum.  That was only to be expected.  Unfortunately, what was also expected, was a high level of wishful thinking.  Too many of the articles I'm reading are looking at this as a sign for the end of times for HIV.

This case is a fluke.  Even if it turns out that the child is cured, it will only give us more questions, not answers.  The thing about flukes is that they are just that, flukes.  They're accidents or luck of the draw.  They can rarely be repeated.  

While there may be some things drawn from this case, they will certainly not be solid answers.  Maybe it will lead to different approaches to treating babies born +.  Maybe meds will be handled in another fashion.  Who knows?

Still the conversation plays out.  Hopefully, it won't get too out there.

Cya...

Here We Go...

Yesterday I posted about the miracle baby who apparently no longer has HIV.   I was hesitant to even post about it, because I knew what was going to happen.   There are articles all over the place calling this singular incident a cause for "global hope".  That's BS!

This article details why we shouldn't rush into statements & attitudes like that.  If this child is "cured" of HIV, she is still just 1 case.  There are literally 1,000's of reasons for why this could've happened & at this time there's no certainty about any of it.

I'm very happy for this child.  I hope her condition remains virus free.  Still, this case could lead to a lot issues with healthcare that could set everything back considerably.  I can only hope people will use some logic & common sense when considering what this 1 case might actually mean.

Cya...

Miracle, Cure Or Fluke...

This article details an infant that was born + & treated for HIV, that is no longer considered +.  Read the article & see what you think.  

If the child is really virus-free, I'm very happy for her.  However, I'm worried that this may push some people to make stupid decisions or illogical jumps with their own healthcare or that of other children.  At this point there are far more questions than answers.

We can only wait to see how this plays out & what affects it will have on this child & the rest of the HIV population.  I'll try to keep my eyes open for any more on this topic.

Cya...

1st Steps...

I did my 1st set of steps in a while.  It's supposed to get up to 60 F here today.  Just before noon it was 53.  I decided to take my exercise back out to the steps.  I just prefer the steps to the other routines I've made for myself.   I feel like I get more out of the experience. 

It may have been 53 & that may have been a lot warmer than what it's been lately, but it was still chilly.  I wasn't physically cold, but after a bit the cool air & the physical exertion made my breathing less than great.  I got in the full set, but I felt it.  It's been a while since was doing my steps regularly.

I've decided until it gets warmer, that steps will be a later in the day thing.  Hopefully, by then the air will be warmer.   That will help my breathing from becoming so ragged.    I seriously don't need bronchitis or some other respiratory illness.  I'm also opting for only 1 set of steps a day until I get my endurance back up.  I guess that means keeping my other routines going for the meantime.

Still, I'm glad I got out there today.

Cya...

Knowing Is Half The Battle...

This graphic is taken from this article based on the CDC's recent HIV report in the US.  Guess what?  1980's cartoons were right, "Knowing is half the battle" or "Knowledge is Power."   Take your pick.   The point here is simple, the states with the darker colors have higher rates of HIV.  The darkness also corresponds with states that lack of a comprehensive sex education in the school systems.  

The states with educational requirements concerning sex ed & HIV/STD ed had lower rates of transmission. I guess that's just a coincidence.  I'm sure the Southerners will blame on the Gays, drug users & ethnics.

This is just another case where Bible Thumpers & other moral idiots  have damned people to ignorance, disease & death.  Religion & morals have been the drive behind the stigma surrounding HIV & sex.   They're  the reasons these things are so difficult for some people to talk about.  Until we remove the question of morality from the discussion, HIV will continue to flourish.

Thanks ever so much all you holier-than-thou shits.

Cya...

March 01...

The 1st of March is here & it's a bit chilly.  Even so, the allergens abound.  I'm seeing some flowers poking their greenery up, getting ready to bloom.  It's been a hard last few years for the flowers in the yard.  The drought has stunted or even killed off a lot of them.  We've lost a couple of flowering bushes & the irises didn't bloom at all last year.  I' m not sure what's going to happen with them.

The morning started with errands & we had planned on seeing Jack The Giant Slayer, but the reviews turned south over night.  Most people were saying not to see it in 3D.  If that's the case, we might as well wait until it's on Netflix.  We still made a food run to Papa Murphy's & picked up a pizza.

We're back now & it looks like a quiet weekend.  I have plans for food, so that makes things easier than having to wing it last minute.  There's just a few TV shows to catch up on & a DVD or 2 to get through.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Cya...