Poor & Adherent...

I'm not looking for sympathy, but I'm poor, on disability, HIV + & adherent to my meds.   Becoming poor & + were both easy.  Getting on disability was a serious pain.  Staying adherent to my regimen  has been something I've just done.  But, I've questioned it & hated it a lot of the time.  

I see articles about poor people & not adhering to their regimen.  Most folks would think it was easy to stick to take your life saving medications.  Sometimes it isn't.

• Do you have the means to obtain your meds?
• Can you handle taking your meds?
• Do you have food to eat so you can take your meds?
• Do you have a place to store your meds safely?
• Are you fit enough to remember to take them?

There are all good points, but there are 2 others I can think of that are more challenging.  Do you feel you're worth taking the meds?   Do you feel your life is worth extending by taking the meds?  

Some people wonder if they're worth taking these meds.  Maybe they feel they did something awful  & deserve to die.  Some question, if they should endure the meds & everything else just to keep living a life they're not sure is worth living.

Being poor is difficult.  It comes with a ton of baggage that effects you just become you happen to be less affluent.  People hate to admit it, but most of the world hates the poor.  They especially despise those who happen to also be sick, ethnic, female, or some other marginalizing factor.  

Everyday, poor people  living with HIV have to ask themselves, can I get these meds?  Even if I can,  should I take them?  Is it worth it?  Those aren't easy questions & the answers may change by the hour.  If you ever wonder why some people don't adhere to their HIV regimens, this is just the tip of the issue.

Cya...