With an extra day, February is over. This was a weird month. It wasn't horrible, but there were a lot of stressors that had nothing to do with us. Still we got caught in their wake. It looks like we could end the day with rain. That's OK, we're short for the month as it is. I doubt will get enough to catch us up. So March will start wet.
So that's that. Goodbye February. Less on on the stress & drama would've been better, still for the last year, it wasn't a bad month.
Take care.
Cya...
Condoms have always been a great tool in fighting HIV, STD's & unwanted pregnancies. But over the years due to ignorance, unwillingness, PrEP, U=U, etc..., their use has declined significantly. This article is over that matter.
Due to many factors, but especially to a mass focus on PrEP, many in the HIV arena have stopped promoting condoms & their distribution. If used properly PrEP can be helpful in preventing the transmission of HIV. The problem is, even now the number of people taking the med is quite low. The number of people sticking to the PrEP regimen consistently is even lower.
Given all things go as planned, PrEP only fights HIV, nothing else. That leaves a host of other STD's & that's not addressing pregnancy. Condoms handle all these things. They are cheap, available & easy to use. Condoms should always be the 1st method mentioned in fighting HIV. Even though it's practical & reliable, it's not being used. Maybe companies aren't making enough money off them. Maybe people are reluctant to talk about their usage. For whatever reason, this is a failure.
Many articles have discussed the rise of drug resistant STD's that used to be treatable. Some believe PrEP promotion over condoms has aided in this development. So you don't catch HIV, instead it's an untreatable case of gonorrhea or herpes. Both of which a condom can reduce the likelihood of transmission.
Be safer, use a condom. Take care.
Cya...
I've posted on HIV stigma a lot. I think it's a useless fight. Stigma against whatever is a method people use to establish social hierarchy & it's never going away. Somethings, like HIV, currently have higher levels of stigma than others, but that changes over time. In the past, it's been being a heretic, interracial marriages, being half blooded, being left handed, etc... Stigma may change but it never leaves.
This article from Forbes is about how Americans are becoming less tolerant of having HIV+ coworkers. It talks about intolerance. It also states GenZ is the least knowledgeable concerning the virus & people living with it.
Do note the word tolerant is used a lot. If someone is tolerating something, it generally means they wouldn't if they felt they had options. To these people an HIV+ coworker is just another challenging, appalling thing they have to deal with their lives. If given a choice they'd get rid of the irritant.
Stigma is real & it can be dangerous. You don't owe anyone the truth about your health. Unless you have to talk about, it's probably best left unsaid. If it becomes public knowledge, it will color how people see you & how they treat you. Can you afford that; financially, socially, emotionally...?
This is reality, a lot of people are just looking for a reason to remove others from their daily lives. For many HIV will be the reason. Some others may tolerate you just to up their social cred. Only a few will just accept you. Stick to them when you can.
Cya...
Not much going on this last Monday of February. We'll go shopping in a bit. Only the trees seems to have anything happening. It's sexy time for trees & they're getting their groove on. Unfortunately for the rest of us, it means tree pollen is rocketting. Pollen.com has our area in the red & we'll stay that way for a bit. Oh the wonders of tree love & all the new trees, sneezes, teary eyes, scratchy throats, etc... they bring.
That's it for now. remember your allergy meds. Take care.
Cya...
This piece is light but discusses a new approach to HIV. This method is uses a nanomedical application of RNA to inhibit viral replication. This process uses small interfering RNA. The point of this is in the name, they interfere with other cells.
The original article is a little scant, but it hits the highlights for a newer method being developed. The Wiki page gives a much fuller detailing of the RNA aspect of the technique. Give them a read, this may be the future of HIV treatment.
Cya...
The month is closing down. Yesterday was the final Friday. This hasn't been an awful month, but it hasn't been great either. There was a lot of weird, stressful crap that popped up. Most of it had nothing to do with us directly, still it's affecting our lives.
That's the problem with philosophies that push utter self reliance & personal responsibility. They're complete BS. You should as self reliant & responsible as possible, it's your life. However, many of the trials people face were there before them or due to outside forces that were never within their ability to control, evade or influence.
If a person with rain gear & an umbrella still gets wet in the rain, that's life. They were prepared, proactive & did their best, still they got wet. Even the best plans fail. What happens when something was so unexpected there was no plan? The best you can do is roll with it & that isn't a plan. So much for utter prep. You do your best & move on.
February wasn't the best, we got wet even though we didn't go out in the rain. Most the issues of the month were outside our household. Still, they happened. We've done what we could & we're trying to move on. Hopefully, these things will sort themselves out & not cause us more grief or agitation.
February gets a 5/10. That's better than most of 2023.
Take care.
Cya...
For the time being, my labs are back in order. I still don't know if the blip was from me, an error made by the outpatient center or a lab goof. I'm sporting a fairly large bruise in the crook of my arm. The worst parts of getting labs are actually the bruising from needle & abrasions from the tape. At least most places have gotten rid of the tape.
My telemed appointment is in the beginning of March. A week later the new kitten goes in for his vet visit. Other than wrapping up the month, those are my upcoming plans.
Take care.
Cya...
Signs of Spring continue. I know we'll cool down here & there again. But yesterday was warm, upper 70s. Another sign I always look for in early Spring is the little blue flowers in the yard. They're here. Spring is just about to be for the season.
There isn't much more to write about. Take care.
Cya...
My specialist's office finally called back yesterday. The labs were drawn & I have the bruise to prove it. I wish they'd use the larger needle to do labs. The little needles take longer & almost always bruise me. Now, I wait for results & the appointment.
That's about it for today. I didn't make any plans. I figured it was possible, I'd need to spend some time dealing with labs. But, that's been handled.
It's sunny & supposed warm up some. That's good for me. Take care.
Cya...
My specialist office was supposed to send out lab orders. So far, they have yet to show. There's nothing I can do but wait until they do. I've left messages, but haven't heard anything back yet. I hate playing phone tag with doctors.
Other than that, we need to get shopping & a mail run. We'll see how today goes. I can't really plan anything else while this is lingering.
That's all for now. Take care.
Cya...
Sometimes writing this blog can be difficult. Finding topics can be challenging. When I was 1st diagnosed, my situation wasn't that uncommon. There were never a lot of things posted about rural states like Oklahoma. But the pieces were more relatable.
Things changed & that's not longer true. I'm not; Black, Hispanic, trans, from another country or fringe group. It seems that being an HIV+ gay man from rural Oklahoma is at the same time too unrelatable & mainstream.
I can find articles about meds, policies & treatments. But finding articles relevant to my situation is nearly impossible. I found articles this morning over rural issues & HIV. They all focus on Africa. I can find things on gay men, but usually only closeted POC guys.
In the beginning, I was seen as too liberal, fringe & weird by the majority of people on the right. Now, I'm seen as too common, conservative & overshadowing by the far, fringe left. Apparently, I'm doing something right, I've managed to piss off a lot of people.
HIV is a global issue. But, this is blog has a tighter focus; my life. If these articles bring nothing to my blog, then I won't bother. Unfortunately, that often leaves me nothing to cover. Other people will write about those issues, places & people ad nauseam.
Cya...
Sometimes, no matter how hard my roomie & I try to stay on top of things, something goes awry. We can make a very simple plan to do something. The action would've gone smoothly any other time, but on the day there seems to always be issues.
We planned a simple excursion, just a little outing. Something just had to happen to complicate things. The car flashed a warning. Not the time we were out. Not right when we left. Not after the stops. It waited until right before we were heading out.
Luckily, it was a simple matter. Still, it ate time & caused stress. The day wasn't as nice as it could of been. Why? Because something had to screw up. What irks me, is this was something we thought had been handled a couple of weeks prior.
If someone tells you to avoid stress, they're telling you to die. Life is a series of stressors. There's no dodging it. You can try to lessen it. But that only works so well. If some people can avoid stress, lucky them. Either they're lying or someone else is handling it for them.
Take care.
Cya...
It's the 3rd Friday of February. So far it's OK. It's fairly dim & going to get darker. For now, it's warm enough. That won't last through the weekend. I hope whoever wanted another cold weekend is happy, because here it is. Maybe this will be the last round of the season. That'd be nice.
There's shopping today & getting something to eat. After that & an errand or so, we're done. We might not have to go anywhere in the cold.
Take care.
Cya...
It's nice to wake up to light shining in my windows. It's also warmer. This weekend will deep back into the dark, wet & cold BS. After that, it looks more like Spring.
There's more talk about organ donations from HIV+ donors for other + people. This has been a matter of research & application for some time. This piece gives more insight on where things are now.
It still doesn't say much, but it's something. That's all for now. Take care.
Cya...
Not much to post today other than wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's. I hope the day is what you need it to be. Just remember tomorrow is cheap chocolate day.
It's sunny this morning. This weekend might have a few cooler days, but after that, things are supposed to warm up. Less than a month before the weather people tell us it Spring. A little over a month for the equinox.
That's it for now, take care.
Cya...
Yesterday, was a day my mother's birthday. A day she shared with Lincoln. When I was a kid & still in some states, his birth was celebrated as its own holiday. Now, it's just President's Day, combining him & Washington.
Today is 5 years past my stroke. Here's the post on that. I still have some issues, but they seems to be a reaction to the statins they gave me at the time as a preventative after the event. That didn't work.
There are articles out there discussing whether or not a normal life is possible with HIV. That depends on the definition of normal. Too many article paint a sunshine & lollipops picture of normalcy. I won't say you can't have a version of normalcy. I will say it won't be your old life & that kind of familiar existence. You can get through this, but it won't be the same. There might even be times you question if it was worth it.
I need to get labs drawn next week. Hopefully that goes well. I had to call a lot to get a hold of the specialist's office. Their phones are having issues. My telemed appointment will be in the beginning of March.
That's it for now. Take care.
Cya...
It's cold again & still drizzling. The wet stuff is supposed to stop this afternoon, but the grey will probably linger until tomorrow. We have to go shopping in a bit. That'll be it for the day, except trying to get warm again.
Things I'd like right now; warmer temps, better articles, more light, less Winter BS... Too bad I can't control any of that. For now, that's it, take care.
Cya...
The grey has returned. It's colder & wet. It was hard waking up this morning. I don't do mornings like this well. Things will be like this until sometime tomorrow. If there were holodecks, I doubt I'd ever come out. I'd always be in setting that was bright, warm & cheery. None of this dismal, wet drear.
That's about it for the 2nd Sunday of the month. Take care.
Cya...
The forecast calls for a wet, gloomy weekend. Just what I didn't need. It will probably cool down a bit as well. Can't expect temps in the 70s to remain here in February. There isn't much going on here or regarding articles. I let this be today's post.
Take care.
Cya...
The weather is at it again. Today will be warmer, 70s, but windy. The allergens are getting rough. This will be here for a couple of days. Monday may only be in the 40s & may drop down to freezing. The week after will be back in the upper 50s. It's still February, but this weather is rather Marchish.
There's not much going on here. So this is it for now. Trash went out for the 1st time this month. House bills are handled. Now, just waiting for some others to come due.
Take care.
Cya...
This last week or so, there's been a lot of seasonal shifting & swinging about. There's been a lot of variation in temperature, light, wind, allergens, etc... While I appreciate more light & warmer temps, the swing of things is hard on me. I don't handle sudden shifts well, especially when followed by a 180 reverse. Unfortunately, this is how Spring comes. Still, it's left me achy, wheezy & a bit nauseous.
That's the 1st week of February for you. This month is always a mess for me. I'm just never sure what it's going to pull.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
Sometimes looking at the current writings concerning HIV gets depressing. It's not that there aren't occasionally new developments in research. It's that there seems to be an endless stream of articles over topics that have been there for decades.
Instead of moving forward socially, culturally & medically, we're stuck in repeat. The writings are crammed full of people facing stigma, people refusing to deal with HIV because cultural issues or some ideological prejudice against HIV. We're still having to say HIV is a virus & not an act of some pissy god on degenerates. It's disease that doesn't care who or what you are.
To all the religious people out people freaking out over HIV. Either help or get the hell out of the way. Too those hiding behind culture as a reason to not get tested or use protection. You are as big of a problem as the actual virus. Cowardice, ignorance, hate & dishonesty have kept this virus going more than sex & drug use.
Let's accept there will always be people who hate. Lets try our best to move on without & in spite of them. To those hiding behind cultural issues, if you won't take care of yourself, at least stop spreading the danger. To the politicians, do your job.
My rant is over for now, but these same issues have hindered the issue for decades. It's time to grow up & move on.
Cya...
Not many articles this morning. It's a little warmer & brighter. I needed that. I know there's more cold coming this season, but I haven't handled it well this year.
We'll head out in a bit & handle some 1st of the month stuff. Then we'll go shopping & get a bite to eat. That should about be our day.
February's here, Spring's coming, take care.
Cya...
I'm not enjoying this weekend. It's been a grey piss. It was cooler, windy & wet yesterday. Today looks to be the same. All the piddling rain barely came to half an inch. 0.5" for a whole day of ick. It could've done that in under an hour.
The rains are bringing the temps back down & the grey is reminding us it's still Winter. Tomorrow looks to be brighter. It's been good not to need the heaters for a bit. It'd be nice not to need them much more for the season.
That's it for today, take care.
Cya...
We handled our Friday stuff well. My meds went through alright. That's very good for me. We went over to Fort Smith & tried a Thai place we hadn't been to before. It was pretty good. We'll probably go there again.
A little past midnight, Oklahoma had a 5.1 earthquake. It's been a bit since we got a notable shake here. It felt & sounded like the cats had done their hard run across my room chasing each other. The only problem was, they weren't in my room. The quake came from the center of the state & was felt in Kansas & Arkansas.
Our weekend started with some shaking & looks to be dreary throughout. We're having some wind & there could be some significant rain. I guess we need the rain. We don't need the wind or gloom.
That's it for now, take care.
Cya...
It's Groundhog day. It's a little hazy, so who knows which way things will go. It's too early in the year not to expect some cool downs again. Still, if we stay above freezing & don't have to use the heaters a lot, I'd be a lot happier.
I'm ready for open windows, more sunlight, chirping birds & little flowers. I wasn't meant to do the cold weather crap. I prefer shorts & bare feet to layers of stuff trying to keep warm. In a a little over a month, we'll have Spring, Easter & most importantly the time change. Winter can go back in the closet for a while.
That's it for now, take care.
Cya...
February is here & it's a leap year. It's starting warm up but that probably won't last throughout the month. Maybe it won't dip too much. I'll have to get labs drawn this month for a telemed appointment the beginning of March.
There isn't much going on here. We're still waiting for regular TV to return. At this point only a couple of things we watch have restarted.
I called in for meds. Apparently they didn't send in for refills on some of the order. I may have to wait a bit. I'll be OK, but I did try to handle this last time. So, the doctor transition isn't utterly complete yet.
That's it for now, have a good month.
Cya...
