HIV Endable...

This article & many like it detail the possibility of ending the virus.  There's been talk of this for over a decade.  I have some doubts it's possible.  I have almost certainty there are parties who will never want that to occur.   This article tells the reader that a mere 10 years ago over 45,000 per year were infected with HIV in the US.  Guess what?  With all the advancements we're only down to 40K a year.  That's still a good-sized town being infected annually.  

Most of the articles in this vein focus on the purely medical & pharmaceutical.   They push PrEP & other regimens.  Barely mentioning prevention via education, awareness, testing & condom use.  If you read these articles about ending HIV, they come off more like an advertisement for Truvada than a PSA.  Wonder why? $$$

Is it possible to end HIV in my lifetime?  Most likely.  Will it happen?  I seriously doubt that.  There's too much money in treating the virus as compared to curing it.   That fails to focus on how hard the virus will actually fight to stay alive.  Nature pushes for all things to survive, even viruses.

Yes, HIV could be ended, but I seriously doubt it will.  Take care.

Cya...

Rare Transmision...

I saw this topic yesterday, but I was hoping they'd add more to it before I posted.  They haven't, so I'll post now.  There's been a report of a rare father-to-son, non-sexual transmission of HIV.   I'm not going to post many details, so read the article.  

Besides HIV, the father was being treated for 2 other illnesses that both caused him to have skin lesions.  These sores were oozing & he handled his infant.  He never thought he could transfer HIV that way.  However, he had chickenpox, which would've spread that way.  This was a case comorbidity in the father that led to the child's infection.  

I'm not going to judge the father's actions.  I don't know the details.  It could've been utterly necessary for him to touch the child.  It wouldn't have taken much to transmit chickenpox.   

My concern here is that people will think you can get HIV from just touching.   You can't.  This man had open sores, that were oozing infection & other bodily fluids.  He was also suspected to be at HIV's most virulent stage & the chance of transmission was high.  While any bodily fluid can transmit the virus.  Most don't have a high enough concentration to cause concern.  However combine bodily fluids with open sores/cuts or other contangions & you may have a problem. 

Be careful & take care.

Cya...

I Am Trying...

I'm trying to hold out as long as I can versus the Fall gloom.  I admit, I can feel it creeping up on me.  Luckily, this morning was bright & sunny.  However, sunrise was 7:06 & will just keep getting later until the time change.  Even then, the light will be so weak, the hour alteration won't make much difference.  

I'm not in the full funk of the S.A.D. stuff, but it's there.  I'm starting to have weird stressful dreams about nothing relevant.  They're just tense & awkward.  I'm waking up stiffer & already tired.  It's taking me forever too actually wake up completely. 

Soon, I'll start trying the timer for my lamp & see if that helps.  But, I don't want to do it any earlier than possible.  I adjust quickly to things whiling sleeping.  Eventually, even a bright lamp, might not be enough to start waking me up.   Hopefully, that will take a while to happen.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Yesterday & Stars...

Not sure why, but yesterday's outing wore me out for most the day.  I went for a dental cleaning.  My dentist has been bought by another corporation & they're sell happy.  My hygienist uncomfortably pitched several products.  None of which my insurance covered & none had been suggested to me before. Other than that, the cleaning went well.

Afterwards, we tried a new-to-us restaurant.  It wasn't awful, but not great.  We'll give it another go to make sure we just didn't order poorly.  We hit a store for a small grocery run. Then we headed home.  By then, it was drizzling & I was spent.

For some time now, I've seen celebrities jumping in on the HIV fight.  Unlike Elizabeth Taylor's involvement.  Most of these other celebs stand on the sidelines, playing it legally, socially & professionally safe.  Where Taylor was in the fight, they seem to be cheering on the sidelines like distracted cheerleaders.  I appreciate the concern. But celebrities who aren't in the fight, shouldn't draw so much attention to themselves & away from HIV.  People leave those things thinking about the star, not the virus.  It makes it harder for professionals to get the exposure & attention they should be given in this war on HIV.

Take care.

Cya...

Article, Dentist & Feelings...

In the US, the largest HIV population has always been men. Especially males who had sex with other men &/or used IV drugs.  Today those numbers are more show the largest group is actually men under 24 who engage in those risk behaviors.  

This piece reminds us those numbers only hold up in the USA.  For the rest of the world, the largest HIV population is made up of women under 24.  A large part of those women did not engage in sex willingly.  For the rest of the world, this is not a gay disease.  It is a virus that is transmitted via bodily fluids.  Heavily stigmatized, but not necessarily gay.

I have a dentist appointment later today.  I need to get around.  I still have to get a shower & then go get gas.  Hopefully, there won't be any surprises.

I woke up to gloom.  My room is grey & the sky is a blanket of ugly clouds.   I feel like I've been buried & I'm trying to dig my way out.  My head isn't in the greatest places.  Fall is sucking so hard.  I don't have any hope for this season. 

Cya...

$ Shuffle...

Not much in articles today.  There is an ongoing concern on many sites about the shuffling of funds by the Trump administration that may affect HIV programs & those in similar situations.  These monies could impact programs like Ryan White, so that Trump could pay for his fiasco with the undocumented children situation at the borders.  In other words his administration is screwing everyone.  No surprise there.   Hopefully, this won't crash needed programs.

Take care.

Cya...

Not Much Morning....

Were into the last week of September.  It's dreary & wet.   In a day, we got a month's worth of rain & it hasn't stopped.  It's not downpouring, but the drizzle hasn't let up & it looks likely to continue.  It's making maintaining any kind of good mood very difficult.   I'd hope for some sun, but forecasts show overcast days with continued chances of rain & drizzle.  Just great.

Here's to trying to stay positive.  Take care.

Cya..

An Article & More Rain...

Yesterday was a good day, other than waking up early to a month's worth of rain & a bat in the house.  We tried something new & it worked well for us.   When you're chronically ill &/or poor, situations constantly have to be reexamined to find better fitting means for you.  It doesn't always work, but it when it does, it's a pretty good feeling.  You were proactive & found an alternative to an issue.  

The bat hasn't returned, but the rain stayed.  As of now.  We are 2" over the monthly average & if you count back to April, we're about 18" over for the year.  That's a lot, but OK.  The earlier part of the year was dry & the last half of 2017 was very dry.  So, maybe the ground will catch up on it's moisture needs.  Still, this drear is doing a number on me.

This piece is from an Australian paper.   It says how straight men there are having an uptick in HIV rates while most others are going down. Then it's taking months/years for them to get tested & diagnosed.  The main issue seems to be drug use.   The most enlightening part of this piece was this quote.

A survey of just over 1000 Australians showed almost half would behave negatively toward people with HIV. Roughly 60 percent said it would bother them if their roommate was HIV positive.

I have no idea about how the survey was conducted.   But if at all accurate, those statistics are telling.  HIV is very stigmatised in Australia.  Many won't even get tested for the virus.  This could be the beginning a major problem for this country.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

First Day of Fall Sucked...

OK Autumn, what a horrid start.  It was dismal & rained all day. I mean poured.  Our rain totals were significant.  Never trust Weather Channel, it could pour for days & they'd say you were  in a desert.   According to Weather Underground, we had over 4.6" yesterday.  That's exceeds our entire precipitation average for the month.  We only expect about 4.3" for September & we got it all on 1 day. Past midnight we got another 1.5" & it's just 8 something in the morning.  It's supposed to rain more today.  Hello flooding.

To top off my entrance into Fall, I was awaken last night.  At 1st, I thought I was just hearing things.   Somewhere between a bird fluttering & a big bug skittering.  I woke enough to see a blip of darkness cross my room.  I turned on my light & saw it, a bat.  A freaking bat was in my room.  Probably got drove in by the rain.  Still, I didn't want it in my room.  Last I saw it was in the living room.  I opened the door & swatted at it.  I doubt it went out the door.  But I can't find it anywhere.  I don't like vermin in my house.  Bugs are bad enough.

Fall, you are a drenched, flying, flea-covered, asshat that probably has diseases.   In other words you suck & it's just day 1.  Get your act together.

Cya...

Last Day Of Summer...

Technically, it's like the last 36 hours of Summer.  It doesn't look like Summer at all.  After this last hurrah of a heatwave, today  is dismal & possibly won't warm up into the 80s.  The forecast showed very few 80s in the 10 day.  That could change at any moment.  If it doesn't, yesterday was the last 90+ degree day of the year.  We may be mostly past the 80s.  I hope we don't drop into the serious cold quickly.  If it's going to be Autumn, can't it at least be the season it's supposed to be?   Be Fall, not Winter.

Some changes to out schedule & things we want to do are going to make this weekend to mid-week a busy period for us.  We'll get through it, it'll just take some planning.   Maybe grass mowing is over.  I need to trim up the bushes a little & then we'll mostly be done with the yard stuff for a while.  

Take care.  So long Summer 2018.

Cya...

Still Barren & Little News...

There's still a scarcity of articles.  All that could be found were mostly OpEd BS that amounted to opinionated drivel-fests promoting unrealism.  So, nada on that front.

I had my appointment with my primary care yesterday.  Healthwise, all went well.  Figuring out what's going on in his office was less productive.  His receptionist seemed like the world was ending, while he was just as sure everything was fine.   I have no idea who will turn out to be right or if someone is blowing smoke up my ass.  I have another appointment in January.  I guess I'll find out more then.

Yesterday was hot, 98.  it's supposed to warm again today, but by Saturday, we may only be in the low 70's.  This weather is weird & difficult.  98 was a record heat for this area so far into September.   With the humidity we were looking a heat index of over 106.  It was not pleasant.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Early Writing...

I'm writing early this morning.  I have an 8AM appointment with my primary care physician.   Medically, this should be a normal appointment.   Professionally, it might be anything but.  There's been some weirdness in his office for a while.  His office made a request, I'm not comfortable with, but the option may mean having to get a new primary care.  I've been with this person for over a decade.  I hate changing, but I may have no choice.

Yesterday was hot, 96 F.  Today's looks to be about the same.   It supposed to drop some tomorrow & then again on Friday. By Saturday, we might not make it to 80.   This weather is weird & probably going to really mess with me.  

That' it for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Irked...

The article well is still suffering a drought.   The only pieces I found were things I'd already talked about.  How vampire facials are a bad idea.  How physical activity & food insecurity can impact people living with HIV.  I guess most telling was the 1st articles that popped up.

The first pieces that showed up were dealing with a financial battle between GlaxoSmithKline & Gilead pharmaceuticals.   The articles detailed how GSK could get the upper hand on Gilead in a corporate since.  I'm sure this is important to investors, but as an HIV+ person it's not what I feel should be the lead article.  "Money changes everything..."

That's all for this morning.  Take care.

Cya...

Sluggish Again...

This week is the last hurrah of Summer, Solstice is in less than a week.  Fall is here as far as the weathermen are concerned & after this week, Summer 2018 will be a memory.  The temps are back in the 90's for a bit.  Maybe the grass will die off.  

It's weird to feel the seasons change.  To sense how oddly desperate the light seems as it tries to fill up the world for as long as possible before heading off elsewhere.  The closing of this season is bringing me down a bit.  I hope this Fall & Winter aren't too dismal.

The article well seems to have dried up again.  There appears to be lots out there, but not really.  Most amount to nothingness, speculation or rehash.  Not very useful.  Hopefully, this dry spell will be brief.

Cya...

Continuation...

Just to compound on yesterday's topic of the need for more HIV awareness.  When you Google HIV, your top topics vary slightly, but most often you get questions like:

• What is HIV?
• Is HIV a gay disease?
• Can I get HIV from kissing, holding hands, etc..?
• Will I have HIV forever?

These exact top items change between queries, but the gist stays the same.  There is an astounding level of ignorance regarding HIV.    These are all things people should've known about the virus decades ago, but still don't.

Makes you question why HIV awareness is such a low priority.  Doesn't it?  Maybe some groups would rather have you ignorant enough to contract HIV so you can buy their medications.   That may be a cynical mindset.  But it's been over 30 years & a lot of people still don't know the very basics about this disease.

Take care.

Cya...

Still Needing The Info...

No citations today.  The topic is easily Googled.   There are a constant flow of articles detailing the failures of the fight against HIV.  Even in the age PrEP & accessible regimens.  

The culprit usually comes down the, "Not me" attitude.  Various reports show 10 - 33% of gay/bi males under 24 haven't been tested for HIV & are horribly ignorant of the virus.  Those that somewhat understand the virus, feel they're not risky enough to  contract it & if they do they can just take meds.  They think it's like having a long term cold.

The untested numbers drop drastically once past the age of 24 & outside the general demographic.   Still, that's a huge number of people ignorant about HIV & untested who are sexually active.   This is not a case for PrEP or treatment as prevention.  This is the very reason why education & prevention are still relevant.  Only by making these young men aware of the situation is there a chance of getting them to practice safer sex behaviors & get tested.  

Take care.

Cya..

Allergy Pills...

I have an uneasy relationship with allergy meds.   I only take them when the allergy levels are soaring & I can barely function.   Still, today is like that & I won't be taking them.

Allergy meds can have a host of side-effects.  Google your specific med to check on those.  Reactions vary between medications.  For me, they range from annoying to borderline side-lining.  If I take allergy meds for more than a day or so, I often experience: 

• Over drying of my sinuses, throat & eyes
• Nosebleeds
• Higher levels of edginess & anxiety
• Lethargy, fatigue & the general blahs
• Heightened levels of S.A.D.
• More diarrhea
• Blurry vision
• Heightened heart rate & blood pressure

Unless my allergies are extreme, I avoid taking allergy meds for as long as possible.    My reactions aren't uncommon, but could  be boosted by my HIV status & my other medications.  If you react oddly to allergy medications, you're not alone.

Cya...

Bad Programming...

People in online groups I frequent are remarking how few life skills they have.   What few decent strategies they have to get through the hard times.  How bad they feel about mentioning their perceived shortcomings.   They're worried others will think they're whining or just working an angle.   Maybe some people do those things, but most of us are just admitting we're clueless, frustrated & scared.  We're failing at adulting & it isn't entirely our fault.

People should stop looking at children how they do.  They aren't toys, pets & mini-versions of their egoist progenitors.   They are little people, animals, that someday will have to fend for themselves & most are woefully unprepared for the fight ahead.

Parents should view kids as little bots that need programming.  They're the programmers.  At this point, most people are only programmed with self-doubt, insecurities, unrealistic ideals, useless trivia & precious little ability to actually cope with life.  Parent's have 1 job.  To raise children to be adults that can function in life.  The rest of is gratis & window dressing.

The majority of issues people have in their life originated, purposely or not, from their parents.   When you're little, your parents are primary source of everything, especially life coding.  Slowly, others start having impact on the skills & info people use to get through life.  Eventually, parents have little impact on their children & wonder why.

Maybe it's time to backpedal on the ego & emotion, so we can realize raising children is more like programming a robot than living a sitcom.   Coding is about a set of commands, being written succinctly & as redundantly as needed.   Raising a child is more about repetition & consistency than ideals & trivium. 

Just remember, "Crap in, crap out!"  Why would parenting be any different?

Cya...

HIV Facials...

This post is probably better suited for October.   There is a type of spa treatment called a vampire facial/facelift.  It draws the clients blood & spins it thin.  Then the skin is either micro-needled or micro-abraded After the skin is prepared, perforated, the blood mixture is spread across the face.  It's supposed to act as a facial & filler.  

I'm not giving any citations, because none of the articles actually say anything.  But, it is suspected someone may have contracted HIV via this procedure.  It's thought this process could spread bloodborne pathogens, like hepatitis.   There are  many steps where this process could go wrong.  I'd consider it  moderately risky even in a perfectly sterile environment.  

As of yet, nothing has been stated absolutely.  The investigation into this procedure is ongoing.  Be safe, don't play with blood.  

Cya...

Tuesday Outing...

I have to go to Fort Smith later & pick up my roomie.  I also have to shop for a new microwave.  Ours isn't dead, but it's dying slowly with a clicking magnetron.  

It seems the brand I've been used for years has gone to pot.  I've read a lot of bad reviews about the newer Panasonic microwaves.  Mostly with mechanical breakage, weird error codes & magnetron failure in less than a year.   These things are too expensive to be replacing every couple of years.  I don't what I'll find, I guess we'll see.

I make the shopping rounds, pick up my roomie & get food.  That'll be my big time in Fort Smith.  That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Weird Light Monday....

Woke up to a bright, hazy morning.  The sun's out, but behind enough clouds to make the sky glow.  It's a little hard on the eyes this morning. We've gotten none of the forecast rain, but it did cool down a lot.   

We're headed out in a bit to go shopping & handle a bill.   The goings on for this week are a bit up in the air.  There was an unwanted  development for my roomie that will impact part of the week, just not sure when as of yet.  

That's about it for now.  I'll post more tomorrow.  Take care.

Cya...

Middish September...

Except for a couple of stragglers, the bills are handled.  The weather has cooled.  Yesterday, we didn't even make it into the 80's.  There may be a 90 or 2 left for us, but that's about it.  Most the forecast temps are in the mid 80's or lower.  A couple of nearby trees are really shedding their leaves.  We have at least 1 more mowing left & towards the end of the month I'll do whatever little shrub trimming I'm going to do.  Even though the equinox is still a week away, Summer is over.  

This morning has been darker.  Soon, I'll need to turn on lights earlier to wake up well.   Sunrise is almost to 7 AM instead somewhere around 6.  That hour makes a huge difference.  The fans are running less.  In other areas Autumn may be a colorful event, but here it's just a gloomy drab-fest of skittering leaves, overcast skies & skeletal trees. Maybe that's why people love decorating for the holidays so much.  They need some color, some sparkle, something distracting from all the blah greyness.

OK neighbors, break out the inflatable pumpkins & suggestive Santas.  Make with the whirlygigs, streamers & flickering lights.   Hit the big box yard stores & buy all the Fall foliage & flowers.  Brighten this place up a bit.

That's it for now.

Cya...

Sore Feet & No Rain...

Yesterday was tiring & frustrating.  I dealt with yard stuff because it was supposed to rain.  Of course, not a drop fell.  At least the yard stuff is handled.  Then we went shopping.  

Walmart shuffled 80% of the grocery side so it makes no sense at all.  Even the employees didn't know where things were now located.  The rest will be moved in the upcoming weeks, including frozen.  

I hate remods.  All they accomplish, is irritation.   I've never seen more angry, vexed shoppers in a store.  There were lots of irritated, loud people with short fuses at Walmart yesterday.  I had to circle the store several times to finish my shopping.

My feet were tired & swollen.  It never rained.  It stayed humid & hellish all day.  I'm glad we have no plans for today.  My feet couldn't handle it.

Cya...

Tired, Errands & Bad News...

We went out yesterday to run errands & it was surprisingly tiring.   When we got back, the lawn was being mowed.  We're expecting rain.  We have more errands & 1st of the month stuff to handle this morning.  But, I knew this might be my only chance to spray the weeds for a week.  I handled that in high humidity.  Now, off to go shopping.  I hope we don't have much to do this weekend.  I'm already worn out.

This article is about African countries & drug failure to overcome resistant HIV.  Some areas have seen such erratic application of medication the virus has become resistant.  Up to 10% of new cases are showing resistance.  Some countries are showing up to a 90% failure rate in some  HIV regimens.   This could be the tipping point for a new serious outbreak of the virus in Africa.  With travel, it won't stay there long.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Going Out...

My roomie needs to acclimate to a new piece of equipment.  So, we're heading out today to give it a shot.   Not much going on around here than that.  We'll be out tomorrow as well handling the remaining bills.   Then that will be over for the month.   

That's about it for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Drifting...

At the beginning of 2018, I didn't have a lot, but I felt fairly stable in regards to some things.  I lulled myself into a sense of security about these matters.  I needed it.  There had to be somethings I could put out of my head & not worry about.  It was nice for a while, but now a lot of those of changing & possibly going away.  

In the beginning of the year, I knew where I stood in regards to my doctor, dentist, hell even my cable company.  Now all that is up in the air.  Everything is changing faster than I can adjust.

Now, I even feel adrift in the place I reside.  I never called it home for anything else than the convenience of others.  I knew it was never "my" home.  It would never be that.  Things are changing & my needs are just that, my needs.  

When I get in these situations, I like to subtract from the situation, so I can get a handle on things.  Then I can handle adding more.   Other people like to keep adding to the situation in an attempt to resolve the issues.  The whole thing is already overwhelming, adding more to it, especially things I'll have to deal with, seems way more than I can handle.

I was stupid to let myself feel there was any security in my situation.  That I wasn't still just a "me" fight against things.   The support was nice while it lasted, even if it wasn't what I thought it was.  I just need to accept those things I'd always wanted will never be.  There will never be any safe place, security or home.

Cya...

Bills Morning...

Little brief this morning.  I've got to get a shower & then go deal with some bills stuff.  It's a hazy morning.  The sunlight is weirdly filtered.  Not much else going on at the moment.  Looks like my car insurance finally processed at the bank.  Good, that worked.

I was supposed to do something yesterday that I didn't do.    I'm still thinking about doing it sometime this week.  I have until at least Thursday.  I'll see how it goes.  

Well September's here, Autumn mostly is & everything's already in a funk.  Had to talk to a neighbor this morning.  Not something I particularly enjoy.  This never  ever talk & then they won't stop.  There's no middle ground.

Take care.

Cya...

Well That's Over...

The happy birthday is over.   I doubt that will ever return.  I'm having to face somethings.  Everything in my life is making decisions to make an easier time for themselves.  The problem is that every time they do this, they're adding on to my list of things to handle or have at least have a hand in handling.  My doctor may be lightening his office load.   That means I may be out of a doctor & will have to find another.  My dentist has changed again.  I'm not sure to what extent, but that could mean me having to find another dentist.  The landlord wants to make changes to something which will leave us to handle it.

Had an argument with my roomie yesterday.  She had been editing me the last couple of months, not to raise my voice.   When these occurrences happened, I wasn't angry, but apparently I was too loud.  The 1st thing of the argument yesterday & she was screaming at me.   We didn't talk for most the day.  I told her how pissed off I was because I was left alone in the hospital when I got pneumonia.  Maybe I should've said something earlier, but how do you bring up something like that.  How do ask someone, "Why did you leave alone there?" I wouldn't have done that to her.

She's looking into somethings to help her life.  To make her mobility easier.  Great.  Except for I'll also have to adjust to all of that newness.  I'll have load & unload the device.  I'll have to slow down, carry more, push the chair, etc..

Everyone is asking to be given some slack.  But, I'm the person at the end of the rope.  There's no slack for me, just people adding more.  My roomie wrote a rant post last night & then  deleted it.  I'm fine with people ranting, even about me.  They're letting off steam.  She basically said I should just leave.  She said I should go make friends with people in better situations, like I just wanted to use them.  I don't want to use people, I just get tired of being used all the time.  She doesn't think I notice what she does do.  I notice.  I just didn't think she needed a parade for helping out around the house.  

This post might start another argument.  But, I've had to face somethings as well.  I'm alone.  If I ever have to move by myself or go in a home.  I'll never see anyone I know ever again.  I guess it's time to get used to that.

I'm glad the cats are getting closer to her.  At least I won't have to worry about them if I have to do something.  I know she didn't mean me to see that post, but I did.  I guess to her, I'm just a miserable person, her words, not mine.  Now would be a good time, just not have woken up this morning.

I've got to go.  I have stuff to do & then shopping. 

Cya...

Little Less Bright...

This morning was overcast .  We're expecting rain.  There are a couple of lingering Hummers in the back.   The shrubs are still blooming.  The birds will stay until it gets a cooler, darker & the blooms start to fall.  Then it'll be off with the little flowery heads for the season.  Trimming will probably be in late September this year.  I don't plan on much.  The bushes didn't thrive well this year.   Maybe the flower nectar didn't taste as well this year & that's why we had so few Hummers.  

I'm waiting to see what the rest of the week holds.  I know we have more bill stuff to handle.   But some other plans may or may not happen.  Seems to be a common theme these days.  

I read a newspaper blip from Seattle.   They are experiencing an HIV cluster in north Seattle.  They think it's like all the other clusters popping up.  Economically depressed people on drugs are engaging in high risk activities.  

I love how calling them activities makes it sound like something you engage in at Summer camp or on a cruise. "Oh, don't miss this evening's event.  There'll be cheap drugs, shared needles & lots of unprotected sex.  Make sure take your turn at the pinatas & cotton candy.  Don't be late..."

Take care.

Cya...

Hello September, Me & 2 New Meds...

Well it's September & the 1st day of the month is sunny.  My hopes for this month are simple; as little drama as possible, some cheerful moments, shiny mornings & some reasonable means to solve any problems that may occur.  Thanks in advance.  So, goodbye August & hello September.  

This article talks about the FDA approving 2 new HIV meds.  One a medication called Doravirine & a combo pill containing the new med & 2 older meds.  The medications are produced by Merck & not Gilead, yay!  Other options are always valuable when treating HIV.

Finally, it's my birthday.  I'm 52.  I'm OK with the number.   It's weirder to think that my sister is almost 60 & my older 2 are in their 60's.  No one in my family should've ever been that old.  People like us are supposed to die in some Faulkneresque  or Hemingwayish style death suitable for a rock song  or a tear in my beer ballad.  Better to burn out & all that.

This morning brings me sunshine, a new month, news of new medications & a birthday.  I'm fine with all this.  Take care & best wishes for the month.

Cya...