Goodbye 2025...

 

Goodbye December & 2025, the door's opening for the next year.  I don't have much good to say about 2025.  My roomie fared far better than me.  Then again, the last 25 years haven't been my year.  I guess that doesn't happen anymore.  

I have no idea what 2026 has in store, I just hope it's better than this year.  This was a rough time for too many of us.   Here's too all those who won't be coming into the new year with us, be they 2 legged or not.

That's it for now, have a very Happy New Year.  May it kind to you & yours.

Cya...

The Now...

 

The Now & I don't have a good relationship.  Even in my head, I'm rarely in the now.  I'm not even this age, It varies where, when & who I am.  Sometimes I'm a little kid, a younger teen, older teen, 20 something, but none of them are here & now.  I'm in places I've been, wanted to be or that never were.  It's not always great, but it's almost always better than the now.  I'm not always in the past, sometimes my thoughts go forward & that's even worse.  Instead of nostalgia & regret; I get angst, worry & dread.  

I don't think I should've ever been.  Or maybe, I should've been a short run concept.  But life as it is & the Now, never felt like they were meant for me.  I was trying to wear someone else's wardrobe & do their lines.   

A new year is crashing in on us & I don't anticipate good tidings, pleasant surprises or opportunities.  I'm waiting for the shoe to drop.  At this point, it's more apt to rain anvils.  Meatloaf had it right.

It was long ago and it was far away and it was so much better than it is today - Paradise By The Dashboard Lights - 1977.

That's it, take care.  The end is almost here, so wrap it up or set it free.

Cya... 

Only 2 Full Days Left...

 

In some ways I'm so ready for this year to be over.  Then I'm also very apprehensive about 2026.  It's not like I've got a choice, but still, the options aren't great.  It would be easier not to focus on it if the orange wasn't present.  Then again, if he wasn't here, things probably wouldn't be so bad. 

This will probably be the last shopping of the year.  Then the last run to the bank & pharmacy.  It's almost over, 2025's bags are packed & it's about out the door.  It'll head off to wherever last years go when their days run out.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

Revolving Dread...

 

There are 3 full days left in 2025.  The entirety of the 2000s has been a crapfest for me.  It's ranged from unpleasant to WTF happened & what did anyone do to deserve that?  I can't give any year of the 2000s a rating above tolerable at best.  The flavors & intensities of misfortunes have changed, but they all were horrid in their own way.

2026 is about to roll in & I'm dreading it.  I'd really be fine with not seeing it at all.  I hope good things come for those around me.  But, I don't see anything in my life going any direction but down.  

Some flickers did happen.  A few houses on nearby blocks had some lights.  If I looked the right way I could see them for a brief time.  Last night, the neighbors left their drapes open & I actually saw their Christmas tree lit up.  It was a pleasant surprise.   Did it change overall holiday?  No, but it did make last night just a little easier to handle.

The holiday is over, I'm exhausted & let down.  Now there's the threat looming just over 72 hours away.  I'm not sure why, but there's no reason to expect anything good out of 2026 & the orange bastard.  It'd be nice to be wrong.  

Take care.

Cya...

The Very Lasts of 25...

 

Since the holiday, we've been on the lasts of the year.  This is the last Saturday of 2025.   Next Wednesday will end the year & next Saturday will be the anniversary for this blog & my HIV diagnosis.  In a sense, I'm ready for this year to be over, but I don't have any reason to believe 2026 will be better.

This year has really worn me down.  There was far too much cat issues, breakage, expense, political BS...  I haven't fared well.  I haven't kentsugied myself back together.  In my case, it'd probably be done with knock-off, white glue & have pieces missing.  We're ending 25 years into the 2000s & so far, they've mostly sucked me & mine.   

I hope the rest of the year treats you well, take care.

Cya...

Busy December Morning...

 

We have errands & shopping this morning.   Then we have to take trash out for a postponed pickup.  That'll happen next week as well.  After that, we're heading to a friends for a bit.  This will wrap up the holidays for us.

Yesterday went well.  It wasn't our normal, but, it could be a new part of our holiday to bring my roomie's stepmom along.  None of us many people left in the area.

This season has been a bit disappointing.  Beyond the stress brought by the asshat in orange, there just was so little umph put into the holiday.   The most decor & music I witnessed was at IHOP yesterday.   Even when I was very anti-holidays, I still enjoyed the lights.  There so few of them this year.

I hope your holidays are going well, take care & be kind to yourselves.

Cya...

The Holiday Has Arrived...

 

Christmas is here & we actually have plans.  We'll need to be out of here shortly.   There will more going-ons tomorrow.   Then the holiday can move along until next year.   So far, this round has felt like an obligation only my roomie & I got stuck with. 

I did manage to find an article.   It's a piece out of Florida concerning continuing late HIV diagnoses. Late diagnoses come with different issues & severities.  Give it a read.  This is why testing is so important.

That's all for now, Merry Christmas.

Cya...

Nothing For Eve...

 

For quite a while I hated on the holidays.  Then I grew indifferent to the idea.  My roomie & I had our own things we did & it was fine by me.   For years, I tried to avoid the holidays, now it seems like they're avoiding me.

I watch holiday specials with my roomie.  I probably wouldn't on my own, they're a little too nostalgic at times.  The specials, the songs, the season all seem like hollow promises.  Maybe they were a well meaning trick & eventually we all figure out it's a show.  But the suggestion that there would be good times, friends, family, food, presents, songs, lights, etc... never seems to hold up.

They say it's better to have experienced some things once & then lost them, than to never have had them at all.  I don't agree.   Even with the few good times with my family, the happy holiday events & other moments of seasonal joy, I think I'd rather not have known them.  Now, I have to deal with the reality of it all.  I was a little kid & it wasn't real.  I could've lived without that.

Even though I can enjoy holiday specials, I can see the damage they do & unkept promises they made.  There isn't always tomorrow to make your dreams come true.  You probably won't be rewarded for being good.  The twinkling lights will go out.

Sorry to be a downer, but this year's been weird & rough.  The only light's I'm seeing this year are ours & I just can't seem to get lost in them like I used to.  I've tried listening to the music & I just get annoyed.  This isn't holiday hate or even avoidance.  There just isn't anything there & that feels wrong on a lot of levels.  Even when I avoided holidays, they were still there.  Now, there's this weak, politicized, commercialized suggestion of what used to be.  I feel like I've been sent on a snipe hunt for Christmas.   But, you can't find what doesn't exist.

I'd like to think next year will be better, but things have been going downhill for years.  I doubt another year will make a difference.  This isn't bah humbug, it's just nothing.

For those celebrating, may it be grand time with lights, laughter & song.  

Make some memories.

Cya...

Weekly Pill...

 

Lots of links coming here.  This article & this prior piece, discuss a 2 drug combination medication from Merck & Gilead.  Their drugs, Islatravir & Lencapavir have been combined into a single, weekly dose, oral medication.  These studies show some of the progress & efficacy of the research.  With both meds already having governmental approval, this should be just to prove the viability of the approach.  This could be an option for HIV+ people in the near future.  Personally, I'd opt for the weekly pill over the weekly injection.  

This morning has been rough.  I woke to 70° & it felt hot.  Add to that, wind & allergies are an issue.  My body wasn't ready for this & soon it'll be back to seasonal temps.  

We're trying to get our holiday plans in order.  It'd be nice if the worked.  Things seldom go as planned for us.  But we try.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Belated Yule...

The weekend threw me off my days.  Yesterday was the shortest day of 2025 at 9 hours & 47 minutes.  We'll gain a whole minute today.  Winter is both seasonally & meteorologically here.   9 days remain in 2025.  Add 3 more & it's this blog's & my HIV diagnosis' anniversary.   There are 76 days until Daylight Saving Time returns & about 88 days left until the Spring equinox.

I hope this season brings you what you need.  It'd be nice knowing it was kind to someone or something.  I think we've lost another yard cat.  We called her Goblin.  She was from the cursed line.  A tabby male may be her uncle, but I can't get a good look at him.  All these tabbies look alike at a distance.   There's a yellow male, Sharkling, left from her litter mates.  He's the last remaining & he knows it.  He's gotten very skittish.

My roomie got a lot of things underway this year.  The white car is no longer our issue.  She's got plans.  I won't say the year was easy on her, but she fared better than me.  I didn't fare horribly, but not well either.   Each year just takes more & at some point there won't be any more to lose.  

Like it or not (I don't), Winter is here.

Cya...

Different & Same Old....

 

I was going to post about this article yesterday, but things happened.  It's from AmFAR & it's recognizes the current limits of HIV regimens, mostly ARTs.  It proposes the use of immunotherapy to extend the benefits of current meds.  It focused on broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) and an immune-stimulating agent (a TLR9 agonist).  This wasn't proposing a cure, but a step in a new direction for treating HIV.  Maybe, if this works, it could lead to a functional cure.

I haven't been doing well.  I'm just tired, detached &  ready just to let go.  This has been exhausting.  2026 is going to bring a lot changes to my assistance programs.  The orange asshats say it's for health.  They don't care about any poor person's well being.  They just get off on punching down & harming those who can't really fight back.  If every orange follower would just die, the world would be a better place.

My sister called.  The call itself was benign.  I guess she needed to touch base with me, so she could say did.  Between everything going one, the time of the year, the alleged holiday happening & governmental BS, I'm just over it.   That call just reminded me or how much of an afterthought I've always been to those people related to me.  If I wasn't that I was a bother or nuisance to them.  I have a hard time seeing my life being any worse if I'd never met any of my relatives. 

I didn't need to see 59, another holiday season or 2026.  There won't be anything for me.  My life will continue to descend into worse levels.  So yeah, I don't care about 2026.  It'll only be a worse version of 2025.

Sorry for the bummer, but do give the article a read.  It could be a new direction for HIV treatment.  Take care.

Cya...

Interrupted..

 

I was going to post on something else, but I got a phone call & things went sideways.  I'll try to post more tomorrow.   Sorry about the short post.

Cya...

Next To Last Friday...

 

There's only 1 more Friday left in 2025.  There's less than a week until Christmas & not even 2 weeks left in the year.   I've said it a lot the last few years, none of this feels like the holidays.  The sparkle, wonder & anticipation of the season is just gone.  I doubt I'll live to see it again.  It might pop in small bits or places that put on a show like Silver Dollar City, but I think the twinkle has left the building.  

My roomie has a lot on her plate today.  So, shopping will need to be handled a bit quicker than usual.  She'll handle her family event this weekend & we'll do whatever we're going to next week.  We'll see what that turns out to be.

That's it for now.   Take care.

Cya.

Beware The Corti's...

 

Cortisol is a necessary hormone that affects a variety of bodily functions; waking, breathing, metabolism...  Normally it works, but some of us have issues with the cortisol awakening response (CAR).  For most people waking is just a part of the day.  

For people with a non typical CAR, it can mean difficulty waking or jolting.  I typically have the jolt.  It can leave me anxious, jittery, angry or panicked.  It doesn't usually last long, under an hour, but it ruins my morning & exhausts me.  I can stay edgy until I get a decent night's sleep again without a bad waking.

These surges can make you feel like you're under a lot of stress.  There are jitters, your heart races, concentration is shot, rapid breathing & blood pressure can rise, etc...  Cortisol can impact a lot of the body.  It can make you emotional, panicky & manic.

This article is about calming cortisol issues.  Maybe some of them will work for you.  I haven't had the best of luck, but I'm also dealing with SAD. 

This piece started me down this rabbit hole.  It's about an HIV+ woman who was prescribed a corticosteroid as part of her treatment.  Steroids are common for treating breathing issues & pneumonia.   That's where all the normal went out the window.

Shortly after, the patient was began having symptoms of manic episodes.  Corticosteroids are a manufactured version of Cortisol.  It has many of the hormone's benefits, but also the less desirable qualities.  A person with no psychiatric history had to be further hospitalized for manic episodes due to these medications.

This graph is from the article.  It shows the course of this experience from onset of the med, to removal from, to discharge.   This woman lost nearly 2 weeks of her life to a psychiatric condition due to a reaction to standard medication.

Cortisol & its derivatives are powerful hormones/chemicals.  They can alter your world in ways you wouldn't suspect.  Mine is made worse due to SAD & thyroid issues.  This is an article you should read if you have cortisol issues, use similar meds, have waking issues or are dealing unusually rough mornings.

Take care.

Cya...

Jargonized...

 

I'm not sure if this was intentional or not.  But there were a lot of articles out this morning hiding behind heavy handed writing & jargon to disguise they were topics already covered ad nauseum.  The pieces not on repeat & shuffle, were presented as imminent when they were mostly in the research stage or even earlier.  

Delivering half-baked, wordy, jargon heavy pieces doesn't help anyone or thing.  It comes off somewhere between desperate & arrogant.   Some sites seem to be trying to maintain a certain flow.  It's not easy at this time.  Funds are short & some sources are no longer as credible as they once were.  Think sites the US gov has anything to do with or if RFK has touched it. 

Were at a time when information regarding just about anything needs to be scrutinized.  Too many people are putting their "special" touches on everything.  To hell with the orange stain & his herd of ugly pig people.

That's all for now.  Take care.  Just 7 days to Christmas Eve.

Cya.

HIV In 2025...

 

The articles are starting to review the year.  There have been some high points like Gilead's lenacapaivir or Yeztugo the twice a year injection for prevention.  There  are new daily meds being developed.  Researchers have made some headway in other means to fight HIV & it's reservoirs, such as cancer treatments.   

Still, there's been the dark cloud of abrupt fund cutting.  This is all due to that orange bastard.  IMO, everyone single new case or death from HIV & similar ailments is in some part his fault.  He probably gets off on knowing that.  Between his cuts & ongoing combat throughout some regions, the fight against HIV/AIDS could be drastically set back.

There's not happening today, so this is it.  Take care.

Cya...

Same Chilly Same...

 

It's still cold & article land is lacking.  It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow & stay fairly warm for the week.  Most articles were still dealing with funding cuts & rising transmission rates in some areas.  There were some on Gilead's new 2-drug combo.  It's a single dose pill with lenacapavir that's in the 3rd stage of research.  If it gets approval, this would add to available regimens for people living with HIV.  It would further the use of lenacapavir, which should lower the price.  Soon, most people will have single dose or long acting options.  That's a far cry from where these regimens started.

That's about it for now, take care.

Cya...

1st Seriously Cold Morning....

 

I know it was bound to happen, but couldn't it have happened next year.  Frigid temps are here.   We won't be above freezing until noon.  At least it's bright.  Some people love this weather, I will never be among them.  The cold leaves me achy, sniffly & coughing. 

There isn't much going on this morning, besides trying to warm up the house some.  The articles are re-do's & rehashes.   But, things are up in the air & it's near the holidays.

Here's hoping for better temps & sunny days.  Take care.

Cya...

Cuts...

 

For several months now, cuts to HIV & other medical funds have made the news.  The US is mentioned most often, but it isn't the only government following suit.  Britain has made serious slashes to their budget as well.  

Many are recalling the 80s when little to no funds were allocated to fight AIDS.  Groups rose up to counter them, such as ACT UP, which Larry Kramer co-founded.   They furthered the work of the Silence = Death Project, founded by Avram Finkelstein & others.  The banner is back attacking government's lack of involvement in fighting HIV.    

This isn't the part of the 80s we wanted back.  Until every corporate, war hungry leader is dead I doubt much will ever change.  The Trumps & their acolytes need to fall over dead for any good to be done.  The orange asshat is a pestilence.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Feeling Rough...

 

I'm doing my best not to get sick.  But, I'm feeling pretty rough.   I never do well with seasonal changes in weather.  But, the temps keep swinging back & forth.  There's been a lot of wind.  I'm not sure if it's allergies or just windblown debris, but I'm congested.  My eyes are watering, I'm coughing & my breathing has been raspy. 

We've got shopping then some errands.  After that, it should be home for the weekend.  I hope nothing comes up.  We could both use the rest.   

Take care.

Cya...

Less & Less...

 

There's only 2 weeks until Christmas & not even 3 left in 2025.  Every year there's less of the holiday season.  The stores start pushing sales in October, but few are decked out or playing music.  The local Walmart  has no decorations up & I haven't heard a single holiday song.  I mostly haven't heard any music there.  There haven't been any bell ringers or even Angel Trees.

It's not just the stores, it's TV as well.  There aren't many holiday specials shown.  Most are on cable/pay channels.  There's are many specials that haven't aired in years.  I see pictures of local parades & calling them lacking would be an understatement.  My neighborhood has never been really lit up for the season, but there used to a few.  Now there's only 1 house & I can't see it because of a neighbor's giant, work trailer.

I'm not much for the holidays, but the lights, music & cheer made this season better.  It made this part of Winter tolerable.  I guess it's just a bah humbug world.

Cya...

Using Pharmacies...

 

Most of us have had to go to a pharmacy.  I'm in my local drugstore quite often.  Many provide more services than just getting prescriptions filled.  Some provide financial & bill paying options.  More importantly, these places often over vaccinations, assistance in getting meds filled & advice concerning your medications.  

This article is about a move to empower pharmacist to  do even more in regards to testing, prevention & prescribing.  This would be screening for HIV, STIs, hepatitis & potentially other communicable illnesses.  This would allow the pharmacy to provide testing, education, meds such as PEP & PrEP.   

Many people see a pharmacist more often than any other health professional.   They are often have better knowledge of medications & assistance plans than doctors.  The stores generally have more accessible hours & locations.  Expanding the role of the pharmacist could be a huge boost when dealing with these types of illnesses.  It could save a lot of funds that could be spent elsewhere.

Give this a read & look into the services your local drugstore offers.  

Cya...

Onto Tuesday...

 

My dental appointment went alright.  It was the 2nd time at the new office & the 1st encounter beyond a cleaning.  I needed 2 small fillings.  The issue was just emerging, so it got handled early.

My roomie has an appointment & we'll have to head out pretty soon.  It's going to be a busy week.  More for her than me.  Still, there's a lot going on. 

There were only some very benign articles this morning, so this is it for now.  Take care.

Cya...

It Begins Again & So On...

 

This week is going to be filled to the brim.  I have to get around, take a shower, eat, brush my teeth & then drive over to my dentist office.  Then we'll grab something to eat, drive home & maybe an errand.  This week looks pretty filled up.  

The holidays start soon.  Hope things are going well for everyone.  Take care.

Cya...

Week 2 Begins...

 

There's something going on everyday of this week, so we're having to shop on Sunday.  I have a dentist appointment tomorrow & most of the remainder is for my roomie.  It's going to be busy time.

I need to get around & that's not being easy this morning, it's dreary & gray.  This isn't motivating me to get it together.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya..

Our Nothing Day...

 

It's a nothing day for us.  This has been a busy week, but shopping, bills, appointments & car stuff have been handled.  For a moment we get to hit pause.  It'll all start again tomorrow.  It'll be another Sunday shopping day, because I have a dental appointment on Monday.  The rest of the week is filled with appointments, errands, shopping & possible guests.  Maybe we'll slow down after that for a bit.  

It's going to get into the 50s today & it's bright out.  I"m trying to look for the good things.  That's not always easy.  But, for now, we have nothing to do outside of the house today.

Take care.

Cya...

Krampusnacht

 

It's Krampusnacht & there are so many places he should visit.  I wonder if he takes adults that act like spoiled children?  If so, the orange thing should be on the list.  That'd certainly be a holiday present.  

After shopping, this week should be wrapped.  Most of our business will be handled.  Next week will be a little busy again, both of us have appointments on top of regular things.  At least it's supposed to be a little warmer.

Times running out.  There are only 16 days until Yule, 20 until Christmas & 26 left in the year.  2025 is almost out of here.   It's time to wrap things up.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Another Hurried Morning...

 

There's a lot going on today, so this is barely going to be a post.  We've got bills, errands & other things popping up.  Hopefully things will slow down some soon.  This is tiring.

Take care.

Cya...

Regimen Add-Ons....

 

TV commercials show people using add-ons to the boost the effectiveness of their current meds.   This is usually with medications for depression or other psychological disorders.  The approach is also used with HIV meds.  I was on Norvir for a while as a booster to another med.  

This article is about using Spironolactone as part of an HIV regimen.  This medication aided in inhibiting the virus & lowering viral levels.  This helped with inflammation.

It was an interesting read.  It would've gotten more coverage if the US hadn't backed out of World AIDS Day.  Give it a look.  

Cya...

Busy December Week...

 

We have a full week.  There's bank & 1st of the month stuff going on.  There are other pieces still moving about that we need to get into place.

It's still cold, but at least it's bright this morning.  I haven't been feeling that well.  I'm trying to get past whatever this yick is. 

That's about it for this morning, take care.

Cya..

Hello December & World AIDS Day...

 

December is here & 2025 is closing out.  Here's hoping for a good month.  We have some hold ons from last month that need handling & then on to new business.

It's World AIDS Day & thanks to the orange stain this year's theme is, Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.   This is a link to WHO's page on the matter.  Thanks to his orangeness, it will be harder to find info on the matter.  Google it & your area to see what's available.   This administration has severed ties with the event & had slashed funding.  Some states, not Oklahoma, are still promoting it.  This is an announcement from the republican governor of Alaska still publicizing the day.

These people are the biggest danger to the fight against HIV/AIDS in decades.   If this is something you care about, remember we are nearing midterm elections.  These people could be voted out & make the orange asshat impotent.  Please vote.

That's all for now.  May December treat us all well.

Cya...

Goodbye November...

 

November is wrapping up.  At least it's ending on a bright note, even if it is frigid.  This hasn't been an easy month, but what has in 2025?  We'll have some carry over business into next month.  Hopefully that will get resolved quickly.  

I don't have a lot to say about this month that haven't already discussed.  We're moving on the end of the year.   I hope the month ends well for everyone.  Take care.

Cya...

Cold, Wet & Dark...

 

The last Saturday of the month has opted for miserable weather.  It's dreary & sprinkling.  The next several days with have overnights below freezing.  It's supposed to be bright tomorrow.  That'd be nice.

I've not been doing that well.  There's been a lot going on & I've been trying not to get sick for some time.  I've felt off for quite a bit.  It'll be nice when some of our going-ons are handled.  2025 has been rough.

I guess that's all I have this morning.  Take care.

Cya...

Last November Friday...

 

This is the last Friday of November.  There are only 4 more remaining in 2025.  The holiday came & went.  I hope everyone got what they needed or wanted from the day.   

The countdown is really on.  There are 27 days until Christmas & 33 left in 2025.  In 36 days this blog & my HIV diagnosis will be another year older.

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Thanksgiving 2025...

 

It's the holiday.  Eat up & move on to the next festivity.  I have cats & my roomie in my life.   Most everything is near the bare minimum.  I do know things could be worse, but sometimes it'd be nice if they were better. Here wishing everyone a happy holiday.

There's stuff I could've posted about, but not today.  Some days you should just set back & let things go for a bit.  Maybe tomorrow, but not today.

Take care.

Cya...

It Begins Today...

 

Since everyone's holiday plans are so busy & scattered, there'll be a late lunch stand-in today.  After that, it's the holiday rush.  There'll be holiday stuff, appointments, errands, bills & car things to be handled.  There's so much & possibilities of screw ups, I probably won't be anywhere near calm for a while. 

That's a problem for people in chronically bad situations, even good things can be stressful.   Just it's presence is so out of routine, it comes with risks & stress.  Will this actually work or am I just getting myself psyched up?  What if this doesn't work or worse it screws up?  Until this stretch is behind us, I'm going to be somewhat off.   Even then, I probably won't trust it.

I've got to get around.  At least the fan got installed.  There's light in the living room.  Here's hoping it doesn't screw up.  That's it for now.  

Take care.

Cya...

Still Busy...

 

It stayed dark & stormy the entire time we were out yesterday.  The appointments & errands took much longer than expected.  It was dark when we got back.  

We have someone coming to install a new ceiling fan.  Hopefully this goes well.  Things need to get off the plate.  The holidays are coming fast; 2 days til Thanksgiving & 30 for Christmas.  But the best day is still 111 days out, when daylight saving time begins.

That's it for now.  We still have other errands to handle.  Take care.

Cya...

Busy Last Week...

 

There's a lot to handle this week & most of it has nothing to do with holidays.  It was already hectic before the ceiling fan light went down.  Now that needs to be replaced.  It's the primary light in the living room.  We'll try to pick something up today & get someone out soon to install it.

There are appointments & dinners this week plus our normal routine.  It's storming, let's make it dark & wet.  I'm not sleeping as well as I should & all of this is making things a lot harder.   I'm tired, stressed & fraxious. 

We have to go soon.  My roomie has an appointment & we have to get a ceiling fan.  Maybe the storm will let up before we head out.

Take care.

Cya...

Bad Morning....

 

It's been a bad morning.  The living room light is screwing up & we're having to figure a plan.  Of course, it's this week.  There's appointments & stupid holiday BS.  In addition, it's dark & probably going to rain for the next couple of days.  I hate mornings & I'm not fond of holidays at the moment.

Cya...

Palliative...

 

This piece is about palliative care for those living & aging with HIV.  This is the article's primary site, Get Palliative Care.  This is an area of medicine many people are unfamiliar with & often misunderstand.  While, often associated with end of life care, that isn't all it does.  It can help with people who face serious illness, usually chronic, like HIV.  It isn't about curing the patient, but improving their quality of life.

This can include helping with actual medical side of things & the fallout from that like side effects & other symptoms.  It can be assistance in handling the daily things of life.  It may guide with future planning & networking.  Often it's about finding support, emotional & otherwise.  Palliative care is an across the board approach to wellness management for people whose well health isn't going to improve.  

This kind of care isn't just for the patient.  It's also for family, friends & caregivers.  This is a link to stories of how this approach helped people.  

None of this is anywhere near me.  But maybe it's near you or someone you know.  Give these sites a look.  This is something a lot of people are going to need in their life.

Take care.

Cya...

Appointment Recap...

 

My appointment went well.  She did a routine thyroid test. It's a little out of range for this lab, but not bad.  It's been higher & my meds weren't altered.  Overall, it went smoothly.  It's just the day that sucked. We get over an inch of rain.

It's brighter this morning, but we're heading into cooler weather.  Midweek could be getting into frigid, overnight temps again.  It'd be nice if it didn't or at least not last long.

Thanksgiving is next Thursday & Christmas is a little over month out.  Nothing feels like the holidays any more.  I see stuff at the store, but it doesn't feel like anything but a cash grab.  Maybe that's all it ever was.

That's all for now, take cae.

Cya...

Early Appointment...

 

Not happy I'm up early for a medical appointment.  Earlier appointments tend to mean shorter wait times.  So, I opt for them.  It doesn't help I didn't sleep well.  Nor that it's dark & trying to storm.   A check up is my to-do for this morning.  

I hate the 'Ber months.  We're back to dismal gray.  It could stay like that for a bit.  Winter sucks & we aren't even there yet.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

Still

 

The wind is making breathing a bit of an issue.  It's blowing stuff about & not letting anything settle.   This week will probably be the end of the unseasonably warm reprieve.  Then things are supposed to be normal for November.  There could be another overnight freeze next week.  I hope not.  We're not even into Winter yet.

There are some errands & things today but not much.  Tomorrow, I'll see my medical provider.  If things go well smoothly, this should be an in & out kind of thing.

That's about it for now, take care.

Cya...

Windy Tuesday...

 

It's  gusty this 3rd November Tuesday.  The flying debris isn't helping my head.  We don't have much planned for today.  There are some errands & outings tomorrow.  Thursday I have a check up in town.  

There weren't many articles to work with today.  Most the news was about Lenacapavir rolling out in Africa.  The rest is about the orange stain.

That's it for now, take care.

2025 & Ignorance...

 

This article isn't professional but it has a point.  The piece is about a woman who lost her "best friend" after revealing was HIV+.  I put those words in quotations because a person who genuinely cared for another might freak out, but not abandon a person over a virus.

This wasn't in the olden days of HIV/AIDS.  This was 2021, decades into the fight against HIV.  The woman in this piece details her situation & what she wish had been different.  

It's the 2020's & ignorance & stigma are alive & well.  The problem is they always will be with us.  Stigma is a result of ignorance, hate, control...  A + diagnosis threatens those things.  They can't punish a virus, so they go after the person.  I think it's time to stop fighting stigma & just help people learn how to handle those situations as best they can.  You can't control other people.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Early Ruckus...

 

Yesterday morning started with a split tree crashing into a fence.  It was loud & blew debris everywhere.  My sinuses paid for it.  I spent the day congested & sneezing.  Today looks to be worse.  The neighbors had people out to deal with the tree mess.   They cut the thing way back.  It should come back next year.  For now it looks like a bad buzz haircut on some unfortunate boy.

It's another warm day, but not as windy.  It's bright out, so I'm trying to focus on that.  By the end of the week the warm reprieve will be gone.   For now, the sky's clear & shiny.

Take care.

Cya...

Day After Shot...

 

We handled our Friday stuff then went for the last round of the shingles vaccine, Shingrix.  They said there could be fluish like reactions.  So far I'm doing alright.

There was a surprise this morning.   I was waking up when there was a loud noise outside.  Part of my neighbors tree had fallen.  Between the wind, remaining ragweed & that; my sinuses are shot.   I've been sneezy & congested this morning.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Some Good News...

 

Since the government has reopened, the benefits have been restarted.  I checked this morning & they are posting.  However, there was a lot of harm done to people & small businesses during the closure.  That hasn't & probably will never be addressed.  There's no telling the fallout from this closure & its resolution. 

I saw some articles but most were lacking.  There were a few on new medications being developed, but nothing far enough along to be of interest.  There were some concerning vaccines, but they didn't offer much & were highly jargonized. 

We're nearly halfway through November.  There 13 days until Thanksgiving, 41 until Christmas & 47 days left in 2025.   More importantly there are still 114 days until daylight saving time.  I have my priorities. 

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Cleaning Handled...

 

My dentist appointment went OK yesterday.  I will need a couple of small fillings.  It's been years since I"ve had to have anything besides a cleaning.  Best to get it handled now, while it's a minor thing.  That'll happen the beginning of December.

The government shutdown has come to an end.  I'm not sure how soon things will return to normal for benefits.  We'll see how badly this screwed everyone over.

That's it for today.  Take care.

Cya...