Top 25...

This article lists the top 25 US cities with high HIV/AIDS rates.    I find this list expected & frightening.  A lot of the areas I already knew about.    Then I looked again & got a surprise.  My little, nowhere town is within  a 500 radius (+/- a little) of 6 of these cities.   

6 out of 25, that's almost a 25%.   My area is on or near some of the biggest roadways crossing the nation.   There are a lot of people from other places that pass through this region.   A lot of people probably from these top 25 cities.   Many of which probably spent some time here & contributed to the HIV levels in our area.

If these are the top 25 & I'm that near 6 of them, how many of the top 50 am I near?   This list doesn't take into account small towns & communities considered too small for these agencies to count.   Some of those little towns could have higher rates than any of these cities.  Having sex there would be like playing Russian Roulette.  

A lot of people still think they love in places too removed to be in any danger from HIV.  That was probably never the case.  People travel all the time & bring their baggage with them.   I hope this list puts things in perspective for some people.  Nowhere is safe from HIV.

Cya...

Recovering...

I'm still tired from yesterday's trip.   It went better than we'd hoped, but it was still long.  But, that step is done & there aren't any more until mid June.  

I'm not up to blogging much.   So, I'll link to this article.  It's about how doctors in Israel are reluctant to allow or be in favor prescribing Truvada as a prophylactic medication.    They make good points & it's nice to see people in the medical community agreeing with my points, even if they aren't in my country.

Cya...

Out...

We will be heading out early tomorrow morning to go to Tulsa for my roomie's appointment.  I'm not sure how long this will take.  I'm fairly sure I'll be too tired to post about much of anything tomorrow.  So this is it.

I hope everyone has a great day.  Wish us well on our drive & the appointment.

Cya...

Drug Resistance...

This article talks about how children born with HIV are more apt to develop resistance to HIV meds than others.  This drug resistance is usually partial but can be in rare cases be complete.   At that point, there are few if any medical options for the person & death from HIV related issues is likely.

HIV resistance can happen for whatever reason.  It mostly happens in people who have been irregular in their medical regimens.  Besides health problems & possible death of the person, if a  person contracts HIV that is already resistant, then there are fewer options for that person to begin with.  

There may  be an abundance of discussion about HIV meds, but there are a finite number of types and actual formulations.    Even though, there are more than there were a decade ago, a person could still become resistant to all of them over time, if the right circumstances played out.

Drug resistant is incredibly dangerous, whether it's HIV, measles or the common flu.  Any drug resistant virus, microbe or bacteria could pose a phenomenal  health threat.  Medications should be used properly & consistently.   They should not be freely prescribed to the point of allowing the target to become resistant to them.  

An interesting article.

Cya...

Drizzling...

We've been under a storm warning for days & so far not much has happened.  We're getting some heavy drizzle today.    It might got stronger later on today.

 The only things this weather is doing, is making my body ache & breathing wheezy.   Humid, warm air is not a friend of mine.   My foot is still sore & stiff.  I've been coughing a little.  

Maybe when this weather goes, it'll take my cough with it.  Hopefully, this crap won't be happening on Thursday while we're driving to Tulsa.  That won't be fun.

Not much else going on here.

Cya...

More Settled..

My roomie's medical schedule is getting set.  We'll be going up Thursday to Tulsa.   Yippie for that trip.  

Her new doctor called today.  A doctor actually called someone directly, not a nurse or assistant.  Just wow.  He talked to her for over 30 minutes getting preliminary info.  He'll get more when we get there.  I've never had a doctor call me.  Hell, I've never had 1 talk to me anywhere near half an hour.  At most it's 10 minutes & then only when it's fairly serious.  Most of the time it's, "Hy, Bye, until next time."  

I'm not sure how the rest of this will go, but that was impressive.  Once we're at his office, they'll more fully develop the plan about what will happen & when.  I have to say, his call put things in a very different light.  

Cya...

After Mow...

The lawn guy came yesterday.  It was supposed to rain, it only drizzled a little.   I'm not sure what he mowed over, but it smelled horrid & drove my allergies crazy.  My breathing is still off this morning. 

I woke to a still sore foot & tight chest.  I think this humid weather is the culprit behind my foot aches.  It and the  mowing have both brought my cough back.  Thanks ever so much.

All this crap is tiring.  I just hope it gets settled before Thursday.  This will make the trip to Tulsa even less fun.

Cya...