OK, I just looked at the last three entries on my blog and I sound like my grandmother. Seems all I have been talking about its who died. I guess I have been reading the internet equivalent of the obituaries in the newspaper. You remember newspapers don't you? Those things that were published daiuly and got ink all over your fingers.
Speaking of newspapers, my column in the Dallas Voice is about a very serious issue in the gay community. HIV infection rates are up 12% among young gay men. This means all the work and education we did during the 1980's has been forgotten or is no longer working. Time for another gearing up of the message, and despite what the drug companies would tell you, HIV/AIDS is NOT just a chronic condition like diabetes. It is mostly fatal and costs millions in medical expenses and drug bill per year.
Don't believe the advertising that all you have to do is takle a simple pill once a day. Bullshit! That simple pill, first of all will cost you sometimes over $1000 per month and without the really good insurance, you just get sick and waste away. Sorry to be so crass, but it's time we stopped sugar coating this epidemic. Want to see what AIDS does, look at the pictures of African patients.
For more of this rant, read my column in the Dallas Voice.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
And just because you do have insurance, and can take a pill (or several) once a day, it's STILL not all a bed of roses. As someone living with HIV for 14 years now (knock on wood), I know first hand.
I'm just getting over Shingles [look it up on wikipedia] and I had to stay home from work for a whole week, during which I looked quite scary (it was on the right side of my face, nek and head) AND I had to take yet another pill twice a day to get rid of it.
And NOW I'm taking a second Rx for the residual nerve pain which is near constant, except when it itches like crazy instead of hurting like crazy. And the pain medicine is a narcotic, so it leaves me groggy, drowsy, and gives me a headache, much like a hangover.
And in the meantime, I'm hoping that no one at my office gets to nosy about why *I* would have an illness that mainly affects people with a weakened immune system and figures out I'm poz. Because the narrow-minded old biddies I work with would come unglued if they knew, or even suspected someone in the office had AIDS!
Sound like fun, kiddies??? Step right up, join THE CLUB! It's a blast.
NOT!!!
Post a Comment