Monday, May 27, 2019

🏳️‍🌈✝️🔻 My 10 year anniversary living with HIV



05/27/2019


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May 28, 2019 at 10:15am is officially my Anniversary finding out I am HIV POSITIVE. I know exactly when I was infected with HIV and by whom. You can read about the beginning of my journey  living with HIV here, Love and Understanding.  I have only MYSELF to blame for being infected because I made the choice to NOT use protective measures. Please protect yourself from HIV and other STI’s because no one else will.

Another year has passed and I am still here!!! I cannot say this last year has been a bed of roses. I know Jesus said we would have trouble in this life on earth and that we can handle whatever comes our way through Him; but this last year really put me to the test. I have always and will always put all my trust in Jesus Christ to help me along this journey living with HIV. Sometimes I pray that He would make these doctors better understand that they should LISTEN more closely to their patient when things are not going so good.

The last half of 2018 until April 2019 I suffered from my legs swelling up like elephant legs. My blood pressure was all over the place. I ended up in the ER once because I passed out from my blood pressure dropping down into the 50’s and my heart rate into the 30’s. I was pumped full of fluids which brought my blood pressure back up and I lived. I talked with my Heart Doctor who told me there was nothing he could do for me so I fired him. I found a new doctor in April of this year that took me off all the medication the other Heart Doctor had me on and poof my legs went down and I quit passing out. I was told I was over medicated and would have died if I kept taking all those meds. The left leg hurts me all the time and still swells so testing on my legs revealed I have venous insufficiency so I am going to have surgery to kill that vein in my left leg which will cause the leg to quit swelling. Not sure when that will take place because I have since had to find another new Cardiologist because this one I was seeing got mad because I questioned her then gave her proof of what I was saying so she told me she did not have time for my DRAMA and would not keep treating me. Oh and on top of that she said I had too many health issues to deal with.

Praise the Lord I have found a Primary Care Physician who listens and has already gotten me scheduled to get some test done that no other doctor  has been able to do in the last two years. God is really good to me. She also told me the Cardiologist I will be seeing soon is really good and she really cares about her patients.

I really believe this is going to be a much better for me where doctors are concerned.  I am praying that these new doctors get to the bottom of the current health issues so I can start feeling better again.

As far as the HIV is concerned I am still undetectable and my CD4 count is still above 2000. I have been very blessed these past 10 years to be undetectable and have such a high CD4 count. The only issue I have had with HIV is the medications that have caused me to gain so much weight. I have gained 100 pounds in the past two years and I am quite miserable. My current HIV Doctor said we will need to discuss a different class of HIV medication when I see her in June. I am actually willing to try anything because I am sick of this continued weight gain.

The doctors have all told me that I should start losing weight once I am back on a CPAP for my chronic sleep apnea. I have not been on a CPAP for over 5 years because I sit up in my recliner to sleep because my lungs fill up with fluid if I lay flat. I am having a sleep study in June so I can get a new CPAP. Once again I will do whatever it takes to start getting well again.

I know I would not have made it this far in my journey if I did not have the strength and courage that God has given me. I will continue to put all my faith and trust in God and I know He will continue to give me strength for this journey until He calls me home. 

Once again if you want to learn more about how my journey living with HIV began you can click here, Love and Understanding.

If you are just finding out that you are HIV positive I want you to know that you will live as long as you take care of yourself and take your medication as prescribed. You are NOT alone in this journey. There are many HIV support groups on social media. I am personally available anytime you need to talk. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter.

May the peace of God fill your life today to let you know He cares about what you are going through.

Praise the Lord for 10 years living with HIV. I pray for many more years of health as I continue this journey living with HIV.

Forever in Christ Jesus service,

Rainbow Pastor David