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,