Made it...

I am finally in the hotel room after a long day of travel and work. I managed to get some food with a co-worker, so all is good.

I found myself thinking about my doctor appointment this Friday. I don't know what to expect, but part of me thinks - the decision is going to be to start meds. I would have to see a dramatic decrease in viral load to come to any other decision. I have several friends who are keen on my keeping up with the supplements as my primary defense. I like the idea of natural treatments, but I don't know that they will be able to match the potency of pharma meds.

I am less worried about the idea of pharma treatment now - I have met enough people who have been on treatment long enough without side effects to know that it shouldn't be that bad.

My friend Mark came over last night - cooked for him and we watched the 2nd part of the Frontline documentary on AIDS. I was very impressed, but people tell me the 1st part of the series was better. In any case, the show had much to say about the anti-retrovirals and the impact they have had on the crisis. The conclusion is obvious - the meds work. They may be toxic, but less so than first generation options. With the introduction of these medications, the mortality of HIV and subsequent infections dropped dramatically. They were designed to act against HIV and did so very well. What is obvious to me - is that by creating an undetectable viral load, the health of AIDS patients improved. The link between HIV and subsequent opportunistic infections is therefore made apparent.

So I made it to work, and it seems like, maybe I have made a decision...