The HIV/AIDS Medicine Wheel
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LIVETHESE 5 LONG-TERM A LITTLESURVIVORS HAVE 15 HEALTHFUL FOODS TO PACK IN HAD HIV FOR A TOTAL OF 88 YEARS YOUR PANTRY (RECIPES INCLUDED!) THE HIV/AIDS MEDICINE WHEEL FIND OUT HOW THEY DO IT… 5 PHAS, 5 DIFFERENT SIDE EFFECTS THE WIDE WORLD OF REHABILITATION SYPHILIS STRIKES BACK READERS’ CORNER SYPHILIS IS BACK 03 Letters to the editor 17 CHATTY CATIE In “I Will Survive” (can’t you just hear the music?), 04 5 PHAs, 5 different side effects Ron Rosenes tries to figure out why he’s still here 20 years after his HIV diagnosis: “It may be part NUTRITION genetic and it may be part luck, but sometimes I 06 15 food groups to pack in your pantry RONNILYN PUSTIL by Lark Lands think it’s just pure pluck.” I WILL SURVIVE Many people who can afford and tolerate HIV drugs attribute 09 Ron Rosenes shares some wisdom their longevity to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). from 20 years of positive living But although meds may be part of what helps you stay alive, KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ as we hear from Rosenes and four other long-term survivors in 10 Four long-term survivors take you on their this issue, there are many more ingredients for survival—such as long, strange trips with HIV eating well, taking good care of yourself, doing your homework, Interviews by Diane Peters finding support, healing your heart, minding your mind, and dealing with addictions, to name a few. Oh, and a dash of love, AS THE WHEEL TURNS 14 The HIV/AIDS Medicine Wheel of course. by Albert McLeod What are the ingredients you pour into living your wild and THE STORY OF SYPHILIS precious life? It’s something you may want to think about. 17 The STD that’s making a comeback With The Positive Side, we hope to give you some food for by Gilles Lambert, Benoît Côté and Elizabeth Lacombe thought. In this issue, Lark Lands dishes out her grocery list of 15 food groups for some quick and easy ways to boost nutrition BETTER LIVING THROUGH REHAB (two recipes included!). Albert McLeod’s article on the HIV/AIDS 20 Rehabilitation can put you back Medicine Wheel describes a unique, holistic approach to looking in the driver’s seat at life with HIV. And in “Better Living through Rehab,” Peter by Peter Williams Williams serves up an array of choices to help improve your UP IN SMOKE overall health and quality of life. 22 The ifs, ands or buts of butting out by Andrea Rudd Perhaps there are some ingredients you’d rather keep out of your pantry (and panties)—such as cigarettes and syphilis—because RESOURCES the problems they cause you can most likely do without. And 24 What’s new? then there are side effects, which make living with HIV all the more challenging. In Chatty CATIE, five people with HIV candidly share their side effect struggles—with fatigue, anemia, nausea, diarrhea and facial wasting—and dole out advice on how to deal. Canadian AIDS Treatment Editor-in-Chief Contributors On the opposite page you’ll find our very first letters to the Information Exchange (CATIE) RONNILYN PUSTIL WALTER ARMSTRONG, 555 Richmond Street West #505 Senior Editor BEVERLY DEUTSCH, editor. We’re so thrilled that in some way The Positive Side Toronto ON M5V 3B1 Canada SEAN HOSEIN DIANA JOHANSEN, has reached out and touched you. We hope to hear from more 1.800.263.1638 www.catie.ca Publisher LARK LANDS, of you soon. CATIE SUSAN MASSARELLA, © 2004, CATIE. All rights reserved. JAKE PETERS, TIM ROGERS, THANK YOU TO ISSN: 1191-9809 Publications LAURA WHITEHORN EVAN COLLINS, MD, Agreement Number 1707361 FOR MEDICAL REVIEW. Creative Direction & Design PS. Here comes the sun! STUDIO BELLO! FEELING GROOVY Thank you for also reminding me that part from the fact that Judy Weiser’s I’m not alone. writing is so well crafted, focused, Gil C. A Edmonton clear and accessible, I found her article very helpful (“How Does It Feel?” fall/winter 2003). It reminded me of all THE NAME GAME that I’ve done for myself through these like your magazine and the wealth of many years with HIV to LIVE as healthily I information it offers to HIV positive as possible. I felt validated in having people and those who have been greatly influenced HIV’s effect on me. It diagnosed with AIDS, and to the also reminded me of the importance of professionals who work in this field. “staying the course”—an encouragement I’d like to offer a suggestion concerning I need as I occasionally find myself the use of the acronym PHAs. Your wandering off track. This article very magazine is directed at people who positively affected my day…which, of are HIV positive but not necessarily course, leads to the next! diagnosed with AIDS, so why not call David N. them “Positive People”? It’s more Vancouver politically correct, more empowering LIPO LINES I see our American contemporaries and less stigmatizing than “PHAs.” big thank you to Wayne Stump for scrambling for quick-fix solutions (Bio- Keep up the good work. We all look A putting into words what I’ve been Alcamid, silicone, artecoll injections) and I forward to the next issue and find feeling lately (“In Your Face,” fall/winter often wonder if a cosmetic solution could the magazine to be so useful and 2003). I was struck by Stump’s candour somehow lessen the impact of “branding” empowering to our positive clients. and the way he expressed himself. I, too, that lipo has on one’s psyche/identity. have the “lipo-look” and I’m considered Ken Salter Rob C. Coordinator, Prison Outreach Support no longer “passable” in the community. Toronto Services and Education Program The AIDS Society of Kamloops, BC Since my facial appearance has changed s I read Wayne Stump’s article, I felt I’ve become more sensitized to how like I was reading my own story. I’ve acutely aware I am of how Toronto’s A been on the same meds for more than five PS responds: Thank you for your positive community subdivides itself: years and lipo has also left its footprints positive feedback. The magazine is those on meds vs. those not on meds, on my face. However, I’m grateful for the intended for all people living with those working vs. those on disability, health that I continue to have. I’ve lost HIV—whether they’re asymptomatic, those with lipo vs. those without.…and many friends, and I’ve found that the best symptomatic or diagnosed with AIDS. so on. The downside has certainly been way for me to honour their lives was to We’ve adopted the acronym PHA (which a loss of self, a loss of control (my HIV pick up their torches and carry on the stands for People with HIV/AIDS) status being “outed” by lipo) and a work so many of them had started. because it’s inclusive, concise and devalued caché or gay currency (if you commonly used. The last thing we’d want can call it that) in this image-conscious As a peer counsellor at Living Positive in is for readers to feel stigmatized by our gay community. Edmonton, I talk to people about living use of this acronym. with HIV–how it’s not fun and it’s a lot The one silver lining I’ve observed in of work but certainly NOT the end of the my own experience is that since I’ve world. A few years ago, I put together a become more withdrawn due to my lipo project called The Living Quilt–a huge Please drop us a line with your comments about I’ve had to learn to spend more time generic quilt with people’s names on The Positive Side. We can’t promise to run your with myself and explore the non-physical ribbons. Each ribbon is pinned to the letter, but if we do, we’ll be in touch, so be (or spiritual) side of me. Having lipo has quilt with a button that has the number sure to provide your contact information. also given me the ability to be more of years they’ve been living with HIV Send letters to The Positive Side at: empathetic to the plight of others. (currently ranging from 1 to 23). It’s a Alas, the loss of intimacy at times far powerful, tangible image showing people mail: 555 Richmond Street West, #505 outweighs any physical loss—a fact of life that they’re not alone and that they still Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3B1 that’s hard to get used to. have a future. fax: 416.203.8284 e-mail: [email protected] SPRING SUMMER 200403 Marlo Cottrell, 29 James Madison, 46 Advice: Don’t compromise your quality Edna Lafayette, 46 Artist and furniture upholsterer Social worker (on disability). Diagnosed with HIV: 1995. of life. I needlessly suffered on a drug that Masters student. Diagnosed with HIV: Diagnosed with HIV: 1995. Viral Viral load: undetectable. CD4 count: 390. didn’t work for me because I didn’t feel I 1992. Viral load: undetectable. load: 86,000. CD4 count: 500. Side effects suck. Sometimes they’re so bad Dartmouth, Nova Scotia could be honest with my doctor about the CD4 count: 500. that people stop taking their HIV drugs. Skipping doses of your Lethbridge, Alberta problems I was having. I thought I was Guelph, Ontario going to disappoint her by letting her know meds can spell drug resistance and treatment failure, sending your n 1997, I got very sick and went on protease bout six years ago, two weeks into I wasn’t tolerating it.