What
about vaccines?
Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine.
I’m disappointed with your recent 2002 Drug Guide. Not for
its information, but for its cheery, consumer, sales-brochure
appearance and the message which it continues to send. Yes,
I use some of these drugs, and they have probably saved my
life, but at the cost of almost constant nausea, diarrhea,
anemia and lipodystrophy, with even more drugs piled on to
combat these conditions. Twenty years of HIV research—enough
is enough. The 2001 index shows only two articles related
to vaccines. There is not a single listing for immune system
reconstitution! I am tired of being a guinea pig and a cash
cow for your sponsors. Where is the incentive to cure this
disease and ironically, to put Positively Aware out
of business? Obviously, nowhere on the drug companies’ balance
sheets. Will we find vaccines at the top of Positively
Aware’s advocacy agenda in 2002? Whose side are you on?
Timothy Craig,
McMinnville, Oregon
I read your “I’m tired” editorial
in the November/December issue, when I went in to get my HIV
test results—negative, thank goodness. I’ll tell you what
I’m tired of—insulin potentiation therapy (IPT) being ignored
by the medical establishment. And by HIV/AIDS patients, too.
In IPT, insulin makes regular drugs act like super drugs.
For HIV/AIDS treatment, it may help deliver antiviral drugs
better into hidden compartments of the body, where viruses
can hide, like the brain or spinal cord. This transport ability
of insulin has been known since Donato Perez Garcia discovered
it in 1926, but no one is doing anything about it. He was
the only doctor who could cure tertiary (neuro) syphilis,
the AIDS of the day, before antibiotics, and should have gotten
a Nobel Prize.
Dr. Perez’s son and grandson
treated several AIDS patients in the late 80s with IPT, and
got incredibly good results, quickly clearing up all symptoms
and secondary infections. But no one did anything about it.
All the billions of dollars spent on research, and nothing
spent on IPT research. I hope that you will look into this,
and that you would publish this information. I wonder if you
would, because your publication is clearly supported in a
major way by lucrative ads from drug companies. But I felt
that I just have to give you the chance.
Chris Duffield, Ph.D.,
Stanford, CA
Editor’s Note: It is true that the
ads of drug companies “support” the publication of Positively
Aware and Positively Aware en Español. These ads
also make it possible for TPAN to print and distribute 100,000
copies at low cost or no cost to our readers and agencies
across the U.S. We would truly love to cover more topics of
interest and importance, however, the reality, for this not-for-profit
publication, is that space and financial restrictions are
real, and limit what we can do. The ad revenues have never
and will never dictate content of the journal. I’m sure there
are some companies who don’t advertise with us because of
content. I acknowledge those drug companies who support the
unbiased treatment information we provide and all the writers
who contribute their knowledge and work at no charge. Without
these two groups and the dedication of Enid Vázquez and Jeff
Berry there would be no Positively Aware.—Charles E. Clifton
So
tired
Yes, I’m also tired.
Having tested positive 16 years ago, I’ve lost too many friends
to count (or cry anymore). I’ve had so many opportunistic
infections, I can’t remember them all. And today, with the
world thinking that AIDS is over, I’m tired of explaining
to people, even other PWAs [people with AIDS], why I’m still
dealing with CMV retinitis, microsporidiosis, and esophogeal
thrush, when they all think these miracle drugs have healed
everybody. And I’m tired of going online only to find guys
ready and willing to bareback. Have they all forgotten what
it was like, or don’t they have any dead friends? Or have
the light bulbs in their heads gone out? But I still get an
occasional “How do you stay so upbeat?” I guess it’s just
that after seeing it all, the only thing I can do is be a
little piece of positive energy in this whole mess. Maybe
in some way, I might make a difference in one person’s life.
So I volunteer on a hotline, listening without judging, as
tough as it is sometimes, hoping to make a small difference
in the world. Am I dreaming? Maybe I was getting so tired,
I fell asleep, and it is all a dream. Keep up the good work.
John Lesnick,
via the internet
I’m grateful for editors
such as you, Charles Clifton, whose personal values, professionalism
and strength make an already excellent publication even better.
For men and women of passion who aren’t afraid to express
their deepest feelings and for executive directors of those
organizations who sanction and provide freedom of expression.
For publications such as Positively Aware that give
us the real information and not the fluff of other “HIV journals.”
I don’t really care how Shirley McLaine deals with HIV in
her world. What I care about is knowledge that can save lives,
and I find that in your journal. I’m grateful that after 20
years or more of this epidemic that there are organizations
and people within them that care on the level you do. No,
it’s not easy to keep the pace and no it’s not always easy
to slap on that condom, and no it’s not easy to talk to our
children about safe sex practices, especially when we don’t
always follow the guidelines we promote. However, it is always
good to be reminded of the consequences of our behavior. I’m
grateful for articles from Jim Pickett (all you need is love)
and Enid Vázquez. I’m grateful for these people because they
are on the front lines. I’m grateful that this particular
issue of Positively Aware was exceptional, and Charles,
since you have become editor every issue just gets better.
I’m grateful for my children, I’m grateful that we have a
dialogue on sex and safe sex practices. I’d welcome any one
of you into my life and my home and my community to share
your experiences and knowledge. I’m grateful for having lived
in Chicago when TPA Network first started and grateful that
even at a modest level I can still support you. I’m grateful
for having known my friends, those who have succumbed to HIV/AIDS
and those positive still alive, because from them I learned
about life. I’m grateful that even in some small way, even
if it’s just the AIDS Walk, that I can contribute to the cause.
I’m grateful every time I see a panel of the Quilt. It always
moves me to tears and up until I came out to my children they
could never understand why. I’m grateful you recognize and
grieve Antonio’s death some 15 years ago, I would expect nothing
less from a man of your caliber. Don’t only wonder what could
have been...wonder about what is to come! I’m grateful that
we are still alive and vibrant human beings capable of sharing
with each other our pain, love and the majesty of life. I’m
grateful that even in the face of HIV/AIDS we can still love
and be loved. Yes, I’m tired of the games we play with each
other but I’m grateful that I still believe at some point
even the most hardened of us will begin to live our lives
in honesty and dignity, and with love and compassion. It’s
the hope I cling to. I’m grateful that you all are doing what
it is you know how to do best. I’m sure you’re tired, stressed,
depressed and overwhelmed, but remember that there are thousands
of people like me who gain experience, strength and hope from
what you’re doing, and for that I’m not tired. I am grateful.
Keep on fighting the fight.
Brent Reid,
via the internet
Sustiva
syndrome
I want to thank you
for your speedy reply on my letter asking for help in regard
to the false positive Sustiva syndrome. Mucho thank you for
the copies of the article, “Sustiva
Dirty Drops Put Prisoners in Solitary.” If I never would
have come across your magazine, I would have thought that
the Sustiva false positive syndrome was just another rumor.
It is important to us to know this fact since many inmates
are being placed on “keep locked” status or placed in the
“box” for positive urinalysis while they are on Sustiva. Other
magazines wouldn’t dare print any information that may reflect
some negative aspect of a pharmaceutical corporation’s medication
for fear that they will lose advertising revenue. So it is
only fair that I thank Positively Aware for being on
the front line of a very serious fight. The work you do is
very much appreciated.
Name withheld,
Comstock, New York
Editor’s note: Kevin Lisboa,
an-prisoner from New York state who has written for Positively
Aware, says you need to write to
your Deputy Superintendent of Security and ask him or her
to contact the medical staff for a letter regarding Sustiva’s
potenial for causing false positive results on drug tests.
Kevin was able to keep himself out of solitary while other
inmates weren’t as lucky. He suggests including any literature
you can, such as our artcle. He also states that prisoners
should bring this matter to the attention of their security
supervisor right away, before it becomes an issue.—EV
AIDS
and prison
I have read a lot of
stories about people doing time and having to deal with an
ignorant system when it comes to getting health care. Back
in June of 1994 I was sent to a county jail in Massachusetts
for assault and battery on a police officer. I received a
one year sentence just two weeks later. Justice is fat for
the poor. When I went in the house of correction I was on
the methadone program. I was on 120 mg, plus I was doing 30
bags a day. I had just gotten five credit cards in the mail
about four months before I went to jail, so I was on a roll.
At the time of my booking, I was 180 lbs. Within two days
I was in withdrawl. I was sick as a dog for months. It took
me at least four months before I could get a few hours of
sleep per day. Right after the holidays I started to lose
a lot of weight. I had a hard time breathing, going up stairs,
etc. I went to medical. I was told I was just complaining
and to take Sudafed and vitamin C. By March of 1995 I was
down to 100 lbs. When the other cons told the medical people
I could not eat or walk, they got off their asses and gave
me a chest X-ray. It was PCP [Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia].
They sent an ambulance into the jail to take me out. I never
knew before that I had AIDS. My T-cells were 46. Back then
they did not have the viral load test. Anyway, I did 22 days
in and outside the hospital, chained to a bed, IV’s hooked
up to me. I couldn’t take three steps without being out of
breath. But I was just complaining. That’s what I was told
months before. The dogs almost killed me. When I went back
to the jail, it was a Friday. All the people in charge of
me were gone until Monday. I gave the med orders to the nurse
in charge that 2nd shift. The next morning I asked the guy
who brought the med cart around where my meds were. He told
me I was not on any list. I told him how I just did 22 days
in the hospital. I was on AZT, and all the other meds. He
told me he would get back to me. He never did for the whole
weekend. Plus I was on oxygen. These lazy county workers could
get me sick all over again. I wrapped up my sentence 12 days
later. Thank God I got away from them. A year before that
two AIDS patients died in the same Pod. I would love to give
them the health care they gave me. There are good people who
care. But there are not enough to protect us from the lazy
dogs who couldn’t care less about the junkies. Every dog gets
his day. I hope they get theirs.
Via the internet
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