16 years as of yesterday and other stuff

Well I want to start off with the other stuff. Saturday my brother took me to the coolest event I have been to in a long while "The Renaissance Festival" in Girad, Ohio from where I live two hours away but so worth the drive. This is an outdoor event on what I would guess to be ten acres of property with a huge group of people in costumes/period clothing pieces, artisans/crafters, entertainment, food and wine/beer. The costumes by themselves was well worth the drive and I was in designer heaven. The artisans were glass blowers, jewelry makers, painters/artists, tailors who made costumes, and even soap makers.

While there besides buying food and beverages I bought a poets shirt which I will have to take pictures of and an inexpensive kilt (versus the more formal dress kilt) and actually wore both that day and the entire day. The clerk was this very cute girl while the gentleman that did all the sewing was actually with another customer. She asked if I "was wearing my purchase that day" and I said of course and asked if I "was going to be a true Scotsmen/Irish men that day" and I guessed I blushed and said "I had planned on it". She then looked at me and said "Well if your asked what is beneath your kilt just look them in their eye and say your wife's/mothers, sisters lipstick" which made me blush even more.



Yesterday July 16,2007 at 9:45 a.m. I celebrated 16 years living with AIDS. Some of you may find it odd that all these years later I still remember the time but for me it is a day, place and time that I will never forget because it changed my life so very much. The thing here my friends is that it could be longer and in actually probably closer to 20 years as that is when I lost my first boyfriend to AIDS. In that course of time I have lost close to 700 friends, acquaintances and two lovers. For someone who will only be 41 this November it is in my opinion a modern day holocaust.

When I first found out about my HIV status I went right to a support group not only how to tell people but also how to live with and deal with this tragic blow. The thing is when I was diagnosed there were only 3-4 drugs no more, people were only living 4-5 years no more except rare exceptions and there for a while I was going to calling hours/funerals every week and sometimes more than one week.

So much has changed medically speaking for AIDS and yes even some of the attitudes have changed but so much more needs to be changed as well. I am just so grateful that I am still here. Out of that support group of 20 of us there are only 5 of us still alive (and that is counting me). I think for me the big thing now is to live till the 17th year as the last 4 friends who have died of AIDS/AIDS complications have all died in their 16th year. I came very close my self 2 years ago when I had pneumonia and lost in a year 95 pounds--I was that walking "AIDS survivor" the sunken face, the bugged eyes and the look of death--but I pulled thru and am still here.

Jim was so sweet I got flowers and we went out to dinner last night--to celebrate and to reminisce to a degree. It was so very nice. Well unto next time my firends--enjoy what G-d has given you, enjoy the day we all are granted and cherish those that are near to your heart.

Charlie