I was diagnosed with AIDS in Dec 2007 when I fell horribly sick. I say AIDS, as my CD4 when I was admitted to the hospital was 72. Year 2007 was particularly horrid, with double shingles infection, a single bout of UTI, weight loss, tiredness etc. Just before being admitted to hospital, I was suffering from really bad pneumonia....and my GP who treated me asked me seriously, have you ever had a HIV test, I said, no, and she urged me to. I took the test, but still bunged off the hospital, because of my condition.
At the hospital, my presiding physician came to see me and told me THE NEWS. I was actually in hospital for PCP and TB, 2 very typical Opportunistic Infections for AIDS patients.
was in hospital for 10 days, of which on the day 3, I was rolled urgently into High Care, because of my lungs filling up with water, and I was literally drowning... on massive diuretic treatment, I came right 2 days later and was moved back to a regular ward.
Moving on, I was not allowed to be on ARVs until my treatment of TB is over and that took another 1 month or so. But gradually, I got better, gained the weight loss, my CD4s are raising and my VL coming down. And today, I'm in good health, with a touch of a cholesterol issue.
From 2 a day ARV to 1 a day, makes live much easier.
On an emotional level, when I was told at the hospital of my HIV status, to be honest, I didn't feel much, but I do remember, relief is one of them. Yes, Relief.
Relief that the truth is finally out. I was sorta living in denial of my status, a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that I am poz. My current partner was with me when I was admitted into hospital on that faithful day. I really am blessed that he decided to stick by me.
Sex wise, I haven't really seen any change, I am still a slut, and play on the sly still.
So all in all, no change, except my phone buzzes me at 9pm every night to take my ARV, life goes on!