"Be a friend to yourself, and others will be so too." - Thomas Fuller
You must be your best friend. Sure we all have best friends, but consider yourself to be the best friend you have. No one will care about you more than yourself.
More than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS. There are 33 million living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Most of these 33 million do not have access to anti retro viral drugs. The statistic that bothers me the most is the 56,000 new cases each year in the United States. The number of infections among gay and bisexual men continues to rise. Is this because of lack of education? Is it the lack of commonsense safe sexual practices?
So in the fourth decade of HIV/AIDS, is there hope? Of course there is hope. I lived through the early years and lost many friends. Today it is not a death sentence but a chronic condition that you can live with. This is quite a change from the 1980's and 1990's.
Since HIV infected men and woman can live to a ripe old ages, we need more research. Thank goodness Anthony Fauci, MD is funding research in the area of HIV and aging. We also need studies on long term use of anti viral therapies as well as studies on herbs against HIV. Studies on HIV and other age related conditions (for example, HIV and arthritis) are needed too.
As the Virginia Slims Ad once stated, "We've come a long way baby."
The need for education is just as appropriate today as it was 30 years ago. People of all ages need reminders about safe sex. Not only the young 20 year olds, but the young at heart 50 year olds. There is no excuse in my opinion for not practicing safe sex. Anyone living with or without HIV/AIDS must read the following book: HIV and Aging: Growing Older with the Epidemic. I found the book very insightful as a physician.
Until tomorrow....
You must be your best friend. Sure we all have best friends, but consider yourself to be the best friend you have. No one will care about you more than yourself.
More than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS. There are 33 million living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Most of these 33 million do not have access to anti retro viral drugs. The statistic that bothers me the most is the 56,000 new cases each year in the United States. The number of infections among gay and bisexual men continues to rise. Is this because of lack of education? Is it the lack of commonsense safe sexual practices?
So in the fourth decade of HIV/AIDS, is there hope? Of course there is hope. I lived through the early years and lost many friends. Today it is not a death sentence but a chronic condition that you can live with. This is quite a change from the 1980's and 1990's.
Since HIV infected men and woman can live to a ripe old ages, we need more research. Thank goodness Anthony Fauci, MD is funding research in the area of HIV and aging. We also need studies on long term use of anti viral therapies as well as studies on herbs against HIV. Studies on HIV and other age related conditions (for example, HIV and arthritis) are needed too.
As the Virginia Slims Ad once stated, "We've come a long way baby."
The need for education is just as appropriate today as it was 30 years ago. People of all ages need reminders about safe sex. Not only the young 20 year olds, but the young at heart 50 year olds. There is no excuse in my opinion for not practicing safe sex. Anyone living with or without HIV/AIDS must read the following book: HIV and Aging: Growing Older with the Epidemic. I found the book very insightful as a physician.
Until tomorrow....
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