Newspaper Page Text
Page 12
AIDS FOCUS
Living With AIDS
Absolute Beginners is the title of a pretty good English film, but it also describes how I felt about
two and a half years ago when I learned I was HIV positive with lymphadenopathy. At the time,
I was experiencing fatigue, having trouble with my memory and in the midst of psychological
problems related to having been sexually molested as a child.
On learning my HIV status and health concerns, my closest and most trusted friends suddenly
vanished. And although I wanted very much to live, I felt betrayed, abandoned and awfully alone
in the world. Suicide grew to seem, to this atheist, a gentle option.
Soon afterwards I developed shingles and my T-cells plummeted to the 200-range. My weight
and energy continued to decline, and I grew to suspect that although I didn’t yet have full-blown
AIDS, my body was telling me loud and clear that some bold intervention was needed.
I told my physician I wanted to try AZT, and I began taking 1200 mg. daily for 3 months, and
then cut back to 600 mg. daily. Also, three weeks after beginning the AZT I added 600 mg. of
Zovirax daily to my therapy, and about five months after beginning the AZT, I also began taking
Antabuse (500 mg., twice weekly). Antabuse is being taken experimentally by some people in
the hope that it will protect and assist in the maturation process of T-cell production.
So what is my current health status after pumping all these goodies into my body? My T-cells
have slowly and steadily increased to near 500 at last count, my difficulties with my memory
have disappeared, and I’ve more than gained back the weight I’d lost Also, my energy level has
slowly built back to the point that I’ve joined a health club where I swim and even do some
weightlifting.
And crucially, my mental attitude - my sense of optimism and capacity for taking pleasure in
life and new friends - is even better than before. (For which I credit a lot of hard work between
myself and my sterling psychotherapist.)
No one can say which or if any of the above ingredients truly accounts for this present stability
in my health. And I by no means advise anyone that my therapy can or should be duplicated for
them. This is a personal decision between you and your physician. There are risks involved in
whatever decisions you make.
But for me the best prescription for now appears to be a combination of the above, and a
commitment to monitor and look after myself, and stay up-to-date on all the alternative therapies
and treatments for HTV. This recently included switching to a new doctor (after more than two
years) whose attitudes toward treating HTV were more closely aligned to my own.
No one can predict the future. At least I don't believe they can. But I do believe strongly that
we can take responsibility for altering the psychological course we choose for ourselves, and that
this might also affect our health. No one need be alone in dealing with HTV. Besides studying
the medical literature in order to make decisions for yourself concerning your health, there arc
support groups and counselors available whose assistance is invaluable. My advice would be to
monitor your health closely and be unafraid to act decisively. Listen to your physician but don’t
be intimidated into making yourself over into his or her image. It’s your life, first and last
- Name Withheld by Request
Updates
Names Quilt Draws
20,000 in Atlanta
Attendence at the Names Project Quilt in
Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend
exceeded organizer's expectations.
According to Cleve Jones, founder and
executive director of the Names project,
over 20,000 people viewed the Quilt during
the two-day exhibition at the Georgia World
Congress Center. Steady streams of people
poured into the hall on both days. Atlanta
marked the tenth stop on the Quilt's national
tour and drew the highest attendence in any
city so far. Disappointing turnouts have
occurred in such cities as Phoenix and
Kansas City, and some local organizers had
feared a less than satisfactory showing.
According to Ken Kimsey, coordinator for
Names Project/Atlanta, Atlanta's success
was largely due to the project committee's
early efforts to make the quilt as accessible
as possible. "We made it a priority to let
people know the Quilt was coming and to
not put up any barriers, such as cost, that
would prevent people from seeing it.”
Kinsey said, "We placed an emphasis on
media sponsorship also, and as a result the
coverage of the Quilt and related events was
excellent."
Not only did Atlanta draw the most
people of any city, it also raised the most
proceeds. Over $30,000 was raised in
donations and ticket sales to two AIDS
plays written by Atlantan Rebecca Ranson,
"Warren" and "Higher Ground: Voices of
AIDS". The money will remain in Georgia
with 70% going to AID Atlanta for direct
services to people with AIDS (PWAs). The
remaining 30% will be distributed among 15
other organizations in Atlanta and
throughout Georgia that provide services to
PWAs. Organizers feel the greatest success
was the Quilt's ability to bring people
together to grieve their losses. "It (the quilt)
puts a face on the epidemic," Kinsey said.
"And even though people mourned and
cried, they laughed too. It was a healing
experience as well as a painful on."
The unfolding of the Quilt on May 29th
included a reading of the names of the
memorialized PWAs. Elected officials who
served as readers were Mary Davis, Atlanta
City Council member, Jim Martin, Georgia
House Representative from District 26, and
Michael Lomax, Fulton County
Commission Chair. Ken South, former
executive director of AID Atlanta and Dr.
James Alley, head of the Georgia Division
of Public Health were also among the 60
readers. It took close to four hours for the
reading which included 92 names, mostly
from Atlanta and Georgia, which were
added to the 1,920 existing names in the
Quilt.
During closing ceremonies, Cleve Jones
was presented with the 92 new panels
which will become a permanent part of the
Quilt as it continuesihe national tour.
Closing ceremonies also included a
unorchestrated release of balloons which
symbolized farewell to the memorialized
PWAs. "Some people had a hard time
letting the balloons go," Kimsey stated, "ft
was hard to let the Quilt go, too. Some of
the local panel makers lingered over their
panels until the very last minute. It was a
very powerful ceremony."
Cleveland, Ohio is the next stop on the
Names Project Tour. The Quilt will be in
Washington, D.C. from October 10 - 12
for its one year anniversary debut at the
National March on Washington for Lesbian
and Gay Rights. The Reverend Kathryn
Cartledge, director of pastoral services at
AID Atlanta, has been asked by tour
organizers to be one of the coordinators for
the Interfaith Services when the Quilt in
Washington. The core committee for the
Names Project/Atlanta have decided to stay
involved with the tour in some capacity and
local quilting bees will continue so that new
Georgia panels can be added in time for the
D.C. exhibition. Interested persons should
contact David Lane at (404)987-7189.
the subject is AIDS
An international exhibition by artists who are
dealing with AIDS as an ongoing concern in their
art will be held at Nexus Contemporary Art
Center during January/Februaiy, 1989.
Work is encouraged in all media including
performance, video, installation, audio, mixed
media, etc.
Slides of examples of work dealing with the
issue are currently being reviewed for possible
inclusion in the show.
To be considered for the exhibition, please
submit 35mm transparencies of your work (video
or audio tape where appropriate), a current
resume, and any other pertinent material (reviews,
etc.). All slides must be labeled with your name,
media, and size of work. DO NOT SEND
ORIGINAL ART WORK. Your application
must include a self-addressed stamped envelope
with sufficient postage to pay for the return of all
your application materials.
Send materials to:
the subject is AIDS/
Nexus Contemporary Arts Center/
608 Ralph McGill Boulevard/
Atlanta, GA 30312.
For additional information, call
(404) 688-1970. Ask for Gallery.
Homophobia and Disease, Part II
will run in the June 23rd issue of
Southern Voice. Author Dave
Hayward's article looks closely into
the connections between disease
and state of mind. Look for it.