Maurice's So much has happened since I last wrote Maurice’s Angle. that it would be a great temptation to devote this entire page to the state of my own health. However, unlike Oscar Wilde, who couldn’t, I will resist and try to be brief. 1999 AD At the start of the year I was not completely satisfied with my state of health. I attributed this mainly to the side effects of the large number of drugs I was taking. I could identify the following: Neuropathy, Paresthesia (numbness, prickling, tingling), Diarrhoea, Nausea, Abdominal pain, Lipodystrophy, Insomnia, Fatigue, Sexual Dysfunction, Depression I was unhappy about the number of drugs I was taking and concerned about their toxicity and the resulting chemical imbalance. Encouraged by other long term survivors like myself who I met on courses and respite weekends and also from personal accounts in the positive press and internet news groups, I decided to make some changes: Reduced drugs for side effects or replaced them with herbal remedies. Made use of Reflexology, Acupuncture & Yoga Altered diet to reduce levels of cholesterol & triglycerides. Consolidated emotional, mental & spiritual support. (family, friends, self-help groups, church, reading, music) At the end of the year I noted that I had passed my A level Spanish Exams, coped with two incredibly demanding World AIDS Day Concerts and completed all my Christmas and New Year commitments with Choir and Church. Apart from feeling physically well I seemed to be stronger emotionally and spiritually as well. A bit knackered, perhaps, and definitely in need of a winter break, but robust enough to smile with the Mona Lisa and laugh with the Laughing Cavalier as I complied with my strict, diet regulated HAART regimen. But I don’t mind, because the efforts I have made seemed to have paid off. 2000 AD This was before I got my latest encouraging lab results. As a consequence of which I have started a new drug cocktail, which, if successful, will enable me to live without having to plan every day around my drug schedule. The new regimen has 4 pills a day. Yes only FOUR pills a day and NO food restrictions! Thank you to all the health professionals of North Staffs Health for a wonderful year 2000 present ! Speaking of the New Year, how was the big 2,000 event for you? Call me old fashioned but I believe that each century and millennium takes its name from its final year. The 19th century began in 1801 and finished in 1900, so why should the 20th century end one year early? Nevertheless, I was more than delighted to join in the ‘Millennium’ Celebrations of two wonderful hosts as the ‘piano playing friend’ of one of their guests. Instead of rabbitting on about their delightful house, the superb food and the excellent company, I think I’ll let the photos say it all. I only hope that everyone of you enjoyed Christmas and New Year as much as I did. THE PRESS & WORLD AIDS DAY Congratulations to the Pink Press and the ‘Positive’ Press for their coverage of World AIDS Day but no Brownie points for the rest. The latest UK figures for new HIV infections and the global situation of deaths from AIDS made grim reading. Perhaps this is why the National Dailies chose to say absolutely nothing about HIV on 1st December. However, ‘Positive Nation’, ‘Axiom’, ‘Gay Times’, the ‘Pink Paper’ together with all the regional HIV magazines paid significant attention to the day and the state of play with the disease. Even ‘Boyz,’ (not normally the place one would expect to find serious information) carried an impressive HIV prevention message in an inside cover column written by the editor David Hudson. Did you spot the excellent article about the Stoke GUM Clinic in the full colour glossy special World AIDS edition of the Pink Lobby? The piece is unsigned but whoever the author is, it’s excellent and well worth reading. “+ve” Is the catchy name of the latest addition to the seemingly increasing numbers of magazines devoted to HIV issues. In the first edition the editors state that the magazine has been produced to address the main point of HIV…”one that no other publication appears to realise ...the fact that we are now LIVING with HIV.” I am sure you would want to join me in congratulating the editors Andrew & Craig, on a brilliant initiative. However, I think we should point out to them that ‘Positive Lives’ along with other newsletters of regional HIV self-help groups are not only aware of the point they make but owe their very existence to the fact that people who write the journals are indeed living with HIV & AIDS. In our own instance, I am proud to be able to say that this issue of ‘Positive Lives’ marks the beginning of our fourth year of publication. The first edition in the present format was 1st December 1997. Latest news: 28.1.2000 An updated version of the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents has been posted to the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS) World Wide Web site, www.hivatis.org. Just thought you’d like to know. Keep well! Maurice