“I was infected when I got a needle stick from a dying AIDS patient in 1991. I was drawing blood and he had a severe hallucination of large pink spiders crawling all over him, which caused him to jump violently. As a visiting Nurse I pursued workers’ compensation and after a 10 year legal battle I stopped fighting. The stress was not worth any amount of money.
I take care of myself by eating a well balanced diet and taking Descovy with Tivicay. I also walk often.
Being HIV positive has been an amazing blessing in many ways. I traveled the world to find an alternative treatment. Learned about ozone therapy that limits viral replication and can keep you healthy. I helped children recover from Autism living in Mexico for 3 years. Unfortunately, I contracted a parasite in Mexico that required me to get treatment here in the US and start the traditional AIDS cocktail. As a long-term survivor, HIV has caused memory issues, migraine headaches, heart disease, and a list of other issues that prevents me from working. Being positive feels like a mixed curse sometimes, because it interferes with dating. I hope to find true love one day.
Socially I still find that people are resistant to date me even though I'm undetectable and not contagious. Sometimes even when they are on PrEP. I volunteered for this project to help educate people to no longer be afraid of those who are medically compliant and undetectable.”
Bryan, 53, Undetectable. Queens, NY. Former Registered Nurse