Disclosed!

Seeing as there as been such a gap since my last regular entries, I still have a few follow up posts to make.

When I was discussing my disclosure dilemma I guess I failed to take into account the depth of friendship and maturity of my co workers! Anyways, one by one over the last few months I have discussed my status and have to say I have been overwhelmed by the support I have had! I should point out that I work in a very masculine industry, so disclosure of my HIV status was, in my mind, going to be an issue - where has my homosexuality never has been, not that I wear my sexuality on my sleeve anyway!

Anyway - the long and short of the matter is the guys I work with have just taken the news in their stride and have been so unbelievably supportive it was a little overwhelming!

It took a great deal of soul searching on my part - 10 months of it to be exact! But it has been one of the best things I have done. Now the guys show an interest in the condition and my treatment, not in an overly intrusive way though. I guess the fact that some of them are single (and all straight) and are quite sexually active with different partners, it has given them food for thought. So much so a couple of the guys are arranging to get tested themselves!

That makes me feel kinda good about myself as I have managed to raise awareness of the dangers of HIV and unprotected sex! More awareness means a lowered risk of infection and the more people who are aware of HIV and the fact that they are taking steps to avoid infection can only be a good thing. Now they have an awareness and understanding they will pass this on to their friends and the message gets out there!

A job well done!

(",)

101 totally randon things about me!

I have spent quite a bit of time on the internet over the past few days {my new found obsession with Facebook bears testament to this}, anyways I was reading this blog written by a guy I stumbled across on Youtube and he had this list of "100 things". I thought, now theres a good idea. Something cathartic, a task to list 101 totally random things about me and my life! Some things people know other that they may not and some that I am sure the won't!

The result is posted here for all to see:

My totally random “101 things about me” list

I was born in 1972
I am drawn to shiny things
I sometimes enjoy a good cry
I am married to Mal
I have brown eyes
My right nipple is pierced and it is tattooed
I first got a mortgage 5 years ago (with another 20 to pay it off!)
I once had a job selling refills for condom machines over the phone
I really like the colour green
I would sleep with Madonna if I got the chance!
The way Mal say’s “look at me” when he does his Kath & Kim impression it really makes me smile
I am regular
I’d like to be a spy
I am no longer scared of fish
I think Mal is the best thing that has ever happened to me
I am no longer scared of dying
I pluck my eyebrows
My friends make me happy
I enjoy the music of Sade
I prefer wholemeal bread
Mayonnaise makes me gag
I am going grey – FAST!
I first had sex when I was 16
I have to watch the news every day
I am 5 foot 10.5 inches tall
I can be quite homophobic
I hate my teeth
I think I can speak French
I prefer fried eggs as opposed to scrambled eggs
I feel that I only really “grew up” last year when I was diagnosed HIV+
Football bores me
I know I was born Gay
I always wish I had studied History
I like apples
I love my animals like they are people
Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” makes me cry
I have experimented with recreational drugs
I once entered Mr Gay UK
I want to own chickens
I don’t talk about my feelings anywhere near enough
I have only ever slept with 2 women
I have lost count of how many guys I have slept with
I also like the colour brown
Paris is my favourite city
London is my least favourite city
I cannot bring myself to eat lamb
I wish I was more proactive rather than reactive
I panic if I am not wearing my watch
I find fireworks spellbinding
Dogma is my favourite movie to date
I am a sucker for a killer smile
I don’t know how I would cope if my waistline ever expanded over 30 inches
I am horny in the mornings
I have had my appendix removed
Adolphe William Bougerau is my favourite artist
I would like to give up smoking
I once stole a Mars Bar
I look at porn on the Internet
I am not convinced about the Climate Change arguments
My bed is my sanctuary
I would not recognise any of my siblings if they passed me in the street
I hoard things
I sometimes fart and blame the dogs
Gordon Brown makes me really angry
I think the smell of Cedar & Sandalwood is really sexy
I still don’t like needles
I always start things I never get round to finishing
The first record I ever bought was “clouds across the moon” by the Rah Band
I really enjoy my job
I think the word ‘lesbian’ is such a funny word
I have a secret crush on Jason Bradbury from the Gadget Show
I am looking forward to turning 40
I love frosty, foggy mornings
I only have five friends who I would trust with my life
I like shopping in Primark – I think it represent good value!
I am really bad with money
I would really like to visit Moscow but doubt I ever will
I know where I was the night Princess Diana died – I was out of my face in a nightclub!
I was once a Special Police Constable
I often wish Mal were the same size as me so I could borrow his clothes more!
I once appeared in a Gay porn magazine
I can’t stand children
I wish I found it easy to express my emotions
I am in favour of Capital Punishment
I shave my chest
I also shave my balls!
I only really like carrots if they are roasted
I drink more than is good for me
I enjoy smoking a joint
I think there might be a God – just not the one I was taught about
I used to chew my nails really badly
I am grumpy in the mornings until I have had a coffee and a cigarette
The only birthdays I ever remember without fail is my own or Mal’s
A cuddle from Mal is the best thing in the whole world
I wish I took more exercise
My greatest fear is dying in a fire
Madonna’s “Blonde Ambition Tour” in July 1990 at Wembley was the best live concert I have ever been to see
I am lazy
Lilies are my favourite flowers
I buff and file my nails

And finally, I really enjoying walking barefoot on the beach

So there you have it! 101 totally random things about me! I have to say a big thanks to Alec Sarkas who's blog inspired my own list, so cheers Alec and keep up the good work (",)

Well that is it for another day so, be good and above all be safe!

Damn! It's been a while part two! (A message from the HAART)

OK, time to pick up where I left off!

You may recall me ruminating over the pros and cons of my medication for the HIV. Well back in October 2007 I started my regime of HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment) medication with some trepidation! I was dreading the anticipated side-effects as well as the burden of adhereance!

Well I am pleased to say none of my fears came to pass! I had (and have had) no noteable side-effects from the drugs and the adhereance as now become a part of my daily routine! Best of all the medication reached the first goal of treatment, an undectableable viral load (VL) within 2 months! When I started my VL was around 2000 pm/pml so to get it down to below 50pm/pml in such a short time was fantastic! My CD4 count is taking a little longer to recover however. Currently I am sat around the 385 mark. This is an improvement from the 285 when I started but that increase has taken just under a year to achieve.

Don't get me wrong, I was not expecting any miracles from the meds so I am more than pleased with the numbers so far. It only bodes well for the future if you ask me (",)

I have to say that very first night, when my alarm went off at 9pm and I poured my glass of juice for me to take the drugs with was an odd occassion! I was suddenly hit by the fact that this is now my life, for the rest of my life! I will be doing the very same thing at the very same time every night at 9pm! It was quite odd the have that certainty there right in front of me!

Damn! it's been a while...

OK - I know it has been an age since I last posted! So much has happened too! So where do I start?

Well back in December, me and "His Knibbs" finally got round to making honest men of each other and we celebrated our Civil Partnership! It was a really nice and quiet affair with our close friends and family there to bear witness to our union. We then took off to Paris for a few days for our "Honeymoon" The picture is of our wedding cake, beautifully made by a very close friend

The CP seems like such a long way off now as we are coming up to our 1st Aninniversary on December 1st!

All in all it has been a good year - the usual ups and downs, but I will bore you with those later (",)

So for now, I bid you a fond farewell. Be happy, be safe but above all - Love Life!