It’s another week, and I’ve not had anything put up on this blog for ages, but it’s not because nothing has been happening – quite the opposite in fact. Life has been moving on. I have been working away and getting on with various things.

However, last weekend I felt a bump on the back of my neck, and on Thursday I fought through the rain, gale force winds and awful traffic to make it up to the Gay Men’s clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. I thought it was probably a recurrence of the now dreaded PVL-MRSA that has beset me so many times since March.

Fortunately, I was sent home with some Paracetamol to take for the pain, and then had to turn up back at the clinic on Friday at about 11am. It was hoped that my consultant, Dr Carol Emerson would be able to see me. When I got there on Friday, this was not the case, but I was seen by her registrar, Dr Killian Quinn, who was able to take a sample from the bump on my neck, and send me home with a minor dressing.

Of course, it was not just the dressing I was sent home with, I also got a prescription to collect from the hospital pharmacy:

to treat PVL-MRSA

  • Zyvox® (Linezolid) 600mg tablets
    • Take ONE tablet TWICE a day for 2 weeks
  • Bactroban® 2% Nasal Ointment (mupirocin calcium)
    • Apply to EACH NOSTRIL THREE times a day for 5 days.
  • Stellisept® med
    • Use daily to wash with.

To treat HIV

  • Truvada tablet
    a little blue pill, but one that will help save my life.

    Truvada® (emtricitabine/ tenofovir disoproxil) 200mg/245 mg film-coated tablets

    • Take ONE tablet ONCE DAILY.
    • Take with or after food
  • Norvir tablet
    Norvir

    Norvir® (Ritonavir) 100 mg film-coated tablets

    • Take ONE tablet ONCE DAILY.
    • Take with or after food.
  • Reyataz

    Reyataz® (atazanavir) 300mg hard capsules

    • Take ONE capsule, ONCE DAILY.
    • Do not take indigestion remedies at the same time of day as this medicine.
    • Take with or after food.

Results

Some results from previous blood tests show that my Viral Load has gone up again to 1,179. The good news is that my CD4 count has stayed 120, but has risen from 7% to 8%. This I am told is good news. No bouncing quite yet – but things are heading in the right direction still.

Support

I continue to be blessed with support coming from many directions, many good friends, and family – as well as my social worker, Corinne, and the general support of The HIV Support Centre. To everyone, thank you all once again.

This morning I was out meeting people at a conference in Stranmillis College with nasen Northern Ireland, it was great to meet so many people that are supportive of the work of The HIV Support Centre, and that want further information. I’m sure there will be many contacts from this coming into the staff there.