Re: Answers Part I!

Aww, Mr. 100843, you're sweet! I'm blushing!

Seriously, though, I'm more than happy to help. I'll probably get to the rest of your questions next week.

As far as gadgets and other cures go, it's true that most of them are quackery, but I wouldn't spend money on ANYTHING or make ANY drastic life choices based on the fact that you might be HIV+. Once you know your status, you can plan your course of action, but if I were a betting lady (OK, I used to like blackjack back in the days when the casinos would still let you WIN), I'd be putting odds of about 3:1 that you're negative.

The Science has come a loooong way. And the most exciting thing about it is that there's always new research coming out!

However your test results come out, you can turn it into something positive if you want to. When you test positive, there's often a shock and an adjustment period, but many of the happiest people I know are HIV+. While I don't know a single person who wouldn't rid themselves of this virus if they could, for many people, the diagnosis serves as a catalyst for transformation (dare I say, "inner growth"?).
I think it's often hard for young people today to really find a sense of purpose and contentment (a lot of the young folks I meet are sort of trundling through life without really enjoying it and/or don't know what their place in the world is, and/or are unsure of what they need to do in order to be happy). I've certainly gone through rough patches since being diagnosed, but I can unequivocally say that I am happier now than I ever was before I was infected. The little things that used to tick me off - I don't even notice them now! Life is precious and I don't want to waste my time on all that nonsense! I've also met a few people who were terribly worried about testing positive, wound up being negative, and also found it, overall, to have made a positive impact on their lives. The negative test result makes them realize just how fortunate they are, and their light brush with a "dread disease" made realize that they didn't want to waste their time on this earth. I'm certainly not making any assumptions about the way your life is now (you strike me as an intelligent, decent young man - oh, I guess I am assuming that you're young!), but no matter how good your life is, there is nearly always room for greater happiness (what some would call "personal growth", although a lot of the people I've met who've gone through what they call "personal growth" don't seem any happier or kinder, so I'm not a huge fan of the term).

I'm confident that however the test results come out, you'll be able to deal with it. And if you need support while you're doing so, well, that's why this forum is here!
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