aliveboy2004

I would definately let you go out before me, and if I REALLY knew and trusted you, let you go out after me and fly in semi proximity so that your cousin could see you. But if you touched me or him, I would have to kill you.

my blood isn't going anywhere - unfortunately, it's just " + ".

so....... what's the name of your left hand??

all woman team?? - how about z-bras

unfortunately - 1 person to many

I really think that evolution created gods. And the more we evolve the less there will be a need for a god.

what makes you think WE would wear something like that???????????? If it was one of US, we would be posing with other guys. So it must be one of YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

after the traumas I have gone thru this year - I have decided that I am not going to die.

so his AFF level 2 (didn't he flunk his first level 2 - I thought his jumpmasters pulled for him after they lost control of him {quality USPA directors??}) will be without jumpmasters holding on to him. This should be good.

Your problem will be getting people to admit to their condition and join you. I agree. It is tough enough to admit to being gay around other skydivers, but to then say that you are HIV+ . HA! And even if you aren't gay, when you say that you are poz, you are immediately branded as being gay. I certainly plan on making some jumps with some poz folks that I have talked with on dz.com, but I certainly don't plan on advertising the fact that we are making an "HIV+ formation jump"

how about "I am HIV+ and only VERY FEW of my close friends know"

actually no, I haven't begun to take any medication yet. I think that the new school of thought is to keep close tabs on the numbers and if they change radically, then begin. When that time comes, I will probably give up doing tandems. From what I have heard, some of the drug reactions aren't all that pleasant. Wouldn't need to be hit with any of that while in the middle of a plane ride or canopy ride. I have been watching my diet - lots more fish and chicken - protein foods, and salads. I guess my body is beginning to fight back against the bad guys and that is what got my numbers in better shape. Right now I am feeling great about it - in three months the numbers might go the other way and I will get depressed - but hopefully by then I will have adjusted more to what the numbers mean and if there is a small change - not go completely bonkers about it. a rough definition of AIDS is a tcell count below 100, a very high viral load and the presence of an oportunistic disease. As long as you keep the numbers in check and stay (relatively) healthy HIV need not progress to AIDS. As they told us in the counseling session - a person with HIV today has a greater chance of dying from a heart attach or being struck by a car than dying from AIDS. Until there is any radical change, I will continue doing tandems and sharing in the fun that new passengers have. In the meantime - [url]www.fightaidsathome.com

Please, just a small butterfly tatoo on the upper right butt cheek.

I'm back. need to answer HANKNOTDAN from ...Part2 No, I had made the decision NOT to tell tandem passengers about my HIV status. Sorry, I don't consider it any of their business. The risk of HIV transmission from a tandem jump is virtually "0". As stated in earlier posts, passengers should be more concerned about a tandem instructor's alcohol consumption prior to jump or what their mental attitude is. My mental attitude is now very positive (oh, how I hate that pun!) - OK - it's GREAT!! I am being careful with my passengers and still not taking any unnecessary chances with anyone. I sincerely want to thank message friends from threads ...Part1 and ...Part2 (nbblood, ripple, vallerina, dmbale / freakyrat, Keith, weakmindedfool - gonna jump with you one of these days - I promise!!) Since my circle of friends that I can share with this is fairly small, I have to share it with you guys. Just got my results from my second blood test (will be getting one every 3 months) Tcells (good guys) UP from 385 to 435. Viral load (OHHHH bad!) DOWN from 14700 to 5190!!!!!!! AND to top things off, chlosterol and tri's DOWN to nornal levels. Looks like I'm gonna make it for another month.

there's grass - so it can't be calif or az!

holy crap!! I'm gay and even I would take option 1!!! but I definately do want this guy!!! can I have him, please - PLEASE!!

Well, I’m back. New name - new attitude!! I’ve made it through my first month, and while it might not be considered the hardest (that will probably be the LAST month), it certainly ranks right up there as the most traumatic. I’ve gone through all the normal ranges of emotions and have finally settled down to acceptance and getting on with it. I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and have a T-CELL count of 400 and a VIRAL LOAD of 14000 . For those of you that don’t know, a high T-CELL count is good and a low VIRAL LOAD is good. My T-cell count is acceptable and my Viral Load count is considered to be OK - I was really hoping that it would have been lower though). There is really no reason to start taking any medication at this time, it all starts out with a wait and see attitude. I go back for blood tests again in a couple of months and then about every 3 months after that to see how things change. I bought a great book a couple of weeks ago – “A Patient-Expert Walks You Through Everything You Need to Learn and Do – THE FIRST YEAR HIV – An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed” by Brett Grodeck. If anyone wants an ‘HIV FOR DUMMIES’ type book, this is it. Got it at Borders Bookstore for $16.00. It so accurately covered every emotion I had been feeling, and trying to find out what to do. To keep things in this post in the right category – I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTINUE DOING TANDEMS. I am sure that I will be hearing screams of protest from some of you – how can I be so selfish, putting others lives in jeopardy, not caring about other people, etc. BUT everyone that I talked to - that knows anything about HIV, said that short of a catastrophe on landing there is an almost ZERO chance of passing the virus to anyone else. I would have to rub MY open bleeding wound over THEIR open bleeding wound for any type of risk of transmission. HIV isn’t passed through saliva, tears, sweat, body oil, vomit, snot or urine. Granted, if I was assigned a passenger that was oozing stuff all over, I would more than likely turn that passenger down – but then, which tandem instructor wouldn’t. If I have a day where I don’t feel well, I won’t be doing tandems anyway. I won’t be taking any type of medication for a (hopefully) long time, so that doesn’t factor into the equation. I wouldn’t turn down a passenger because (s)he has HIV or AIDS (quiz time – is AIDS a disease that can kill you??). I might turn down a passenger that has some type of infectious disease that could be passed to me by airborne means – but other that that, they are all acceptable. I definitely plan on being more careful – but as I said previously, my normal procedures are usually safer than the other tandem instructors at my dropzone. I highly suggest that if anyone wants to find out more about HIV (and I really hope that many of you do – especially tandem and AFF instructors), please consider taking a course at the HIV/AIDS Clinic in your city. You might have to be around some HIV infected queer folks – BUT YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING – I SURE DID IN THE CLASS I TOOK LAST WEEK. I would like to thank everyone that sent the encouraging personal e-mails or messages and for all the good 'vibes' you sent to me. It is really apprecialted. If I ever get to your DZ, I will be buying each of you a couple of jumps. For all those that posted messages to this the old thread, thank you for sharing your feelings - whether they were pro or con. If you don't mind, I will be keeping the forun posted on my two big vital numbers and how things are progressing (or hopefully - not progressing but regressing.) thanks [email protected]