Unlike Matthias Herrmann, I don't recall the exact date I was infected with hiv. It's some time in August 1996 that I was diagnosed and that I asked my new doctor, tentatively, "you know, like, ahemmm... in terms of life expectancy, how long do you think I have?" He replied without much hesitation,"With current treatments, about ten years."
That sounded just right to me. Enough time to do stuff with my life and prepare to say goodbye and not so much that I would need to worry about getting a pension plan or think about aging gracefully. I felt I'd be very lucky to see the new millenium and the introduction of a common European currency. Yet, I lived to see both, much to my surprise, and I felt elated!
Now, one year after my Expires-By date, I realise how hard it was to project myself into a future much beyond 2006 and, at least not without major illnesses hitting me along the way.
But back in 96, triple combination therapies appeared as a new treatment options. Much hype and hope led us to think hiv eradication was on the way. I resolved to live to see that day too.
So let's take that step together, whatever it takes and whatever the experts say: let's eradicate hiv from our bodies, from our minds, from our language and fill them with love, faith and strength instead.
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