WELLNESS STARTS WITH AWARENESS - CD8 T cells - The Body

HIV Wellness Oxymoron
Either of two
retroviruses that
infect and destroy
helper T-cells
of the immune
system, causing the
marked reduction
in their numbers
that is diagnostic
of AIDS—called
also AIDS
virus, human
immunodeficiency
virus*
Joey 2001
It was early 2001. I remember thinking it was not like Joey to
be late. I’d known him for several years and he always arrived for
his appointments early or on time. He was now 15 minutes late and
I had begun to worry. Th e phone rang and instinctively I picked
40
The quality or
state of being
in good health,
especially as an
actively sought
goal*
Long-term Survivors of HIV and Wellness
No longer an oxymoron
by Jeff Levy, LCSW
Something (as
a concept) that
is made up of
contradictory
or incongruous
elements*
it up, thinking it might be Joey on the other end. “Hello?” Nothing.
“Hello?” Still nothing. Th en muffl ed crying. “Joey? Is this you?
What’s the matter?”
Aft er several minutes, I learned Joey was trapped in a bathroom
several blocks away. He had gotten off the bus on his way to
see me because he had an urgent need to relieve himself, but barely
made it to a gas station bathroom. He had no clean clothes and was
too embarrassed to leave. Luckily, he had a cell phone and called
me.
Joey was 35 when we met in 1998 and had been HIV-positive
since the late 1980’s. He had been on various HIV-related medications,
but his health continued to deteriorate. Joey worked as an
attorney, but the pace of his work was becoming more diffi cult to
manage as his disease depleted him more and more. To complicate
matters, he and his partner (also HIV-positive) were addicted to
crystal meth and their relationship had become violent. At the time
of this phone call, Joey had lost his job, left his home, and was barely
managing to survive in homeless shelters. He had resigned himself
to a very short future, and was focusing on putting his meager
resources in order for his family.
I scurried around my offi ce to fi nd clothing I could bring to
Joey where he was stranded. I knocked on my offi ce mates’ doors
and was able to fi nd a shirt, sweat pants, and a jacket. When I
reached the gas station bathroom and knocked on the door, Joey
PA • September / October 2008 • tpan.com • positivelyaware.com
Positively Aware