Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!orion.oac.uci.edu!ucivax!ucla-cs!Richard.DeWald@f70.n382.z1.fidonet.org
From: Richard.DeWald@f70.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Richard DeWald)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: INfo
Message-ID: <37418@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 29 Jul 90 19:05:40 GMT
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Organization: FidoNet node 1:382/70 - Humanitas, Austin TX
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Approved: ddodell@stjhmc.fidonet.org (David Dodell)
Note:	Copyright 1990 by Daniel R. Greening.  Permission granted for
Note:	non-commercial reproduction.
Archive-number: 2309

In a message of <25 Jul 90 10:29:00>, Tl (1:120/139) writes:

 TD>I have a question being a new user of this BBS....I am wondering if you 
 TD>have any information this aspect of AIDS.......What is the longest time 
 TD>frame you are aware of that a person who is HIV+ stays "healthy" 
 TD>without converting to AIDS and experencing (I nevery could spell) the 
 TD>typical serices of illnesses?

That is a very interesting question.  We won't know the answer definitively 
for a good while.  I assume that you believed that you had either been exposed 
to the virus and/or were in a risk group and got yourself tested.  What about 
the person that was contaminated with a blood product, for example, and has 
completely forgotten (or never knew) that they were at risk?  If they feel as 
good as you do, they don't even yet know that they have been infected.

That's why I encourage all of my friends who aren't in risks groups to go 
donate a unit of whole blood.  Not only do we need the blood, but you get an 
automatic HIV-antibody screen and you can be relatively certain that you 
aren't unknowingly communicable if you don't hear from the blood bank.

 TD>I am + learning about this in January 2.5 yrs ago and believe I likely 
 TD>was + since 1983.  I am healthy and have had NO significant periods of 
 TD>any illness in that time.......I think the most difficult aspect of of 
 TD>being + relates to the psychological dealing with this......I would be 
 TD>interested in talking to others about this who share this situation.

I don't share your situation, I am a health care provider (nursing student).  
The psychological side is very important, I believe.  As we learn more about 
psychoimmunology, we will know for sure exactly to what extent attitude plays 
a part.  Providing nursing care for PWA's gives you some insight on this, but 
I have to be careful of post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this therefore 
because of this) reasoning, so I can't say for sure.  I am willing to bet that 
psychological health is a big factor, but I don't want to cross over into 
blaming the victim for the disease.  I have seen PWA's with the most inspiring 
attitudes die suddenly.

"Be as healthy as possible" is good advice fo everyone.

Richard DeWald, BSN Student
Univ. of TX - Austin.

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