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Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: re: Trivializing AIDS
Message-ID: <1990Nov17.192356.27039@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 16 Nov 90 16:30:04 GMT
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"Trivializing AIDS":

>I am writing this message mostly
>because I am a little scared right now (I got
>some poor bloodtest results back)
>and to caution people NOT TO TRVIALIZE THIS
>DISEASE. We ARE NOT at a point medically
>where it can be controlled like
>diabetes with daily injections of insulin
>or a careful diet. Yes, we are
>living "longer" - 6 months longer
>on average according to the CDC statistics.
>I consider those stats the basis for
>most news media to trivialize this
>disease.

I feel that unfortunately Bird's alarm and cautionary cry about
trivializing AIDS are very much needed.  I have been very disturbed
myself recently by what seems to me to be unrealistic opinions about
the state of the epidemic and an increasing lack of interest in
it by gay men here especially.

This was brought home to me full force when our volunteer team
met this past Monday.  A senior team member at one point began
to wax enthusiastic at length about how "optimistic" the situation
was.  I was shocked as this person is a very levelheaded and
experienced volunteer in the AIDS epidemic, and is seen as a
mentor by some of the more recent members.

This person spoke in very general terms about the topics which Bird mentioned,
treatments and survival.  Finally, I felt that we were being
mesmerized by hope rather than convinced by facts and asked that we
actually discuss the epidemic in terms of our experience with our
clients and friends and citing what statistics and medical information
we could come up with.

I am sorry to say that our group of 16 couldn't come up with a more
sanguine picture than Bird has presented.  As we saw it "shotgun
medicating" is still a necessary approach, AZT works while it works
but then it is life at the bloodbank and the extended survival is
actually six months.

Like the man said:

> Most indications are
>that it (AZT) ceases to be effective after 12
>to 18 months. It is very toxic to bone
>marrow. DDc and DDi May be additional
>help BUT WE AIN'T ANYWHERE NEAR A SOLUTION
>THAT WILL LET US LIVE A LONG LIFE
>WITH AIDS - at least for the majority of us.

A particularly disturbing aspect of this is what I see as a dramatic
lack of interest in AIDS volunteer work on the part of gay men 25
and under.  They seem to have virtually disappeared from the direct,
hands-on organizations into the pageantry of activism.

It is all well and good to kick the appropriate politcal butts, but there
are no lack of asses that need to be wiped - literally.  I do not find
in speaking with guys in their early twenties who attend once-a-week
activist mob meetings that they have much, if any, involvement in
direct help organizations.  Our local volunteer organization is
going to implement a policy of putting a ceiling on taking new
clients as it cannot provide services for the number who apply each
month.

It seems that even amongst gay men who have borne the brunt of the
epidemic, AIDS has become something bloodless called an "issue"
which gets once-a-week football rally type attention and a big
yawn the rest of the week.  Somehow hope has been tricked out
as optimism and a lot of people are buying it.

As for Bird, I hope things pick up for you.  And, thanks.  I'm
sure there are a lot of people out there like myself who look
forward eagerly to your postings and are pulling for you and hoping with
you. (Sorry if this closing is a bit off-base, but I am an
unabashed fan of the "Bird".)

Jack Carroll