When I first got AIDS in 1981 I didn’t know what I had. In December my first two lesions appeared. I was diagnosed with KS. Through my experience with an earlier bout with Hepatitis I learned to become self reliant. I realized that my healing was, in part, up to me. I couldn’t just sit back and expect someone else to cure me. I realised that I had also ‘nourished’ my bout with Hepatitis mentally for a year.

            When I was diagnosed with AIDS I refused to think of it as a ‘death sentence.’ My doctor supported me in my use of alternative therapies. The AIDS virus lives in my body but I do not feel threatened by it. I feel I can co exist with the virus. The body heals itself if given the opportunity. That opportunity can be missed if the body is clogged with medical drugs, parasitical infections, emotional traumas or mental exhaustion. The body can’t be overworked, overdosed or over treated.

            I elected to do acupuncture twice a month as a way of reducing stress and healing the immune system. Acupuncture was a crucial part of my healing. It was a doorway to listen to the body, of becoming conscious of the body. It was beneficial in releasing toxins, balancing bodily energies and unblocking the system. I also tried aura massage. When I had KS I used to visualize my cancer cells crumbling away like shredded wheat.

            Fear is a big killer. Some people over react. They can’t bear the thought of having the virus in their system. In fact, we have all sorts of bugs and viruses in our bodies. Life is about co existence. We must relax and accept the fact that this alien has come into our lives for a reason. Emotions are wounded by the media, the medical profession and the community. One can learn to live with AIDS if he is patient and awaits his healing. He must know the body can regenerate itself. I do believe my immune system could fail if I get rundown with stress or overloaded with work. In some ways I consider this knowledge beneficial because it’s the leash that keeps me in check.

            There’s an awareness you develop in terms of what you can do. You can’t exist for very long at war with yourself. Living in the present is very important. Let fear, frustration and anger leave you. You have to think positive. You can’t let the disease control you. The expression of feelings is always important. Get your emotions out in the open. It’s a way of releasing toxins from your body. A hobby or an art form can also help. You must learn to develop self esteem and cherish it.