Comments on:

By: Bianca Castafiore

Bianca Castafiore — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 13:44:32 +0000

Like so many others, I have missed you, Dr. Charles — not just in terms of frequency of posting but… *your* voice, telling what *your* eyes see, and what your brain/heart thought/felt.

It’s bound to be a challenge, but what a great one, to shift from a breathless pandemic mentality to a chronic-problem-solving mode. [Insert caveat that the pandemic continues.]

Keep writing… (for free, please). What? I’m not proud…

By: Manny

Manny — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:23:51 +0000

I thought the same thing about this medication when I learned about it. I can tell you that the shame one feels about the body after learning you have the disease is abundant, so maybe this medicine helps some people feel in control of one small aspect of their weight. I don’t think it causes weight loss? Just redistribution?

By: O.P.W. Fredericks

O.P.W. Fredericks — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:29:27 +0000

Welcome back, Dr. Charles. I’ve missed your posts, and your absence has been felt.

O.P.W. Fredericks

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 01:12:11 +0000

In 1983 I sat in the Grady Hospital room of a 26 year old man whom I’d grown up with and watched him die of Aids. His parents and his sister weren’t there. They’d shunned him as a disgrace. After his demise his committed life partner had him cremated and invited me to the memorial service. His family didn’t attend. We scattered his ashes at Oakland Cemetery in Sheffield Alabama where he’d grown up. His mother, though much younger was a close friend of my grandmother. She never voiced regret over her decision to abandon her only son. As a cancer survivor I know that you don’t ask for this. You ask for love. You don’t deserve this. You hope for mercy. Years later when I started my current job I worked with a young man whose life mate was dying of aids. It was heart breaking, especially because other co-workers didn’t see the need to offer this man condolences. Where do we get off bearing the sword of judgement? Jesus lived on the street and hung out with the homeless and prostitutes. He attracted blue collar companions. His companions were all sinners. How do we dare judge these people? I am so pleased that there is effective treatment for AIDS now. I personally know that one of the men at the CDC in Atlanta who was on the original team investigating this disease was a devout Christian. He was my Sunday school teacher when I was a child. Still, while we can rejoice in the victories over the disease, there are still pockets of prejudice. I don’t care if it is a choice or inborn, God so loved the world. Who are we to judge?