Interview 22

Age at interview: 43
Age at diagnosis: 42
Brief Outline: Her anti-HIV drugs (Kaletra and Combivir) brought her viral load down to undetectable at the time of interview. She has strong faith that Jesus has healed her in combination with her medical care.
Background: A 43 year old woman from Africa who describes herself as 'coloured.' She was diagnosed when she went to hospital very ill with TB.
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Age at interview' 43
Age at diagnosis' 42
Sex' Female
Background' A 43 year old woman from Africa who describes herself as 'coloured.' She has 3 children and was diagnosed a year ago.
Outline' A 43 year old woman from Africa who describes herself as 'coloured.' She has 3 children. She moved to the UK over 2 years ago to escape political persecution. She was diagnosed as HIV positive when she presented late to hospital very ill with TB, and with a very low T cell count of about 20.
Her combination therapy (Kaletra and Combivir) brought her viral load down to undetectable and her CD4 cells to 220 at the time of interview. Her medication has not caused her noticeable side-effects. She also takes vitamins, has improved her diet and exercises. She has strong faith that Jesus has healed her in combination with her medical care. She wants others to know that Western medicine works and that Jesus also heals. She is very open about her diagnosis and believes that coloured and black African women should consider themselves as equal to men.
Age at diagnosis' 42
Sex' Female
Background' A 43 year old woman from Africa who describes herself as 'coloured.' She has 3 children and was diagnosed a year ago.
Outline' A 43 year old woman from Africa who describes herself as 'coloured.' She has 3 children. She moved to the UK over 2 years ago to escape political persecution. She was diagnosed as HIV positive when she presented late to hospital very ill with TB, and with a very low T cell count of about 20.
Her combination therapy (Kaletra and Combivir) brought her viral load down to undetectable and her CD4 cells to 220 at the time of interview. Her medication has not caused her noticeable side-effects. She also takes vitamins, has improved her diet and exercises. She has strong faith that Jesus has healed her in combination with her medical care. She wants others to know that Western medicine works and that Jesus also heals. She is very open about her diagnosis and believes that coloured and black African women should consider themselves as equal to men.
Is reluctant to view her experiences as side effects.
Is reluctant to view her experiences as side effects.
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Maybe I have side effects and… Maybe the frame of mind I have, I don't look at the side effects I have. Because maybe people will say, 'Oh, you get depressed.' But then everybody gets depressed.
I get tired. Everybody gets tired. I get into a bad mood. Everybody gets into a bad mood. Every now and again, I can't sleep. Sometimes. But everybody does. So I don't look at that as side effects. So as far as I'm concerned, I don't have side effects.
Because for me a side effect would have to be something that only I'm getting, because of the medication, and other people don't get.
So I don't have side effects.
A woman who was close to death talks about a spiritual experience in hospital where she talked to...
A woman who was close to death talks about a spiritual experience in hospital where she talked to...
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Talks about how she draws strength from her HIV clinic.
Talks about how she draws strength from her HIV clinic.
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So the whole team, [name of HIV consultant], [name of HIV consultant], [name of nurse], to me they've, they've been a strength to me. Because they've shown me that life goes on. And you will get knocked every now and again. Like a child who's learning to walk, you will fall down. But you get up, dust yourself, and move on. So in that way I have found that they've been a strength to me. And they've been very open with me. And I think the relationship we have now is not a patient-doctor' a clinical relationship. It is a relationship for what the word relationship means. It is a relationship that we have. And they have that even with my children.
She is very open about her HIV status.
She is very open about her HIV status.
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She did not fear death, but did not want to leave her children.
She did not fear death, but did not want to leave her children.
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Appeals to people of 'mixed heritage' to overcome stigma and ignorance for their own surivival.
Appeals to people of 'mixed heritage' to overcome stigma and ignorance for their own surivival.
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Describes how people with HIV can shift their thinking to do what they want to do and avoid...
Describes how people with HIV can shift their thinking to do what they want to do and avoid...
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And not to just look at yourself as, [squeaky voice] I'm sick, I'm going to die. We're all going to die. Yes, I've got HIV, I'm HIV positive. You might be negative. But you cross the road, you die. 10 years down the line' lane' down the line, every time I walk past that sight, I realise, oh, that's where Damien died. But I was supposed to die before you. No, I wasn't. We all got our time.