This week, I thought I’d try to write a piece that didn’t focus completely on HIV, as I want readers to realise that every waking hour of my life is not dominated by this virus. Of course, when I am delivering my “Positive Voice” talks then HIV obviously takes centre stage, but when I’m not, the virus becomes almost invisible in my day-to-day activities. Inevitably, restarting treatment has brought back the daily reminder of my condition but, apart from those couple of seconds when I’m swallowing three pills, I can honestly say some days I don’t give the virus any more thought.
Perhaps that ability to switch off and “forget” has come with time; 18 years of living with HIV teaches you a thing or two. I realised after some years that the virus and I were together for life now and we had better work out a way to co-exist or my life would be more than a little difficult. Thankfully, I think I have achieved a good balance, for the most part.
As I am self-employed no two days are the same; when I am not in schools then my routine varies, depending on what else is in my diary and what needs to be done. If I have been travelling a lot – like this week, when I have spoken in Exeter, Oxford and Edinburgh in 48 hours – then a day off provides a much welcome opportunity to rest and recharge my batteries.
One noticeable side-effect of HIV I have become aware of in the past four to five years is how my energy levels are not what they used to be, particularly when my T-cells are low. I can get to the end of a week and very much feel that I am running on empty. Sundays are renowned sleep-in days and I can usually still be found under the duvet at midday, thanks largely to
The Archers omnibus and
Desert Island Discs, two long-standing programmes on BBC Radio 4 (
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/).
If my schedule has not been so hectic, then time can be spent doing rather mundane tasks like the admin for my business and household chores. Once they are over and done I can fill my day with rather more enjoyable activities. Fortunately, I have a wide variety of interests and living in central London means being bored is not an option!
As you may have read previously, l love being creative so I like to spend time visiting exhibitions and galleries to get some artistic inspiration. Another passion is walking, and I love to wander around my local area or walk to one of the London parks that are within a mile or so of my home.
Next week I am heading up north for a few days, a mixture of work and pleasure. I will be visiting one of my favourite places in the UK – the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (
www.ysp.co.uk) – giving a talk at a new school in Sheffield and then spending a few days with my childhood friend Helen and her family in Cheshire. Another busy week in my positive life!