A Day In The Life

of an HIV+, unemployed middle aged NYC man.

10:45. Turn off 10:30 alarm and get out of bed. Scratch that, actually get woken up around 6:30 by dog barking at neighbors as they begin leaving for work. Coax dog back to bedroom and shut the door. Take 1/2 an Ambien to get back to sleep. Awakened again at 8:30, again by dog, on bed, whining and scratching at my head. This has never happened before. Sensing a Lassie moment I get up, expecting to be led to Timmy down the well. Instead he leads me to the bathroom. Confused, I open the door where he promptly jumps up on the sink and starts drinkng from the always leaking faucet. Getting the message I refill his water dish, and he gratefully slakes his thirst. I pee, and we both return to the bedroom. Again, I shut the door. Back to 10:45. I get up and hit the button on the coffeemaker. I put on a pair of sandals and get back into bed. I watch the last segments on Ellen and Tony Danza. Martha comes on. Coffee is ready.

Enjoy a cup in bed while Martha makes crafts with the Trading Spaces lady. Switch to ER re-run. Ugh! Carol's twins are born. Boring! Check E-mail. Check updated blogs. Surf for porn. Ignore hard-on for now. Pour 2nd cup of coffee. Start to think about breakfast. Put out HIV meds, Omega Fish oil supplement, take daily dose of Lexapro. Read more blogs. Read Craigslist "men seeking men". Check E-mail again. Check snail mail pile for unopened/due bills. Pay bills on-line.

Put in contacs. Take dog for walk. Check mail in box. Find unemployment check and free Instinct magazine subscription. Yawn. Walk dog, go to bank. Get call for job interview. Bump "House of Brews" back to never. Deposit check. Freak out at checking total. Return home and pull up checking account on-line. Call Citibank for explanation to $934.00 debit. Mystery solved, all is well. Pick out clothes for interview. Sweep up hardwood floors of dog hair. Take HIV meds.

Have protein shake, eat a fresh peach, cup of mixed berry yogurt. Take acidolphous supplements, digestive enzymes. Decide against V8 juice. Brush teeth, shower and shave. Floss and dress. Check Craigslist "help wanted'. And "men seeking men". Take clonazepam to prepare for dental visit. Check Manhunt for cute men. Yawn. Take multi-vitamin supplement. Wonder why I don't rattle when I walk.

Walk across town to clinic. Confirm clonazepam is kicking in by droopy eyelids and warm fuzzy feeling. Arrive at dentist office only 5 minutes late. Miraculous. This is a shocking turn of events and the conquering of one of my last, most powerful phobias. I hop into the chair with only a hint of anxiety. In fact, I want to be there. Fresh X-rays and I don't feel like gagging. Metal pick and mirrors no problem. Suspicious lesion found on gum. Submit to cleaning. Pretty painless if not a tad uncomfortable at times. Submit to some sort of torture needle in gum without anesthesia. Ouch. Get another X-ray. Discuss deeper cleaning over a series of visits. And I'm gonna need a root canal. Lovely. But I'm a brave little soldier, and quite pleased with myself.

Leave with two new prescriptions. Go to job interview. Turns out to be a "screening". Possible interview next week. Whatever. Walk back across town. Drop off prescriptions. Pick up fresh HIV meds, multivitamins. Buy digestive enzymes. Stop at comic book store. Stop for sushi. Walk back across town right on time for HIV+ support group. Group was good. They're very nice men. Cross 14th St. Buy bottle of wine. Buy pork chops for dinner. Buy fresh tomatoes at the good produce stand.

Return home. Feel guilty for leaving dog alone for 6 hours. Give dog some sweet sweet lovin'. Unpack bags. Start dinner. Pour glass of wine. Check E-mail. Another interview offer. Answer E-mail. Walk dog. Turn on 2nd half of Celebrity Duets. Wonder who's drunker, Little Richard or Paula Abdul. I'm gonna need another week. Pork chops and wild rice with 2nd glass of wine. Get drowsy while reading paper. Medication and nerves from dentist. Give in to 1/2 hour nap. Wake up and do dinner dishes. Pre-set coffee for morning. Brush teeth and admire plaque-free smile. Decide my hair is finally looking OK. Take dog for final walk. Change into sweats and T-shirt. Put on testosterone supplement. Fix a cocktail. Compose a self-indulgent blog post of dubious interest to anybody. Consider masturbating to porn. I'll let you know. Turn apartment lights down for bed time.

It's 1:45.