2-2-2000 (what a date!)
Wonderful, wonderful news! Although it costs me four hours of agony each day, my
AIDS viral load is now UNDETECTABLE!
My most recent viral load came back undetectable. This brings to mind the telegram
Mark Twain sent to a New York newspaper that had printed his obituary:
"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
The viral load is the measure of active AIDS virus in the body. When mine had reached
12,500 in 1996, I had already developed an AIDS-related cancer of the lymph system,
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I was arrested on federal medical marijuana charges in July
1998. The government would not let me use medical marijuana while out on bail. I
was unable to keep down my nausea-producing AIDS medication. Only three months later,
my viral load had soared to more than 256,000. I assumed the viral load would just
keep rising, so I stopped taking the test -- I was in a far too fragile emotional
shape for any more bad news. My treatment would have been no different had my viral
load been higher, so there was no medical reason to take the test.
Over time, I tried various techniques to keep the AIDS medications down a little
longer before vomiting. In addition to large doses of Marinol, which is essential,
I added herbs (for a complete list, see www.petertrial.com/herbs.htm), (website no
longer working), lying in hot water, curled up in a fetal position in bed, and two
electric massagers -- a smaller one to stimulate the acupuncture points for anti-nausea
and a larger one for my stomach.
Gradually, over many months of trial and mostly error, I was able to increase the
length of time I could hold down my medications from 30 minutes to one hour and fifteen
minutes. That 45-minute increase is apparently enough for the medications to get
into my system.
The procedure of keeping down the medications is agonizing, exhausting, debilitating,
and I must do it three times a day. It is entirely unnecessary if I could use medical
marijuana. But it seems to be working. I have gotten my life back the old-fashioned
way -- I earn it.
Since November 1998, I had been living week by week, fully expecting any day to re-develop
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (my viral now 20 times higher than the first time I developed
it) or some other AIDS-related opportunistic illness, and die. Now, I can look ahead
to a series of books and web sites that will not be completed until the end of 2003.
My personal physician, as well as the foremost AIDS physician in Southern California
who recently examined me, are both writing strong letters to the judge saying that
I have medically proven that I can take care of my illness at home using methods
not available in federal prison. This is an excellent argument for serving whatever
time I may be sentenced to under home detention (also known as "electronic monitoring").
You can help me get home detention (electronic monitoring) by writing a letter to
the judge who will be sentencing me. For details, please go to www.petertrial.com/letters.htm.
(website no longer working).
My heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to each and every one of you who have sent
me your best wishes, good thoughts, prayers, support, and healing energy.
You are most powerful. Against all odds, it worked.
Thank you.
Enjoy,
Peter