Dealing With HIV
I've been listening to updates out of Paris on the Today Show which also featured Charlie Charlie admitting to Matt Lauer he is HIV positive and has been for 4 years. Sheen said he made the announcement to stop a smear campaign and extortion efforts upwards of $10 million. He doesn't know how he contracted the disease but said it was not through drugs. He has told all of his sexual partners the truth and has used condoms - with the exception of two partners.
Charlie's doctor was on the the show discussing the disease and how patients can live long normal productive lives. His doctor is more worried about Charlie's depression and resulting substance abuse after being diagnosed - that he forget to take his meds. Charlie said in the past 4 years he has never missed his meds. At the moment Charlie has an undetectable level of the virus in his blood. He does not have AIDS. Every day, he takes four pills known as the "triple cocktail" as he and those around him hope he will not become impaired to the point where he will forget to take his meds. He is no longer doing drugs but admits he is still drinking and hopes to stop after today's revelation. He realizes there'll be repercussions from this revelation - some legal - some criminal. Charlie plans to continue on with his career - many projects in the making. He does not plan to be the spokesperson for HIV but hopes to be part of finding a cure. Watch the Video
There is something about Charlie that makes us want to see him recover and be happy - though my experience with the mentally ill has shown me that what we call normal life is boring. Charlie turned 50 on September 3rd. Hopefully, his programming will create change as he moves forward - making peace with himself, those who love him, and his fans.
We exist in a world gone crazy ... Charlie one aspect of that archetype.
