San Francisco, California
Positive since 1987

I’m a 49-year-old male from Guatemala. I came to the United States in 1985 and was infected in 1987. For 26 years, I never took any HIV medications because my CD4 counts were between 700 and 900. I did not need to start taking meds until November 25, 2012. It was very hard at the beginning. It was so sad and hard for me to take meds, both fiscally and mentally. Today, I’m still struggling with side effects and other things, but I have learned to deal with it little by little. But it is hard to be Latino, gay and positive. It is so hard to deal with all of these issues.

What three adjectives best describe you?
Happy, funny, kind

What is your greatest achievement?
I work in an office without any special studies.

What is your greatest regret?
Getting infected with HIV

What keeps you up at night?
My HIV and being lonely

If you could change one thing about living with HIV, what would it be?
The reactions of people and the stigma

What is the best advice you ever received?
Be happy.

What person in the HIV/AIDS community do you most admire?
My best friend

If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
Passport

If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Eagle