My Weekly Blog #6

I went to PR for 10 days and have time to reunite with my closest relatives. I got to see my uncle and pour my heart out to him, he still strong and with a positive attitude. I could not find my cousin but his mom told me he was doing good. I had time to gather my strength, thoughts, and family ties. My mom had surgery and two of my husband’s aunts got hospitalized, one came out 4 days later and the other one died, so we visit the ill and paid our respect to the dead.
I miss being able to log in anytime I wanted to but I still use my curiosity when I traveled to Culebra for two days. I went to rent a Jeep and I started asking the natives about how many people live in the island and they estimated 3,000, when I asked about HIV they only referred to this other guy who purposively treated HIV positive animals, I was stunned.

So when I got to the Big island of PR I research about animals with HIV. I read two online books, the one written by Douglas Tonks, “Teaching AIDS” (1996) reported that there’s other form of virus that might infect animals but the actual HIV virus was not possible to enter animals like cats and dogs. Now on the book “AIDS the Biological Basis, 5th edition” by B. S. Weeks and I. E. Alcano, (2010), stated that only primates like chimpanzees and Gibbons are the only animals capable of carrying the HIV virus.

The subject was very interesting and a little alarming because I still don’t get why Culebra would treat animals for HIV if I do not think there any chimpanzees or Gibbons in this island. When I research to see if I can find out the truth, the websites I got were not cleared enough to believe. The only endangered species that I saw were turtles and some exotic birds.

It was a unforgettable experience to visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Flamenco Beach. Flamenco Beach felt to me as if I stepped into a screensaver. I am definitely planning a longer trip to Culebra.

Recommendations I would give, take lots of sun block products, go flying if possible, if by sea then take some of those sea sick pills before boarding, also try not to eat before boarding, rent a car because there are lots of places to see, try to take snacks and water, food is a little expensive and if staying overnight, rent from the locals, it will be way cheaper.

Do You Know…
Women who are infected with HIV are at risk of “passing the infection on to their unborn child” (Pregnancyinfo, 2009).


HIV Symptoms
Unlike many STDs that have distinct signs and symptoms, HIV fail to show early symptoms. It has been estimated that as many as “one in three people are infected with HIV although they may not be aware of it” (pregnancy info, 2009).

If HIV symptoms do occur, they may be easily mistaken for the flu. Early symptoms of HIV may include “muscles aches, low fever, headaches, fatigue, and swollen glands. These symptoms can last for a week to a month. Afterwards, the virus can lie dormant in your system for many years“ (Pregnancyinfo, 2009).

HIV and Pregnancy
There are some steps you may follow to prevent transmitting an HIV infection to your child when you are pregnant. “Using antiviral drugs, having a C-Section, and not breastfeeding you can lower your infants risk of infection to less than 2%“ (pregnancy info, 2009).

New research has suggested that “HIV transmission from mother to baby may happen as a result of small leaks in the placenta during labor contractions. These findings are consistent with the fact that women tend not to transmit the virus if they have a c-section before going into labor while women that have an emergency c-section, after they have started labor contractions, do transmit the virus. As a result, women infected with HIV may be encouraged to take antiretroviral drugs before starting labor“ (Pregnancyinfo, 2009).

HIV Medications During Pregnancy
If you are currently taking HIV medications to help manage your infection, you should discuss with your doctor whether you need to change your drug regime for your pregnancy.
Certain HIV medications should not be used during pregnancy as they have been shown to cause birth defects. These include:
efavirenz (Sustiva)
stavudine (Zerit)
amprenavir (Agenerase) in oral form
hydroxyurea
Other medications have not been properly assessed for safety during pregnancy.

One type of HIV treatment that is strongly recommended for all women is ZDV (also known as zidovudine or AZT). Using ZDV therapy during pregnancy has been shown to be almost 70% effective in eliminating the risk of HIV transmission between mother and child. This is a three-part treatment that should be started between the 14th and 34th week of pregnancy.

Work cited
Retrieved March 12, 2010. 2009. from www.pregnancy-info.net

Retrieved March 12, 2010 from http://books.google.com