I spent 2 hours this morning in a medical testing office. The ladies there were very nice and it was an interesting time. I spent a lot of time reading, and listening to the RENT soundtrack.

Interestingly, most of the people coming in were women. Towards the end (after 10am) a few men started showing up. Mostly older. Listening to some of the issues people had made me think maybe I wasn’t doing so bad. I know, eavesdropping is bad, but what are you supposed to do. I didn’t hear intimate private details, I didn’t take down names and phone numbers. Just overheard questions like “When did you take {medication}?” or “How long since you peed?” Man.

So I’m done with tests for now. I have 3 blood letting holes from the vampiress’s and I’ve peed for them. They’ve made me not eat for 3 nights and then gave me a super-sweet orange drink (Like McDonald’s orange syrup only not as dilute) and then sit for 2 hours.

Hopefully the doctor will be able to tell me what it all means tomorrow. I’d love her to say “Ok, no medication for you” – but I don’t think I’ll get off that lucky for now. I should be able to get the diabetes and cholesterol under better control WITHOUT medication still. But I’ll do whatever she tells me I need to do. To the letter.

Chris will see to it. What a task master! <love you sweetie>

I went for some lab work last Monday after visiting the doctor, and some of it came back the other day. This morning I went in and got the results. Nothing alarming, but not as good as I’d hoped. Everything was a bit high. Cholesterol was high, glucose was high etc. Which is odd. I think I eat ‘fairly’ well. Cut way way way back on fried foods and other really evil food. No red meat in 17 years, little sugar etc. My doctor said the test results disagree.

So now I’ve got to find a way to get even more serious. That means removing nearly all temptation for bad food. Finding good foods that I can eat and enjoy. My doctor seems great, sending me for more tests, prescribing minimal drugs on a trial basis etc.

To this end, I’m also going to meet with a diabetes specialist and endocrinologist. And in advance of that, I’ve started this online tracker. Cuz I know they’re going to want me to track everything.

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=jefferose

Wish me luck.

Must be the day for celebrity sightings. Or at least for others, not me.

Chris helped Ben Foster (Six Feet Under, X-Men 3) at his job today and they’re shooting Da Vinci’s City Hall around our office as usual. So we have Nicholas Campbell and the crew running around again. Local actor Nolan Funk was in to shoot an audition today. He’s a hard working actor who we see a lot of here. I think I heard him say he was auditioning for Aquaman.

The holiday parties continue, although we haven’t been to any since Sunday. Tomorrow night there’s another one for one of the bigger agencies that is always a lot of fun, and on Tuesday is my seasonal favorite where you can spot some of the bigger name Vancouver celebs.

Sunday night we saw William B. Davis and Tom Braidwood (X-files, The Lone Gunmen) among other local actors who we vaguely recognized.

What a great weekend!

Saturday Chris and I went shopping, contributed to consumerism, and then went and hung out with some of our fellow “gays” for a while. Nothing big. We bought the soundtrack to RENT (movie soundtrack) and have enjoyed that immensely for the last 2 days. We also went to see AEON FLUX which was a complete waste of time.

Sunday was a very relaxed day. Coffee, groceries, relaxing. Then we joined some of my co-workers at a few industry Christmas parties. Muse Artist Management Inc and Lucas Talent both had parties. They were very different, but both fun in their own ways. Muse featured a live jazz band and had a very comfortable, welcome feel. Lucas featured a burlesque show hosted by Joan-E, a landmark of the Vancouver drag scene. Fun, but very different from Muse.

It was nice to meet and greet with some of our clients who we never see, but often email. We had a good night overall. I’ll post a picture or 2 once I get them from Susan.

December 1 is World AIDS Day. As a gay man, you’d think I’d have been touched by AIDS at some point, but I’ve been very fortunate in that I don’t know anyone with AIDS. I volunteered for the AIDS WALK in Nanaimo a few years ago and assisted in the organization of it. Very small participation. I should have done more, and I should do more.

HIV is one of the biggest social, economic and health challenges in the world. It is a global emergency claiming over 8,000 lives every day. In fact 5 people die of AIDS every minute.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is the virus known to cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). If someone is HIV-positive, it means they have been infected with the virus.

A person infected with HIV does not have AIDS until the virus seriously damages their immune system, making them vulnerable to a range of infections, some of which can lead to death.

HIV is transmitted through body fluids in particular blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk, in fact there are only four ways you can become HIV positive.

1. unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner (the most common);
2. sharing needles or other contaminated injection or skin-piercing equipment;
3. blood and blood products through, for example, infected transfusions and organ or tissue transplants;
4. transmission from infected mother to child in the womb or at birth and breastfeeding.

HIV is not transmitted by casual physical contact, coughing, sneezing and kissing, by sharing toilet and washing facilities, by using eating utensils or consuming food and beverages handled by someone who has HIV; it is not spread by mosquitoes or other insect bites.

In 2005, over 3 million people acquired HIV, which means there are now over 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS. Despite best efforts from governments, non-profit organisations and healthcare practitioners around the world, HIV and AIDS is still having huge global impact.