http://www.aidsmap.com/
Hello everyone,
My name is Jenna, and I will be posting blogs weekly about my experience and some fun facts I have learned through my HIV/AIDS class at the University of Central Florida. This week I did two simulations to try and comprehend what HIV/AIDS patients deal with daily.
First, I did a thrush simulation to try and understand what it felt like to have thrush by inserting cotton balls into my mouth and trying to eat and drink with the cotton balls still in place. If you do not know what thrush is according to Thomason Healthcare Inc. thrush is, "a fungal infection of the oral cavity by fungi Candida, and is also know as oral Candidiasis." I have posted a picture up top of thrush too. The simulation was really eye opening for me too. The cotton balls scratched my mouth up pretty bad, and not only did I choke while trying to eat, but I drooled every time I would try to take a sip of water. Also thrush could lead to further problems like malnutrition, because who would really want to eat if it was that difficult, and the infection could spread throughout the body possibly leading to worse infections. This made it really easy for me to realize how easy day to day things could become so difficult, and how troubling it must be to live with HIV/AIDS.
Second, I did a PCP simulation(Pneumocystis Carnii Pneumonia) where I had a friend hold a pillow over my face just sightly to where it was difficult to breathe, but I would not suffocate. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine PCP is, " A pneumonia caused by the fungal organism Pneumocystis Carnii, and is also know as Pneunmocystis Jiroveci." While doing this simulation it was really uncomfortable and hard to breathe, and I cannot image what a patient would go though feeling like they could never take a full breathe without coughing up a storm. After doing this simulation I quickly realized how hard it must be for an HIV/AIDS patient to stay active or even walk a short distance. Also with PCP patients the infections can move throughout the body causing greater problems.
HIV/AIDS patients go through a lot of medical issues and I cannot imagine the mental difficulties they go through too. To have your mouth covered in a fungus that makes it difficult to eat and drink, and to most likely have a fungal infection of the lungs to where it feels like you cannot breathe half the time too. I could not imagine having to live like that it has to take a very strong person to live with HIV/AIDS and I hope to learn more about living with HIV/AIDS throughout this course.
Sources
"Oral candidiasis."CareNotes.Thomson Healthcare, Inc.,2009. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. Retrieved 11 Jan. 2010. http://find.galegroup.com/tx.start.do?prodld=HRCA&userGroupName=lincclin_bcc.
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health. (2007, November 1st). Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Retrieved January 14th, 2010, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000671.htm.
Hi Jenna, Brian here. Nice to see you are posting. Interesting way to try to simulate candida, but it can also be painful like if you added a few razors into your mouth, especially when it gets on the tongue.
ReplyDeleteThrush, as we tend to call it, is not seen that often in the western world that much with the medications. When I wasn't on meds it happened a few times. The treatment is either a liquid, or an anti-fungal like Fluconozole which can get rid of it very quickly, but is expensive, thus making it difficult to access in resource poor settings.
I never had PCP, but having bad asthma as child can allow me to empathize with who it would feel. Again it's not seen as much as it used to be, but still is around. Much has changed with medications, but then that leads into a discussion on equitable access, thus differening health outcomes.
I'll try to think of my own simululations.
When discussing these issues do you in class talk about the differences in the various parts of the world, as these health issues really appear when the immune system is very hamperd. You'll note in the first world many of these cases, such as Karposi's Sarcoma have greatly reduced and we do not see the same kind of occurance of opportunistic infections as we did pre-combination therapy.
You are correct, Brian, that those with access to medications have seen a reduction in some of the opportunistic infections, but on the other hand they are seeing a rise in complications due to the medications. Side effects like diabetes, lipodystrophy, etc., are not easy to live with.
ReplyDeleteI would trade thrush for my diabetes in a heart beat. I've had thrush as a result of a week long IV antibiotic to treat a very bad infection. If wasn't pleasant, but it was manageable.
The simulation can't give them the pain you referenced, but it comes close with everything else that can happen. Wait till they start talking about the week long M&M simulation.
Thank you for posting that Brian. I never thought about the pain aspect of thrush. My mom had it, because of antibiotics but I wonder if thrush is more painful with HIV or with antibiotic complications. It also is a good point about patients in poorer areas, do have a lot more difficulty affording HIV/AIDS medication and therefore, experience a lot more opportunistic diseases.
ReplyDeleteJenna,
ReplyDeleteI was reading your post and it made me question my simulation. Both you and teach have mentioned that drooling is extreme during thrush and the simulation, however when I completed the exercise I did not drool. Doing the simulation again will probably be in my best interest and I will more than likely do it again since I have a whole pack of cotton balls and crackers now in my pantry :).
On the other hand I completely felt what you felt in your PCP simulation. The breathing was horrible and I feel for people that have to deal with that infection. I can't wait to hear more from you about what you’re feeling and doing throughout the course. Just like this post did, I think it will help keep me on track with if I am heading in the right direction on assignments and research topics.
Teach, I do agree with you that thrush is something that can be managed especially since there is so much medicine available. I don't know if I would trade any of my faults or defects for it though. That saying "the grass is greener on the other side" can come into play, and once you’re on the other side you might wish you had never climbed that fence.
-Katie
You're right it is easily treated and would definitely prefer taking it over something chronic like diabetes. It's been so long that I've had to deal with it, thank goodness. It's nice to see all these comments.
ReplyDelete