“I am feeling better. I was very weak in my joints, but now they are becoming stronger. I also have pain when I swallow. Even if I am taking water, it is painful. My mum is now worried — she has lost hope. She does not think I am going to get better. I must encourage my family that I am going to become better. I still have hope that I will recover. But the TB is a problem. Before it was very bad because I couldn’t even move. Now I have energy, and I can walk. I can even cook and clean the house. I still can’t do hard jobs, but I can do little things. When I started the ARVs, my CD4 count was seven, and now it is 150. Without them, I would be dead by now. My little boys always help me. They say, ‘Mummy, here is some water,’ and get the pills and give them to me. I just hope God can keep me for a long time so I will be with them.”
(read more — AIDS: Voices From Africa)
