CASE STUDY IN AIDS DEMENTIA

 

Dementia with HIV/AIDS is the result of damage to

the brain caused by the HIV virus and the onset of

AIDS. It can be caused directly by the entry of the

virus and gut bacteria into the brain. Type leaky gut

HIV into Google.

It can also be the result of the break-down of body

systems with loss of nutrients, water, salts and oxygen

that affects all cells including brain cells that are not

replaced in a lifetime.

It can start about the 6th year and become progressively

worse until death among those with no ARV treatment.

It can lead to delirium, dementia, hallucinations, paranoia,

violence and depression (Woodruff).

Sufferers will not be affected if successfully taking ARV

drugs. There are drugs that can penetrate the brain. ARV

may bring the water-salt balance back towards normal.

With slow repair of the gut lining, there will be a return to

absorption of nutrients, salts and water. Cells will be

nourished again including brain cells.

The world does not know long term effectiveness of
antiretroviral drugs. But it is probable that life will be

prolonged with ARV taken in conjunction with Positive

Living that includes balanced nutrition with clean water,

fruit and vegetables and no smoking or drinking alcohol.

DAMON

This is a report taken from a book “April Fool’s Day” by

Bryce Courtenay to record the death from HIV/AIDS of

his son Damon in about 1993. He was infected with HIV

from transfusions as a haemophiliac. This report is written

with deepest respect to his family.

April Fool's Day - Bryce Courtenay - Australia's Best Selling Author

28 Aug 2006 ... Damon Courtenay died on the morning of April Fool's Day.

In this tribute to his son, Bryce Courtenay lays bare the suffering
behind this ...www.brycecourtenay.com/book.asp%3Fbid...
- Cached - Similar

This is a person whose blood does not clot and when he
bled, he lost much blood. At early times, blood transfusions
were infected with HIV and the patient became HIV positive.

This was early times, not much known about HIV/AIDS.

It was not known by the Courtenay family that their son
was becoming demented in the final stages of AIDS.

There are certain characteristics AIDS demented people

can have. We can say that people in dementia can show

similar traits whether suffering from stroke or Alzheimer’s

Disease.

My father died at 53 years after a decade of strokes. He
was demented at the end.

As their illness proceeds they become angry, resentful,
blaming, violent, paranoid, afraid, suffering delusions
and hallucinations. They can go between extremes of
happiness and despair. They can hate family members
as if jealous that the family is healthy and they are ill.

Palliative Care : Interdisciplinary Approach

Integration palliative care in HIV/AIDS management ... Disclosure,
attitude to HIV/AIDS, pain, death ... Roger Woodruff, Palliative Medicine
3rd ed,1999 .... High incidence of dementia. ∎ A serious and life threatening opportunistic ...www.healthefoundation.eu/blobs/hiv/PC... - Cached - Similar

Damon Courtenay had grand delusions in final AIDS. He

believed that he was the commander of the army in charge

of disciplined services. He did not make himself popular
at the local police station.

He believed HIV was developed by Central Intelligence
Agency to kill the world population. As a famous doctor,
he had discovered a cure and believed the CIA agents
seeking to kill him.

Afraid to go to hospital for treatment, he believed that
doctors and nurses were CIA agents waiting to kill him.

The pain of haemophilia caused him to smoke marijuana to
ease the pain and that would have contributed to his decline
in health in final AIDS.


He died in 1993 surrounded by loving family.