KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Around a year after the first HIV test was widely available, John Jaruzel decided to take one. It came back positive, and fear was the first thing to come to his mind.
He said he thought he would only have 1 or 2 more years to live, but that was in 1986.
He had decided not to tell his family right away. His mother had died before he received the positive test result, and he did not want his father to worry about his health as well.
“But I always felt bad that I didn't want my father to have to deal with the death of a child," said Jaruzel.
With proper medications and self-care, Jaruzel has been living with HIV for over 30 years. And he is not the only one who has lived through a positive diagnosis.
The Tennessee Department of Health estimates there are around 1,000 people in Knox County living with HIV, and with proper treatment, they are able to live more comfortably.
“Through the late 90s and early 2000s, they started getting better drugs with fewer side effects,” said Jaruzel
And the medications and research are continuing to improve. Dr. Dan Ely, who works with the University of Tennessee Medical Center, said people diagnosed with HIV can live a near-normal lifespan. Many can still eat at restaurants, visit friends, and everything else without worrying about risking their lives.
He said that taking HIV medication is less complicated than when it was first being released, and many people with HIV can take one pill once a day to stay safe.
For Jaruzel, just one pill isn't enough.
“I currently take five different drugs at this point, mostly because of my history of taking 'drug A,' then 'drug B,' then 'drug C,'” said Jaruzel.
While taking several pills, he says he’s doing just fine. He said he is an avid bicyclist and hikes Tennessee's variety of trails, routinely going outdoors and relaxing in the fresh air.
And as people continue to be diagnosed with HIV, Jaruzel said has hopes for the future. First, he said he wants to see transmission between people end. Then, he wants to see a cure for anybody who tested positive for the virus.
“That is a future we look forward to," he said.