ONE YEAR EARLIER—WASHINGTON, DC
Within forty-eight hours of discovering she was HIV positive, Lillian was a changed woman. She’d decided she had two choices: She could be depressed and wallow in self-pity, marking time until AIDS grabbed hold of her body. Or she could take charge of her situation. She decided to fight and direct her energies to give herself the best chance of being a long-term survivor.
On Tuesday, Lillian met with the counselor Dr. Bradford had recommended and discovered the woman to be warm, compassionate, and knowledgeable. Her attitude was so positive, Lillian scheduled semi-monthly meetings with her for the next three months.
When she called Dr. Bradford to give her feedback on the meeting, Lillian asked for a prescription to help her sleep better. She wanted to en
