Living positively since 2009
Welcome to HIVBlogger.ie.
I’m Michael McFarland Campbell, and I’ve been living with HIV since 2009.
When I was first diagnosed, life looked very different. HIV was no longer the illness it had once been, but there was still uncertainty, stigma, and a great deal to learn. Over the years I discovered that living well with HIV is not simply about medication. It is about hope, community, good healthcare, honest conversation, and learning to live fully.
This website grew out of that journey.
What You’ll Find Here
HIVBlogger.ie is a place to share lived experience.
Here you’ll find reflections on:
- Living with HIV.
- Kidney failure and haemodialysis.
- Autism and neurodiversity.
- Fitness and wellbeing.
- Healthcare and patient advocacy.
- The ordinary moments that remind us life can still be rich, joyful, and meaningful.
Some posts are practical. Others are personal. Many are simply observations from everyday life.
More Than HIV
Although HIV gave this website its name, life rarely fits into a single category.
Today I also write about living with end-stage kidney disease, attending haemodialysis three times a week, navigating healthcare, and finding ways to stay active and hopeful despite long-term illness.
These experiences are closely connected. Together they tell the story of living well with multiple long-term conditions while continuing to work, volunteer, worship, write, and enjoy life.
Why I Write
I don’t write because I have all the answers.
I write because stories matter.
When we speak honestly about illness, treatment, uncertainty, and hope, we help to reduce stigma and remind one another that none of us walks these journeys alone.
If something I have learned can make another person’s path a little easier, then it is worth sharing.
A Positive Life
Modern HIV treatment has transformed what it means to live with HIV.
Today I look forward rather than backwards. I continue to write books, serve my parish as an organist, volunteer with charities, travel around Ireland, and enjoy life with my husband, Andrew, and our two cats.
Living with HIV has become part of my story, but it is not the whole story.
A Note
Everything shared on HIVBlogger.ie reflects my own experience and personal opinions.
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical advice. If you have questions about your own health or treatment, please speak with your HIV consultant, specialist nurse, GP, or healthcare team.
Thank You
Thank you for visiting.
Whether you’ve just been diagnosed, have been living with HIV for many years, are supporting someone you care about, or are simply curious to learn more, I hope you’ll find something here that encourages, informs, and reminds you that it is possible to live positively.