Thank you for this forum & for suggesting that I get my friend to another source asap for 2nd opinion. Just hearing you say ANYTHING other than "Oh, it's too late for her" was a tremendous relief. I will explore all sources on her behalf because you gave me a glimmer of hope for her. (I'd originally written "friend dying" & was desperate for ANY type of info.) I know her situation is dire, but thank you so much for not indicating that it was, indeed, hopeless at her stage. My deepest thanks to you, indeed.

You are quite welcome. We occasionally are called upon to perform hospice extractions on patients with AIDS. This usually involves someone who is newly diagnosed with AIDS at an outside hospital and is written off as terminal by the doctor. It is astonishing to me that there are still general physicians who are not aware that HAART has transformed AIDS into a treatable disease, even for patients who are in perilous condition.

My comment about hospice extractions should not be interpreted as a criticism of hospice care for terminal patients. I have immeasurable respect and appreciation for the medical professionals that work in hospice programs to help dying patients and provide palliative care. The medical personnel in hospice are some of the most compassionate and best in medicine.