In the corridors of Ward 86, he's known as Patient Zero - the man willing to subject himself to any new medical trial that might help solve the riddle of HIV.
Richard Apodaca has doused his feet in the fiery oils of habanero chiles; he's held pungent antiseptic in his mouth for long stretches; he even volunteered for an eyeball biopsy - the grateful doctor gave him a few McDonald's gift certificates as thanks.
Apodaca was at death's threshold many times, suffering nearly every major illness associated with AIDS. He's had thrush and fungus, his weight has dropped to 112 pounds, his skin sheds like a snake's; most years, he had bronchitis from October to March. During one particularly painful period, he told his doctors he would abandon all medications and "join my friends in heaven."
But now, a quarter century after being diagnosed as HIV-positive, Apodaca, 65, is essentially a well man, running marathons and volunteering for AIDS causes around the globe.
The credit, he says, goes to San Francisco General Hospital's Ward 86.
Today, on World AIDS Day, the clinic is commemorating its 25th anniversary. It's the oldest HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in the world. Founded by AIDS pioneers Drs. Paul Volberding, Donald Abrams and Constance Wofsy, the clinic sees 3,000 patients annually, ranging in age from 18 to 82.
Now it's planning to launch a special program that would have been unheard of even a decade ago - a mini-geriatric clinic.
See S.F. AIDS Ward 86 - 25 years of saving lives
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