b'YOURE THE ONES THAT KEPT ME ALIVEAfter GREG was diagnosed with HIV, all he could think But since coming to Milwaukee, Gregs life has only gotten about was his funeral.better. And thats in large part because of Vivent Health.It was 1999, Greg was in his early 20s, and he didnt knowThe first thing I did when I got here was I went to Vivent many people living with HIV at the time. All he knew wasHealth, he says. One of the first orders of business?that it was seriousand he was terrified. Getting him into a dentists chair to take care of hisI thought, Im going to die. My insides are going to meltteeth. It took some time and work, but within a few away. Im going to die, he says.months, Greg had a brand-new smile and a clean billof health.But Greg was lucky in so many ways. He was living in I constantly tell people youre the ones that keptSan Francisco, an epicenter of the early AIDS epidemic me alive and keep me healthy, he says.which also meant it was a hub for medical research and treatment. He was able to get on medication quickly and, And despite Gregs worries about stigma, he has for a while, he was doing well. found himself firmly entrenched inUntil he hit a rough patch during his 30s. the Milwaukee community.He fell off his medication regimen for several As a boy, he used to take his years and his viral load skyrocketed. Years moms cookbooks intoof HIV medication had taken a toll on hishis room and read them oral health. And on top of that, he wasin secret. As a man, contemplating a move to Milwaukee,Greg realized his where he feared hed face the dream of openingstigma and discrimination a restaurant hed largely been able to avoid called Amilinda. while living in uber-liberalSan Francisco.Greg Vivent Health Patient Since 2012'