Abstract
In the HIV epidemic, hope and loss are temporally structured according to pre and post highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART). AIDS dementia is a neurological condition which HAART has had an important impact on, yet this form of dementia has received little sociocultural attention. This paper ethnographically explores ¿personal¿ hope from the perspective a ¿Matthew¿, a significant other to a person with AIDS dementia, and how treatments influence this. Hope is present in Matthew¿s narrative, but its nature is complex and fluctuates with the arrival and perceived failure of HAART. I conclude by suggesting that hope in this context is ¿forked¿ which is suggestive of the tenacious nature of hope in the context of AIDS dementia in the era of HAART.