Freedom 2, Acrylic on canvas, 48"W x 36"H

Freedom 2 was completed around March 7, 1996. Still having difficulty with mobility and dexterity, Rick laid the canvas on the wheelchair ramp outside the house and went to work. He actually found it liberating to deviate from his cubist-oriented style of detailed outlining.

With the exception of two paintings that he would complete and then later paint over (one of balloons and one of music notes), Rick would not complete another piece for over a year. This period was before multi-drug antiviral "cocktails" and protease inhibitors. Antiviral treatment consisted of no more than two drugs at a time. He was weak, in pain and unable to eat much.

On May 14, 1996, Rick said, "I don't want to die." Two days later he had a catheter inserted into his chest to allow for daily intravenous nutrition. He received IV nutrition until October 1996, when the catheter was removed due to infection.