Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day--A Call for Testing
Today, on December 1, 2009, a call goes out to the blogosphere so that we can all join as one voice to support the cause, Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day. This is the second year I have had the honor of participating in this particular cause for Bloggers Unite.
HIV/AIDS has been on the increase in the last decade or so, despite the efforts of many activists. After the devastation AIDS left during the 1980’s, people became much more careful because AIDS was death sentence in those days. Thanks to wonderful treatments, AIDS is no longer a death sentence but a treatable condition. In fact, I spent this past weekend celebrating my good friend Lori’s Birthday; she has had full blown AIDS since the late 1980’s—she was lucky to have been able to hang on long enough to benefit from the effective cocktails that came to fruition during the early 1990’s.
Not all my friends were so lucky—I lost close to twenty friends to AIDS during the worst of the epidemic. During the 1980’s, it almost felt as though we were in a war—a war with a mysterious plague that struck down some of the most talented, creative and altogether special people I have ever known. Every week, it seemed, I would learn a friend had acquired the disease. In those days, most people died quickly after diagnosis—usually within a few months or a year at the longest. Today, people are so much more fortunate because there are very effective treatments available that are optimal when the virus is discovered early.
Because AIDS is now a treatable condition—no longer considered the life sentence it once was, people are not as careful as they were in the early to mid 1990’s. Particularly at risk are young people, who believe they are invincible and heterosexual women who sleep with men who are not as scrupulous as they should be. Moreover, people are not tested as much as they should be; therefore, today, I give a call out to everyone to be tested. Testing is important—it is crucial for the safety of others and essential for one’s own peace of mind—and perhaps most importantly, if a person learns that she/he is positive early on, treatments are far more successful.
Testing is scary business. I personally know what it means to be afraid of this process. Although I had seen so many of my friends die from AIDS in the 1980’s—I, myself, was never tested until I entered recovery. However, ignorance was not bliss—far from it. I lived in total fear I was going to become ill like my friends: with each cold that lingered a bit longer—with each infection that didn’t clear up as quickly as I felt it should—and with each rash or skin sore that cropped up—the excruciating question remained: is this it?
After I had been in recovery for nearly six months, about to begin college at Montana State University, I finally summoned up the courage to go to the university clinic and to be tested. Sitting there in the waiting area with my palms sweating and heart pounding, I was convinced I was HIV positive. After all, how could I escape it? Not only had I been a prostitute—I was a former addict—six hard long years of addiction and had shared many needles before anyone knew we should not. I also felt that I deserved to have AIDS—after all the terrible things I had done while I was addicted; it would be a fitting end to my life, would it not?
I was lucky—and I don’t know how I got so lucky. Believe me, I have friends, including my good friend Lori, who never used a needle, let alone shared one, who became infected with HIV. One thing I do know, is that the testing was so important for me as a person; I finally grew up, taking responsibility for my life and my health did the right thing. And being tested for HIV is doing the right thing.
Peace,
Melinda
(I apologize for having no podcast today—I just flew into MA and left my recording equipment on the W. Coast!)
Categories: Death,Bloggers Unite,Healing,Courage,AIDS
Tags: Lori Ayers Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day testing for AIDS AIDS courage
Thank you for posting this. I live in an area where HIV/AIDS is no longer a topic of awareness. I think that everyone needs this reminder every now and then. I am sorry for the way that HIV/AIDS has touched your life.
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Thanks Jennifer--yes, I agree with you--for some reason, there's not enough emphasis on prevention and testing these days. And even though the disease is treatable today--it's still no fun at all. My friend Lori takes tons of medication every day--and all that medication gives her other problems with her health.
Thanks for stopping by!
Melinda
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Melinda, It's sad to know that HIV had deprived you of your so many friends. I appreciate the way you have written this reminder. I agree that the HIV test is necessary to get rid of the fears wich may effect if, one is having doubts of the decease.
Melinda, you are sharing your pain for a good cause. Thank very much for this reminder.
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Ibn Hanif--very well put--facing one's fears puts them to rest, for sure. Thanks for stopping by my friend--
Melinda
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Ciao Melinda! How are you doing?
It's very true. People need reminders. It's so easy to take things in life for granted, but in the end it's better to prevent then trying to cure! I had one family member, my mom's cousin, and everyone in the family said he had cancer. But there are rumors that he had aids and that he showed symptoms of it. He was gay and used drugs too. I'm not so sure if it was true and it doesn't really matter to me now, because he died pretty soon after we heard that he had cancer. He was such a loving and caring man, loved make up and always visited us to show what he had bought
Thanks so much for sharing this!
Take care! Ciao!
PS.: Oh! I would love to be adopted by you when I come to the States ^_^! But I shall stare *deja vu* I think I warned you for this right? I'm not so sure hahaha. But when I sort everything out, I will let you know when I come to the States!
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Hey TJ--I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's cousin--I actually bet he did have AIDS. When the disease first started in San Francisco, many people who actually had AIDS would say they had cancer--just to reduce the stigma of the disease and I really cannot say that I blame them.
TJ--I would love it if you came to the US and you most definitely can visit us! That would be so much fun--on either coast--both Boston and San Francisco are wonderful places!
Melinda
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It felt very nice going through your blog after so long. Busy with my new job.
I fully agree with you. We should get ourself tested. It is our moral responsibility not to infect others.
take care
harneet
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Harneet! How nice to see you! Congrats on the new job.
And yes--absolutely--it is each of our responsibility to know the status of our health for the safety of others.
Take care!
Melinda
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I studied 16 hourse a day to get into best engg college. I work and study to get into best business school in world...and they rejected me !
Why ?? My career was not interesting !!!
After seeing people like you, I realize again and again that life is unfair ....still I will fight to make it fair.
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You are right--life is unfair--but we all have the opportunity to make our lives what we ultimately want them to be. In recovery, I realized I could not blame the abuse in my childhood for the failure that had become my life. So you are right--I had to fight to overcome any unfairness I was handed. But believe me, no matter who people are, we all have struggles in life.
Best of luck to you--
Melinda
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I remember hearing about a mysterious disease back in the early 80s when I was barely in my teens... nobody knew what it was but it turned out to be HIV/Aids... I think some people have got too used to it being here, as if it's no longer a crisis. Big misconception!
Aids STILL sucks. I've known a few people with it and it's not nice, even if you ARE on those nauseating meds...
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Absolutely--people think it is treatable--and it is, but those medications have some extreme side-effects! It's far better to prevent than to try to treat!
Thanks for stopping by!
Melinda
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Melinda, you have quite a story. I admire your strength to come back from your lows. Maybe the fact that you had the fortitude to come back and the desire to write about it is why you were spared. I hope you'll keep us posted over a WomensMemoirs.com about your progress with the book. We'd love to review it and interview you for our Author Conversations series.
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I would absolutely love that and would consider it to be quite an honor! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your positive comments on my blog. I will definitely be checking out WomensMemoirs.com.
Thanks again,
Melinda
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