I arrived to find an amazing group of women at the Positive Women's Network - Speak Up! A National Leadership Summit for Women Living with HIV.
katie06's blog
I told my son that I am HIV positive. It didn't go quite as I imagined. I had pictured him older and under different circumstances. But the opportunity presented itself and I followed through.
As I was sitting by the pool watching my son and nephew splash and play I saw my phone light up, alerting me to a notice on Facebook. I opened the notice and read a message that had been posted on my wall. A Facebook friend whom I had recently friended had posted on my wall that she would be attending an HIV conference near me. A very benign message in and of itself….but for someone who is not very public about my HIV status….I had a moment of panic. I felt myself blushing and I felt my breathing change. I went to delete the comment as quickly as possible. Maybe no one would notice? But then I...
For those of you that follow my blog, you know I had weight loss surgery in November 2013. Since that time, I've lost 102 pounds! My initial goal was to lose 100 pounds. Since reaching that, I've made a new goal of losing 120 pounds. To give you an idea of my weight loss, I'm going to share some personal information…my weight and sizes…but I think it helps you understand. I was a size 24 and/or a 3X. I am now a size 10 and/or a Large. I went from 246 pounds down to 144 pounds. Now keep in mind, I'm only 5 feet tall, so I'm still carrying some extra weight (which is I why I revised my goal...
Yesterday I attended a Celebration of Life for a wonderful family friend named Lisa. She was a beautiful, intelligent, funny and loving individual…the kind of person who could light up the room with her smile. She passed away after a brave fight against brain cancer at the age of 33. Rather than a funeral, she had requested a Celebration of Life. I had never heard of a Celebration of Life, so I was unsure of what to expect. To my surprise, it was perfect! The event was held at a beautiful country club. The beginning was traditional with hymns, a priest speaking, a friend who gave a heartfelt...
I love writing my blog and truly enjoy the global aspect that it brings. It has helped me grow more comfortable and accepting of my status. Through this experience, I’ve been searching for a way to get involved locally. I’ve reached out on several occasions to a local AIDS Service Organization only to be ignored each time. I don’t know if they truly have no need for additional volunteers, or I simply didn’t meet their needs by being female. While sitting in my doctor’s office for a routine appointment, I saw a pamphlet for the Community Advisory Board of The Ohio State University AIDS Clinical...
I continue to lose weight since my weight loss surgery. In fact, I'm halfway to my goal! As of this morning, I have lost 54 pounds! Let’s say it again…54 pounds! I’m very excited about the weight loss. But not so excited about some of the effects. I'm having a lot of nausea! I’m nauseated nearly every day and it lasts for much of the day. Also, with my stomach being so small now, I have trouble consuming the amount of water and food that I need to. I have to be very conscientious of consuming plenty of fluids and protein. Another problem I’ve had is adhering to my medications. This again, is a...
I did it! I had weight loss surgery just about one week ago. I had the vertical gastric sleeve, which is where they go in and change the size of your stomach from approximately the size of a football down to the size of a sharpie. I am doing great physically and mentally. I'm really excited for this opportunity. In fact, I've already lost 13 pounds since surgery! While in the hospital, I had several blood draws. For the first time, I was completely upfront each and every time before my blood being drawn by advising that I had HIV. This was a MAJOR step for me. I'm usually too embarrassed to...
I've been away for awhile. Quite honestly, I've been a bit self-absorbed. I've been concentrating on myself...mentally, physically and spiritually. I am preparing for weight loss surgery...I am actually scheduled for surgery on November 4th! This has taken a year's worth of work, doctor's appointment, tests, meetings, and diets. While a long and strenuous process, I hope one that is worth the effort I have also become more involved with church, which has helped me both mentally and spiritually. I really reached out to my church when my husband and I were having difficulties. They were...
I've lost 11 pounds! I know its not much, but I'm finally in the double digits! I am 3 months into a 6 month doctor supervised weight loss program. My insurance requires this program prior to weight loss surgery. So I've been pretty good, making different choices. It's difficult for me sometimes, since I rely so heavily on food for my emotions. If I have a good day, I tend to celebrate with food. If I have a bad day, I tend to comfort myself with food. So I'm coming up with new ways to handle things and developing new habits. For example, I'm walking 2 miles a day, 5 days a week (I actually...