Isn’t it weird how two words can have so many different connotations and contradictions when used to describe people and things? Let’s start with the word ‘Negative’- not a word that people like to be associated with, as it makes you think of a miserable, mean spirited kind of person and nobody wants to be seen as that! We are brought up to see the power of being a ‘Positive’ sort of person, people are attracted to positive-spirited people, these are the go-getters, the people we admire, the people we attain to be! And that’s where it stops……When you are given those results of an HIV test!!!...
mandywebb66's blog
I had this amazing dream the other night or maybe early morning? It seemed so real and fantastical- don’t know if that’s an actual word but it really fits the moment! I have recently moved from a two bedroom house into a one bedroom flat so understandably space…or lack of space...is an issue for an Artist that has been constantly creating pieces of artwork over the last five years or so. I dreamt that I found out that in my flat I had an extra room- a room that I had no prior knowledge of! It was so exciting opening this door into another available space. The room was really large with a high...
Isn’t it weird how we are perceived by others? I went to meet friends for an ‘Andy Warhol’ exhibition the other day; I’ve known them for years and met them through being Positive. I don’t get to see them on a regular basis so it was really nice to catch up with them and have a whole lot of Art thrown into the equation as well. On walking from the Gallery to the Pub for a little lunch and maybe a cocktail or two, one of my friends mentioned on seeing how difficult and slow I walked; that he never realized that I had a mobility problem. He said that because of the way I appear and act that my...
I really wanted to write this as everyone I know always comments about how happy I always am, or appear to be, and I tell them that this is not always the case. I do have bad days but I pretty much keep those to myself….I wanted to share my first initial response to being diagnosed…or what I can remember as it is a bit of a blur? I remember crying and seeing my Mum’s face and my one of my Best Friend’s faces looking bewildered, in total shock!!! I had to be admitted to the hospital as the doctors thought I also had TB which in fact wasn’t TB but a really extensive chest infection, so I was...
Becoming HIV Positive really turned my life ‘Upside Down’ and really put things into perspective. Working out what was really important and rationalizing about things that happened and why they happen? I have always believed that things ‘Happen for a reason’ and it’s become my sort of Mantra and something that gives me comfort when things aren’t going so well. This happening to me was a wakeup call to get motivated as I had been drifting along not knowing quite where my life was going and my reason for being? I had always been creative and felt really comfortable when in creative mode and so...
Being diagnosed HIV Positive was the Worst day and the Best day in my life…Ok I know this sounds bizarre but the worst bit was the realization that I might die before I’ve achieved anything with the 36 years I had been on this Earth…NO, actually I had bequeathed a Beautiful son to this World so that is a major achievement. But really felt cheated as had gone undiagnosed for years and been so ill and had really struggled with the day-to-day chores which made me so tired that felt had missed out on a lot of the usual stuff with my boy. The Best bit being that I finally had an answer to why I had...
My name is Mandy Webb and I was diagnosed HIV positive back in 2002 after a long, long time of illness and looking back…wondering why the hell I wasn’t tested earlier??? I ended up being admitted to hospital in apparently the 3 rd stage of HIV so it was touch and go that I would survive!!! Luckily, I did survive…against the odds and had to start setting goals for myself to achieve. I had to learn to walk again which was, and still is, a huge hurdle…I walk, but it is painful and have had many falls as I think that because of the long time going undiagnosed (probably over 10 years plus) that the...