"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." Kahlil Gibran In our society we tend to push our senior citizens aside. We forget that they still have a lot to offer. It's called AGEISM. I haven't written a blog for a while now; due to a stubborn infection that required numerous doses of antibiotic and its effects to get it under control. Furthermore I was finding it difficult to find a topic to write about. I was feeling more isolated than usual, and more depressed as well. Then one day, I found an article in a newsletter called http...
celina5000's blog
Sometimes I count my blessings, probably not as often as I should. I live in an assisted-living care facility and I see people in wheelchairs; with mental incapacities of all degrees. Everyone is treated well and with respect. I, with my 27 years of HIV, many of them asympomatic, did have a career. And I still benefit from that career with health care benefits. I live in a prosperous part of the world (you might even call it a greedy part of the world); but I live comfortably; receiving all my pain medication, and health care for free. And most importantly, I have the freedom to make decisions...
So, after watching a couple of TV programs that featured some aspect of HIV/AIDS, I decided I didn't want to write about any of them. The theme is the same. People still react to AIDS today as they did 30 years ago. I'm sure your mouths are gaping in shock to hear this. There was a pogram called: WHAT WOULD YOU DO?. The producers set up a diner with servers, customers and one poor fellow with HIV. Somehow word gets out in the diner that the young man has HIV. The person sitting next to him stood up and changed seats. Another customer, a female, refused to use the menu he had used. This...
"The oldest and strongest emtion of mankind is fear and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." After reading Maria's blog, a flood of memories came to my mind. I remember coming home from visiting my husband in the hospital. I lived like a zombie then, not knowing what to do, what to expect, I didn't know anything, and I was afraid. Afraid for myself and for my children. I had thought I was hungry but when I sat down to eat, before I had a chance to put the fork in my mouth I picked up the whole plate of pasta and threw it at the wall! And then I screamed. I was afraid...
I applaud and celebrate "showing our faces", especially when I've kept mine hidden for over 20 years. But this feat did not come easily and the floorplan was carefully set. I did take many precautions before allowing people to peak into my life. I knew a lot of people were suspicious, after all they did know that my husband died of AIDS. I never spoke a word of my HIV while my children were in school (with the exception of a counsellor). I feared for their safety or maybe I was using them as a mask for my own fears. There are, however, good practical reasons today for discretion regarding...
I have lived with HIV for twenty-five years. HIV is a pronouncement, a judgement of one's life. It is a disease like cancer, parkinson's, multiple schlerosis, and many other long-term chronic and delibitating diseases that exist in today's world. However unlike other diseases, HIV still carries a stigma. What are your expectations of a person with HIV? Would it be your child's teacher? Your sister, your cousin, your co-worker? An IV drug-user; a prostitute? It's often difficult to determine who lives with HIV. For twenty-five years, my life has been a twisting and turning of events as I learnt...
Celina I'm a 27 year survivor of HIV. I've been widowed since the early 90's when my husband died of AIDS. I have a degree in Dramatic Studies and a Teaching Certificate which I used to teach high school in both French and English. I've been a single mother raising my 3 children to productive adulthood. I've been on Palliative Care for over 2 years now; but I'm still vertical, albeit wobbly in the legs. I live in the prairies, in a city called Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba. It gets nice and cold here in the winters, but our summers and lakes are glorious. I am French-Canadian and my...