I have not disclosed to many people. I've told my parents, sister, grandparents, my best friend and of course my co-workers who were around my desk when I received my diagnosis. Writing this blog has allowed me to work through some of my issues and become more accepting and understanding of my status. As a result of this, I believe I am to the point of wanting to share my story. An opportunity presented itself at Bible study not long ago. However, I couldn't bring myself to share. But I recently had another opportunity. My office hired a new employee. I've gotten along with her very well and...
katie06's blog
As the holidays begin to wind down, I reflect on all the gifts I have received. My gifts have not been merely material items, but also supportive family and amazing opportunities. Could I also consider HIV a gift? While certainly not a “gift” in the sense of something one desires, but rather in the sense that it has brought greater clarity and meaning to my life. I consider the future MUCH more that I ever did prior to my diagnosis. This helps me make better choices. I think of my family first, because I now realize that I am fortunate and should not take them for granted. I think of the voice...
I can not begin to express how excited I am that The Well Project is playing an intricate part in establishing a National AIDS Awareness Month! This thrills me to the core! While we currently have World AIDS Day, one day is simply not enough. The opportunity to spread a message for an entire month is a gift! Society needs to be educated about HIV/AIDS. They need to understand that it does not discriminate and that it's impact is great. This disease could potentially be eradicated, or at the very least greatly reduced, through education. Thank you The Well Project for being apart of something...
One sure thing this disease has taught me….take control of your own health. So that is exactly what I did. Between my two primary doctors which are my family physician and my “infectious disease doctor” (or as I call him, my HIV doctor), I was feeling alone. I had chosen a family physician which regularly handled HIV patients. However, she was only working 2 days per week nowadays and simply wasn’t in the office enough for me to see her on a regular basis, so I was seen by other people. My illnesses would go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and I was becoming increasingly sick. And truly, I don’t...
I just read a blog about Ms. Plus America being HIV positive. I must say that I am so proud of her. For starters, I'm both plus size and HIV positive, so It's nice to read about more people like myself. Michelle Anderson, crowned Ms. Plus America 2011, is a beautiful, plus size, African-American woman. She is the first openly HIV-positive person to hold a national pageant title. From reading her bio, she appears to do a lot of HIV/AIDS related activism in her community, Dallas, Texas. It's an honor to see such a woman not only succeeding but also educating her community and tearing down stigma...
Four years ago today, I gave birth to a wonderful, beautiful, baby boy. That little boy saved my life. I had no idea that I was HIV positive. None. It was a routine test at the OB/GYN that changed my life. I have HIV. After being diagnosed, I read everything I could on HIV. I educated myself as much as I could and I followed medical advise perfectly. I never missed a dose of medication, I ate healthier than I have ever eaten in my life and I chose to have a c-section because I had read that it reduced the risk of transmission between mother and child. Thanks to my easily accessible healthcare...
Well, I did it…I started meds. I took my husband with me into the doctor’s office because I knew that I wouldn’t follow through with getting medication if I didn’t have his support. I’m not sure why I’ve been so hesitant on starting medication. After all, my husband has been on medication for a couple years now. I have a doctor who didn’t really suggest them, yet he also said he wouldn’t discourage them. All the while, my husband’s doctor looked at my lab results and said I should absolutely be on meds. It’s a tough call when two very well respected doctors have varying opinions. I did a lot...
In my last blog I wrote about how for the first time, I was feeling sick. This time, I want to talk about the care I received. I went to my family doctor because I thought I had something wrong with my neck (extreme pain and a couple large lumps). My family doctor was out, so I saw another physician available. You should also know that I like my family doctor because I think she can relate to me as her brother died of AIDS. The doctor available, who saw me, said I likely slept wrong and prescribed a muscle relaxer. The doctor then called me the following day to tell me that she had spoken to...
Lately I've not been blogging simply because I've been sick. For the first time since my diagnosis 4 years ago, I'm actually experiencing signs and symptoms of HIV. This has been very difficult for me to grasp. I've denied it and blamed on other factors. But I know the truth, my body is beginning to lose the battle. I need to get on medication. I've fought getting on medication. I'm not sure why exactly... A sense of pride maybe. For some reason when I tell people that I'm HIV positive, but I'm not on medication yet, they have a sense of relief on their face. This is true especially in the...
As many of you know, I recently had an interview with www.thefrisky.com on World AIDS Day. I had never been involved in something of that nature and was very nervous. I am not very public about my positive status, so to be interviewed by a website which gets viewed by so many people was somewhat intimidating! The interview went well, and I was very proud of the final outcome. I was a bit scared to read the comments people left after reading the blog. After all, it’s pretty easy to say anything from the comfort of your home and the anonymous shield the internet provides. But to my surprise, I...