yroehtm

December First

{ 10:22, 2007-Dec-1 } { 3 comments } { Link }

December 1st is World Aids Day.

This is still/will always be an issue that's really important to me.

Please take some time to check out some of these websites or others-- look up some statistics and facts (and share them with people you know). Education and awareness are the easiest ways any of us can help.

UNAIDS 2007 Updates

AIDS Education Global Information System

Global Health Reporting - 2007 Statistics

Where you can get tested

On a personal note, one of my friends had to get screened for HIV recently on a doctor's order- he had been sick for weeks and fell into a high risk group. He was really nervous because he didn't have insurance and didn't want to come back positive and then have anyone deny him help if they were to see it as a pre-existing condition (not something he would have had to worry about). I was talking to my mother about this and she told me that I should get screened too, because I share drinks, and all that other stuff that 25 year old friends share, with him. Kind of broke my heart a little. I had to explain to my mother what HIV/AIDS actually is, how it's transmitted, all of that. She really had no idea because she's been married for 32 years, isn't in a high risk group, she didn't grow up with it- it's just not something that ever directly applied to her.

But that's sort of the problem. In my view- these are things that everyone should know about weather they're directly effected or not because EVERYONE is effected, at least indirectly.

Lastly, here's a news story I read a few weeks ago about 4 organ transplant patients who were infected by the organs they recieved:

Medical New Today Article

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{ 12:25, 2007-Dec-1 } { Posted by LauriesAsylum }
I tell you, as much as you read about it and learn about it, there is still this fear of the unknown. I had a gay friend who had aids and eventually died from it. But, when he was still feeling well and the aids hadn't really done it's damage yet, he offered me a bite of this chicken dish he had made, right from his fork. I had seconds to think about this, should I take that bite, knowing he has aids? Will he be insulted if I refuse? What if you really can get it this way? I took the bite, but for weeks after I had panic attacks, wondering if he had passed it to me. I mean I knew probably not, but I still freaked, especially when two weeks later he started getting really sick. This was 10 years ago, and have since had an aids test because of a needle stick I got, and of course I was fine.

Now, I'm more informed, but some people will always think and be afraid it's that easy to pass it on, no matter how much they read up on it.

I;m going to go to those links, thanks for the info. I'm praying your friends test comes out negative, but if it doesn't , the drugs out now have made it possible to live a very long time with aids now, if you take care of yourself.

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{ 12:45, 2007-Dec-1 } { Posted by mtheory }
O ya- he's fine, that was months ago.

It was just a real eye-opening thing when my mom said that. I tend to forget a lot of people STILL think that way. I grew up being taught this stuff, I have friends who are positive, and then growing up as a gay teenager and having friend who did all sorts of drugs and being in a risk group myself (just as someone who has sex and is not in a committed relationship)- the lack of awareness HERE throws me off. I tend to forget because to me and people I grew up with it's always been stuff we've known just like we've known that touching a hot stove will burn your hand.

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{ 12:53, 2007-Dec-1 } { Posted by LauriesAsylum }
Yeah, but unfortunately, there are a lot of people that will never understand. Oh, I just noticed you have a shoutbox!

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