ODC News Letter
May 2012 -
In This Issue: Life Expectancy Increases for North Americans Living with HIV, HIV Stigma and Awareness - Time to Change our Message, How Neuropathy is Currently Treated, CAC Bowling Outing, Lobby Days 2012, May Events.
Old News Letters...
Juan
Following the Road
My name is Juan, I am a 24 years old HIV positive gay man. Going back three years is not pleasant to bring back memories that hurted and are going into the deepest place of my soul and spirit, and understand three years later that low self esteem and the need for love brought me into a relationship to fulfill that need.
I overcame obstacles and achived goals in this three years but, on the other hand I have had horrible stages of depressions and have fallen into nights of alcoholism, with the excuse "I am an AIDS person, if I am gong to die I will die enjoying what I like."
When I go back to "normal" I think "What stupid thoughts and actions "and felt sorry for myself. However I understand that this is the process of accepting my HIV condition. Is not easy to know that you are living with the "Love-Virus", that there is no cure and the only way to control it has serious internal and external consequences. When I feel depress I take a warm bath-shower I lay in my sofa with a good cup of hot chocolate and a good romantic movie. "Good bye Depression."
Thank God I have found good people that have provided me with tools and weapons to win this war, against HIV. Friends that I can't count with my fingers but people who I can rely on, friends who worried about me and understand me, a small family but with an exceptional sensitivity Open Door Clinic. After all I have come to meet a person who is strong and with the capacity to overcome and recognize complicated situations, "MYSELF".
I don't feel harassed anymore when people gossip about my HIV status but I still want to be far from people who want to hurt me and who do not know anything about confidentiality.
What I am doing now as part of my therapy is to advocate for my community HIV+, inform and educate others so they don't end up as I did. That even I had the information about the dangers of HIV and other STD's I thought never was going to happen to me, and now here I am writing my story, being able to know other stories open my eyes to additional horizons and reinforce my feelings and worth as a human being.
Being a 24 years old Latino diagnosed three years ago, I can tell you that the HIV virus runs all over my body, into my immune system, I am not resistant to the common diseases anymore like healthy people, but there is a place where I have not let this virus to enter and that is "My HEART"
