Frogy
Frogy

I don't know where to begin so I guess I will start from the beginning of my drug addiction. I came from a good home but my family had problems like most families. I didn't think after having two children of my own, a home, and a good job that I would end up using cocaine, going to prison and becoming HIV positive.
I became a drug user at the age of 25 being introduced to cocaine at the bars. At first I was just snorting cocaine once a month if that, then every other weekend, and eventually every weekend. I was then introduced to crack cocaine, which became a daily habit. It was at this point I started losing everything, my home, my kids, my job, and my life. The next step was supporting my habit, which led me to prostitution.
I then met a man who also had a crack cocaine habit who was HIV positive. He had been diagnosed five years earlier and did not let me know of his status. We had unprotected sex and during this time I was still prostituting to support my habit.

About a year and a half later I found myself in jail being asked if I wanted an HIV Test. I thought it would be best to know so I agreed to be tested and found out that I was HIV positive. When I was released two days later I attempted to kill myself by overdoing on crack cocaine. I wanted to die because I didn't think I could live with being HIV positive. I didn't think it was possible to be loved, have a job, a home, and a normal life.
The smoking of crack cocaine progressively got worse. I found myself back in jail. This time I was sent to prison for fourteen months. When I was discharged from prison I picked up my crack cocaine habit once again. I still believed that I would not have a normal life being HIV positive.

My wake up call came from being busted for prostitution and being charged with criminal transmission of HIV. The judge informed me that if I came in front of him again for similar charges he would send me to prison for seven years straight with no early release. While on the inside I started making the steps needed to change my life around.

I became sober and starting seeing a doctor for my HIV infection. I made appointments and started medications. As time went by I started getting healthier and realized it was possible to live with being HIV positive. I found myself wanting to live and lead a normal life without crack cocaine.
A year or so later my CD4 and Viral Load counts were good so I was placed on a drug vacation. I stayed off of medications for about two years. I am now back on medications.

I am now with a good man who loves me even though I am HIV positive. My life living with HIV has had its ups and downs, but thanks to GOD and taking care of myself I am still here. I have been HIV positive since February 1997 and with GODS help, I plan on seeing my grandchildren and possibly my great-grandchildren.

I have learned that just because you are HIV positive doesn't' mean that your dead, but that you can have a good life. It's going on nine years that I have been HIV positive and I am praying that I have twenty or more years left in this life. I have also learned that being HIV positive does not define who I am no more than a person who has diabetes.

Yes, I have been shunned and some people are scared to be around me, but I have met some wonderful people who accept me and don't look at me any differently then they look at themselves. I feel that being HIV positive isn't who I am but only a part of me that needs a little extra care.

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