Kim
Legacy Campaign

I really don't know where to start…looking back, I can remember drinking and using drugs at the age of 12.
I was running the bars at 17 and of course, having several sex partners. I remember why I began the crazy lifestyle at 17: my sister (6 years older) slept with every man I went out with or cared about.
Continuing on…at the age of 20, I got pregnant by a so-called pimp. He never had me on the streets, and never even wanted me around him or his friends, 'cause they all shot dope. Anyway, he got locked up for a year so I ended up putting our son up for adoption (my father was prejudiced, and my baby's daddy was African American). I went through a lot of depression, alcohol and men after that, even some of his friends. I guess you could say I got buck wild!

My life went downhill from that; my son's father got put away for life without parole for a murder I never believed he committed.
I met a man after that that became the love of my life (RIP). He was wild, a thug gangster, feared by all, but he was mine (and everyone else's). I know he loved me; he was just young and didn't know what he wanted. Anyway, he went to prison for a year.

I met another guy who was totally opposite. He was fun loving and could get along with anyone. However, he got me smoking crack cocaine, and my life spiraled down: I was going to jail, ended up pregnant, smoked crack every day of my pregnancy. Yes, God blessed me with a perfectly healthy baby boy. I tell him every day he is my miracle baby. I went to treatment for almost the first year of my son's life. Of course, his father was not around. Thank God for my family.

I started going to church, got baptized, and the Holy Spirit helped me live a happy, clean life. My son and I got our own 2-bedroom house, which we lived in for 3 years. The love of my life came back and stayed with my son and me for a while. My son loved him and even told him; "I wish you were my father". "Black Folks", as he was called, said, "I was supposed to be". Anyhow, things were good for a minute, til he told my son to go into the bedroom and get his socks. When my son left, I found money in one and crack in the other. It wouldn't have bothered me if I hadn't had my son, so I put Charlie out. That was hard for me because he held my heart. But, I was the mother of a four year old.

His father came back into the picture, and for the next 6 years we were on and off, always smoking crack, until we lost that, too. In December of 2000, I got really sick, had a miscarriage at 3 months, and then lost a job I loved and had held for 5 years, which had been good for me.
I got another job, but kept getting sicker and sicker. I started losing my hair, and by March of 2002 I could hardly move. I was so weak and had lost a lot of weight.
Then I got a call from DuPage County Health Dept. saying that I had been named as partner of someone who tested positive for HIV. I totally broke down and freaked out. A Lady from the Health Dept. came to test me. I was tested positive as well. I had a Doctor, so I started taking meds. My counts were so bad they considered it AIDS. Anyway, 6 months later I lost my job, insurance, and all hope. I went to a Food Pantry, and there, I totally broke down. A very nice lady there gave me a list of different places to go for help.

Fortunately, I called the right place. I called Open Door Clinic! I started taking meds and within 6 months my HIV was undetectable. Open Door Clinic saved my life. The whole staff there became my friends, which is true to this day as well. I still go through depression a lot of times. I am on medicines for Depression and a
Bi-polar diagnosis as well as my HIV medicines.

There have been a lot of times when I wanted to (and still want to) hibernate and be alone, to not be around anyone or talk to anyone. I'm not sure that will ever change, but I am alive and well, thanks to Open Door Clinic.
One thing I have learned is I can't blame my son's father, even though he is positive also, because of the lifestyle I led. It could have come from just about anyone. So, I just live with knowing I got this thing called HIV and know not to blame or take blame for something I never knew about til I was tested and found positive. I just take care of myself and live right!

What gave me and still gives me hope is Magic Johnson. He still keeps living and taking care of himself. He is definitely My Hero. I've always been a huge fan of his from his Lakers days.
Thanks you, Open Door, for giving me the chance to meet him, as well as all of you taking care of me.
Thanks for giving me my life back, Open Door.

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