Well, I have already posted about getting tested for HIV. Well, I got tested for the third time! Yes, it may sound crazy. But I became obsessed with HIV. Last year, I thought I had HIV. As soon as my brother was diagnosed with HIV, I thought OMgosh I could have it too. Who knows right? I started getting sick. Yes, I had every symptom you search online for. I took a test this past February and my doctor thought I was stressed and being a hypochondriac. Well, test came back negative. But I still was a bit doubtful. I took another test for this class at the Health Department. It too came back negative. I also took a home HIV test. Yes, I am a bit on the crazy side. Well that came back negative too. So, I can proudly say I am HIV Negative! Let me tell you the things that went through my mind would turn anyone crazy. I think that sometimes the internet can be our worst enemies. So my advice for everyone is to stay positive until you need to face the worst.
Did you know?This week I decided to research an organization that helps people who are HIV + in the state of New York. Apparently there are a lot of HIV cases in New York, so I thought what better state to research on? Ok...
I researched information on the HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in the year of 2007. This is the latest update they have.
Cases of people living with HIV (not AIDS)in NY
"There about 46,040 people in New York State as of 2007"(New York Health Department, 2007).
"There are about 73,889 people in the state of New York living with AIDS.Like many health departments New York offers free HIV testing and counseling. This is great! But even though the test are offered free a lot of people still DO NOT get tested! I can't believed that something as important as this virus is still not taken seriously. It's time for a wake up call.
"These numbers include both male and female" (New York Health Department, 2007).
This weeks QOTW was about whether or not a persons health care provider should tell the infected persons partner about them having HIV. Well, I found a great resources its a booklet online that guides a person with HIV to tell their partner. Click (hopefully it works)http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/docs/9488eng.pdf
The state of NY offers many services just like Florida. There is free testing, free condoms, free information for anyone who would like to be educated.
I also found a great resource on a non-profit organization that helps Gay men. It is called GMHC: Gay Men's Health Crisis. A great tab that gives information on program and services:http://www.gmhc.org/programs.html.
Its really great to see organizations look out for Gay men and get them the help they need. This a great organizations. They give free meals, testing, free holiday meals and great serivices. Check it out!
This week I also wanted to focus on HIV in Gay men.
HIV does not just infect gay men! It targets everyone. Its up to you to make sure it doesn't affect you.
Okay... I did research and found information on advert.
"In the USA, it is estimated that nearly 220,000 men who have sex with men were living with HIV/AIDS in 2006, and nearly 5,000 had died. Around 48% of men diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in America in 2006 were probably exposed to the virus through male-to-male sexual contact" (CDC, 2006). Wow, this is extremely surprising.
What can be done to prevent this? AWARENESS! This is the most important part of preventing HIV in everyone. I was reading on advert about men having sex with men and not using condoms. This is still risky even though both men might have HIV, because they can be exposed to new strains of HIV. They might even pass other infections and it makes them much more susceptible in getting any infections due to their immune system being so weak.
I hope you all enjoyed my blog!
http://www.avert.org/young-gay-men.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2006, (Vol. 18).
http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/
It sounds like you did a pretty good job of convincing yourself that you were HIV+. You said, “...the things that went through my mind would turn anyone crazy.” What sort of things went through your mind? What did you thing about? How did all of this affect your perspectives and behavior? Curious minds want to know! ;-)
ReplyDeletei love your passion for this. you've really found your blog niche. Glad everything turned out neg :)
ReplyDeleteYea, a lot of people in New York are HIV positive compared with other individuals. I also wonder why more people are not getting tested as well. Maybe people who think that it is a good chance that they are HIV positive will not take the test because they are afraid of finding out the results. This could be the case. Either way testing is free and for our assignment I had to pay 25 dollars for my test. Nice blog and very informative!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you tested so many times. It doesn't make you crazy that just meant that you wanted to know that you know that you know. I'm glad you aren't positive.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that there was so many people infected in NY wow those numbers are insane. On my blog this week I did Florida and we are at 5,500 in 2006 and it has increase a lot but that is nothing in comparision to NY. I don't know what to say. Something has to be done or it seems like the whole world will have it if people don't start wising up and protecting themselves. It starts one person at a time. Get tested and stay protected.
Greg: I started thinking about my son. I was still breastfeeding, so I thought I could have given him HIV. I thought I would die if I was guilty of such a think. I thought about what family members would say. I literally cried by myself. When I went to the doctor, the doctor told me that I was crazy. He laughed he said you are not HIV positive. I lost weight. I wouldn't eat. I was a hot mess. A lot of people in New york was surprising.
ReplyDeleteI think it is amazing that organizations like the organization GMHC exist. I believe it is very important that individuals with HIV have a place to turn to for support and guidance. I think people with HIV have to be strong to deal with what they go through on a daily basis, personally and within their community.
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog, I look forward to future blogs.
I wouldn't call you crazy. I would call it wanting to be sure. I don't blame you for taking so many tests to ease your mind of the stress of thinking you might have HIV. The internet can scare people because they read the symptoms and think, I have that and that, oh no I might have HIV. The only sure way to know anything is to get tested and you did that, even if it was more than once.
ReplyDeleteYou are what we call the worried well. You know you can't be positive, but you still want to know for sure. I'm surprised you stopped at three tests.
ReplyDeleteMedical students are people who when they start treating patients suddenly become ill with all the symptoms that their patients have. Students studying a subject as intentely as this one, can also see themselves with the same symptoms. You just need to realize that unless you put yourself at risk, you are just going through a phase. So no, you are not crazy, just very normal.