On March 10 th, those of us in the USA will observe National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. As a women living with AIDS, I experience a variety of emotions around “awareness days” like this. First, I’m glad we have our own day – it reminds...
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Not only is it important for girls and women living with HIV to feel accepted, it is important to raise awareness to girls and women to the chances of them being infected with HIV. This blog helps us express ourselves and the issues we deal with on a...
I’ve fought depression for nearly 15 years and HIV for only 3. Over the past 15 years, I have consistently taken my prescription anti-depressant medications. But after being diagnosed with HIV 3 years ago, something stopped me. I’m not exactly sure...
Even though HIV is a part of my life, it doesn’t dictate how I spend my time. I am very busy with my kids, work, and school. I am planning for my future. I am very lucky to be able to say I have a future. There are so many new medications that are...
After my family doctor confirmed my pregnancy, he referred me to an OB/GYN. My husband and I were so excited. A mere three months after being married, we were pregnant! I went to my first OB/GYN appointment, with my proud husband by my side. The...
It shakes me to the core when I think about death. I never used to be afraid before. I question myself what am I really afraid of. I'm not sure what I am afraid of. Is it death or is it the suffering in the eyes of the people I have watched in...
Today would have been the 44th birthday of my big sister, Ellen…and is also nearing the 12th anniversary of her passing from AIDS-related causes. Ellen is the reason I am so passionate about HIV/AIDS education and have worked in this field for the...
Every day I worry about people finding out that I am HIV+. People can say, "If they are truly your friends it won’t matter". It matters to me. I don’t want people treating me differently. I don’t want to be left out of sports. I don’t want to be the...
I’m still single and dating has become a nightmare overnight. I used to be comfortable disclosing to my “potentials”, but not anymore. I find myself swinging between “should I?” and “should I not?”. If I don’t, I feel like a liar, and if I do, I risk...
We had yet another birthday party in the office. Once again, I was assigned plates, napkins and forks. I really do believe that my coworkers are afraid of the fact that I have HIV and do not want to eat any food I bring in. In fact, I have tried to...
A month into my marriage I discovered that I was 10 weeks pregnant and HIV positive. My husband of one month tested negative. I was shattered. Why me? I have always been a good girl. The doctor tried to explain this medical mystery but it did not...
In a perfect world it wouldn’t matter if I was HIV+. As you all know, this isn’t a perfect world. I came to realize this better the weeks following my diagnosis. I told my family. They are my family for Goodness sake! They are going to support me...
I’m the person who thought I would kick the bucket from addiction in that crack house, where I lived and died on a daily basis, seven years ago. I’m the person who had a good job but couldn’t get to it because I was stuck in that crack house, where I...
My name is Jae, I am 39 years old and have been HIV+ for 18 years. I am a wife, mother to 3 boys, an employee, and full-time student. I live in Southern California, USA. I work in the medical field, the city I work in I come in contact with men that are HIV+. I just don’t have anything in common with them. First of all they are men. Second, most of them are gay. I am neither. I have a family and have been married for 21 years. My husband is in law enforcement and I was a stay at home mother for many years. He is a bit of a private person and has suppressed my participation in activism. So reluctantly I have agreed to forgo being a face to the masses to sitting back and Blogging about my own experiences.
As I sit here today, I am reminded of how precious life truly is for each of us. A recent tragedy in the family resulted in the all-too-soon death of a child from an automobile accident and the horrors of the earthquake in Haiti have made me realize...