Friends, this is my "releasing ceremony" for my last (who can say if will be my final) relationship. I hope this inspires others to realize there truly is life after heartbreak...though right at the beginning, just like me, you do not believe it. Billy's birthday was a couple of weeks ago. He was born March 17, 1946, eldest child of his father's second family. The family dynamics I came to understand had a lot to do with him growing into a rigid type A, though I didn't recognize this in him till well into our relationship. I met Billy after I had stopped my nursing career. I was a waitress and...
Wanda Brendle-Moss's blog
As we approach National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10, 2015, my mind is taking a magical mystery journey... Start Date 1981, the beginning of what would be my 20 years as a Registered Nurse. There was a disease formerly known as GRID, now given a new name, HIV, Human ImmunoDeficiency Virus, and in the advanced stages called AIDS. I worked at North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Now Wake Health) a #1 rated Medical Center in my area. Even given that we were supposedly gifted with some of the medical community's greatest minds...people admitted with this virus were dying. For me...
I must share events that happened last weekend…incidents of friends in crisis...or so it was thought, and so it may have been... The first happened on Friday evening while I was in the middle of a GNP+NA full board meeting call. I received a text from a friend in New York asking if I had heard our friend Daniel B had died (she knows Daniel and I are very good friends). My heart dropped to my feet…tears began to flow… THEN I immediately started what turned into 12 hours of diligent Facebook back and forth. First I went to Daniel's Facebook. I read the posts for the day, tracked back to one that...
On this Day of Winter Solstice, The date is forever emblazoned in my heart. I had been living in my car for about 3 weeks, until it died. Then I spent a week at Motel 6 thanks to my son... Then 1 night with a family of a friend of mine.... I was out of places to lay my head... I wasn't thinking clearly... I was fresh from being locked out of my home of 7 years by the man I thought would be my "forever" (ps NOT my infector) This "forever" man was dealing with issues of his own...going through what I now realize was partly pride, and partly male menopause (as I say manopause)...which he had not...
This year has been very busy for me. Lots of "ups" and a few very lows, especially learning of the murder of my stepson! His loss reminded me that I should never ever take one second for granted. Brandon came into my life when he was about 5 years old (1990), when I married his dad (my 3rd try). He was often more grown than both his biological parents, having to be the "go between". The bond he and I shared...teaching him to read, helping with other homework, trying to help him understand the push and pull between his parents...never died. We lost touch when his father left me (for a "friend...
In December of 2009...I was cold, hungry, living in my car. Rescued by AIDS Care Service on December 21, 2009, they safely housed me in one of their transitional apartments. I quickly realized I wasn't a typical client for them...I was hungry to heal by GIVING BACK. At that time volunteerism simply wasn't done. Slowly but surely that began to change...because I am the Change! Little did I dream then how far I would come by believing "I can be the Change." Slowly but surely, this warrior inside of me would no longer be silent. It was a constant roar inside my heart, my soul, my head. First I...
As I traveled from Winston-Salem, NC to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, I had more time than anticipated to reflect on this much anticipated gathering of Sisters from across the United States. First we were delayed leaving Greensboro PTI Airport, for supposed "runway renovations" at our connector city, Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps that was true...but we live in a cyber world of up to the second information. What Twitter shared with my plane full of companions was that our President Barack Obama was also en route to Atlanta...to meet with CDC officials to discuss the Ebola virus! I salute him and the...
It’s been a long time since you have heard from this “Girl Like Me,” but I’m still here, still being an avid activist, refusing to let adversity keep me down. And dear friends, if there is ONE thing I ever encourage you to “get” from my story is NEVER GIVE UP, period. That allows negativity a victory…and we shall not do that! So how does an almost 60 year old woman living with AIDS feel “like a virgin”? Now as you perhaps watch this video for the first time in years…think about being a heterosexual, caucasian, retired Registered Nurse…living in North Carolina, a Bible Belt state, where if you...
Greetings friends. It has been a moment since I last posted. Some would say its the Devil trying to prevent me from being heard, others might say bad Karma...Me, I just say "Its Life...and Keep it Moving!" Since we last were together I've had phone problems(my only source of internet), so I'm way behind in talking to you. But, I've been busy regardless! I've been on the road quite a bit! I was in Washington DC twice...First for ADAP Advocacy Conference...Talk about an amazingly inspiring group of advocates. Meeting for the first time face to face...like Brandon Macsata, Michelle Anderson...
It's July 4, 2013...Independence Day! I felt compelled to share something today! It's about freedom, releasing the hurt, the pain, etc. that each of us has endured! Domestic Violence (1972-1998 off/on)...check Date Rape (early '90s)...check HIV (2002)...check AIDS (2008) Failed marriages x3...check Failed serious relationships x3...check (last one, 7 years long. 2004-2011) Homeless (12/2009-3/2010, 4/11-6/11)...check Been hungry (once 3 days no food)...check Financially insecure...check Lonely even in relationship...check Lonely in general...check Ok, so what's with all the check, check...