I know a lot of people don't respect mental illness, they think it's controllable or all in your head, but I know that that's not the reality. I've struggled with mental health issues of some kind for as long as I can remember. I've had suicidal ideations since I was nine years old, I live with severe depression that doesn't even need a reason to bring me to my knees and often crippling anxiety that disregards logic. That's just to start, never mind the post traumatic stress disorder or mild obsessive compulsive behavior. Lately I've been really struggling with my depression, feeling...
KatieAdsila's blog
What a wonderful joy it has been to attend the 2022 United States Conference on HIV and AIDS in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. I'm so grateful to NMAC for allowing me to attend on their HIV50+ Strong & Healthy Scholarship
After three long years of fearing to gather together, grinding all conferences and in-person events to a halt, condemning us all to a life of isolation and social distancing, at long last life has begun to creep back from the shadows of an epic epidemic, and none too soon. Oh I know the epidemic isn't completely over, but thanks to vaccines, the world is starting to look recognizable again. It's been a long time since I've shared space with like-minded advocates, people who have been friends, mentors, and family to me for years. How I've long anticipated a simple hug from another human being...
The moon is shining beautifully in its full phase lighting up the night sky, and a steady warm breeze blows as I walk across white, shifting sand to the gentle crashing of waves. Before me is the vast expanse of rippling sea with sparkling crests dancing on the water like diamonds and stars, making it difficult to tell the difference between earth and sky in a seemingly endless distance. The air is salty and humid but smells delightful, its hint of saline mist fills my airways as I take a deep breath and smile. I fall to my knees, feet from the washing waves reaching up the shore near where I...
In December 2021 I attended my first International Workshop on HIV and Transgender People and it was a fantastic learning experience.
Have you ever had a bone for science? I used to when I was growing up. I remember I used to want to be a scientist, I had so many questions about so many things and I wanted to know everything. I enjoyed running my little experiments to see what would happen if you froze a coke or mixed things together. I was inquisitive. But as you might guess I never became a scientist -- or even a high school graduate (I was a troubled youth), but I still have an interest and respect for science so I love attending a conference like the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), even...
I think in the past month I've at least touched base with all five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, but I feel like it's only been a preview of going through those stages again
I just attended USCHA 2021 (United States Conference on HIV and AIDS). I really enjoy these conferences, there's so much to learn and experience. This year, due to Covid, USCHA was virtual. I'm starting to get used to these virtual conferences, but I don't want to. I miss seeing everyone and having that full conference experience that so many of us know and love. So I was so thrilled to see that NMAC tried to make the virtual platform as recognizable to the old style conferences of our past. When you first came onto the platform the first page on your screen was of a hotel lobby, it looked...
It's the beginning of fall now, the temperatures are beginning to get chilly and leaves are starting to change their hue. It's a season of change when we bid farewell to summer and all the good times we had and begin to prepare for the long winter to come. But this year it's not just summer that I must bid farewell to. I just broke up with my partner of the past four years. It's ok, we parted on good terms and agreed to remain friends as I always hoped we would be able to do, so I guess that much is a blessing. But still, change is hard, and I'm not one that usually deals with change very well...
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be transgender? Living with HIV? In the rural South? Each of these issues alone can be challenging. Together, they are my reality—and it's crucial for healthcare providers to acknowledge them all when addressing my needs. Let's start with language, as it is, to me, a good indicator of how you really feel about me, how much respect you intend to give me, and thus, how much I'm probably going to trust you right off the bat. First of all, "transgendered" is not a word, and is not a word as it is not possible. The added "ed" on the end implies something...