I am HIV positive.
Just saying that brief sentence or its alternative
I am living with HIV.
gives people the opportunity to do and say the most remarkable things. Continue reading “each time you tell, you’ve no idea what you risk unleashing”
I’m writing because when you are first diagnosed as living with HIV, many people think that life is over; that there is no future. When I was first diagnosed I was one of those. So many people told me that HIV is not a death sentence Life is for living You must remain positive. And I tried to believe them – it is not always easy. But I can tell you that if you hang in there, life will bring new surprises, new friends, and new joys. It is not possible to look into the future and to know what … Continue reading The best is yet to come…. hang in there
On the website of The HIV Support Centre the following is published: I wholeheartedly support the call for routine HIV testing locally from Miriam Stoppard OBE – but not just in England – we need it throughout the United Kingdom. Miriam Stoppard has suggested that routine testing for HIV would help to save lives. Obviously, this would be a good idea. It would also help cut down the stigma that surround a diagnosis of HIV. If everyone were treated equally and routinely tested, this could mean that diagnosis would not be as late as for many people at present. Despite … Continue reading 95% think routine hiv testing would be good – what are we waiting for?
Following last week’s posts on World AIDS Day, I am posting this important news story, in case you have not seen it. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a porn actor who contracted HIV while filming has called for condoms to be made compulsory across the adult film industry. Derrick Burts, 24, tested positive for HIV in October after starring in US gay and straight porn films. Derrick is also known as Cameron Reid in straight porn. Watch a video of him here. Related Articles Derrick Burts: HIV-Positive Porn Actor Calls for Condom Use (cbsnews.com) Porn Actor Derrick Burts … Continue reading HIV positive porn star calls for barebacking to be banned
It is only the day after World AIDS Day, and I am not the only patient that has had issues with the nursing staff in the HIV clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, this afternoon.
I cannot go into the specifics of the incident concerning another patient, but the problem that I had was that they didn’t read the notes that the doctor had made in my notes.
Well done to Lib Dem MP Stephen Gilbert! He has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons which calls on the Government to ‘introduce an evidence based approach to allow as many people as possible, regardless of their sexuality, to safely donate blood’. Openly gay himself, Stephen Gilbert has done something on World AIDS Day to call on Her Majesty’s Government to end the ban on gay and bisexual men, and their partners, being blood donors. Stephen said: As an openly gay Member of Parliament, I am a passionate believer that we must end this ridiculous and … Continue reading What have you done for World AIDS Day?
There seems to be some confusion, PEP = Post Exposure Prophylaxis PEP ≠ Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis One friend got this wrong today. I’m reposting the excellent explanation on PEP from GMFA…. PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) PEP is a course of HIV medication which you can take if you have been at risk of HIV infection. The course of HIV medication lasts 28 days and, if taken within 72 hours of putting yourself at risk, may be able to prevent you from becoming infected with HIV. PEP stands for Post Exposure Prophylaxis – in other words it is a form of protection (against … Continue reading PEP – is Post not Pre!
Well, I had hoped to get into town, collect some red ribbons from The HIV Support Centre and get up to another meeting today, but this was not meant to be. I obviously needed my sleep – I slept mostly until 1.30pm. So much so that friends were becoming concerned. I’m intending on going into Queen’s University Belfast Students’ Union to watch Rent. It will be the only time that I will be out and about today. But at least I am still here. Taking my meds – though in the excitement I had forgotten yesterday and had to jump … Continue reading WAD2010 – another day being unwell
World AIDS Day 2010 It’s World AIDS Day 2010 today, another year has gone past, those of us living with HIV are still here – and still the stigma is being broken by some of us that are courageous enough to tell our friends, our family, and other people that we are here, living with HIV. “Coming Out” That’s right – telling others. So, today, I’m ‘coming out’ publicly on this blog as to who I am. Complete with photo. Unsurprisingly given my job and other interests, I was at a political conference a few weeks ago. I was talking … Continue reading ending the stigma: guts needed to tackle it head on
Gyronny Herald 