When I was calling at people’s doors for many reasons, I liked having some form of organisational identification about my person, to show to people as they opened the door of their house to me. I’ve just had an … Continue reading Charities need to act professionally when knocking at people’s doors…
Three TLAs make an appearance… Continue reading TMA 00 has returned… more forms to fill in
It is nearly four o’clock in the morning and, despite a number of aborted attempts, Sleep has been just escaping me tonight. I don’t know what is going on that is creating this problem. Perhaps I am doing too much? Perhaps there are many outside forces which are leaning on me? What could they be? Study? I’ve just started an Open University course (DB123 You and your money: personal finance in context. I’ve the first TMA (Tutor Marked Assignment) to be completed and sent off (fortunately by email nowadays) by 3 June. Just Married? It’s only two weeks since Andrew … Continue reading sleep – isn’t that for wimps?
Over 3000 young people are infected with HIV every day. Only 1 in 3 young people have full knowledge of how HIV is transmitted.
from What about HIV?
With world leaders meeting on the subject of AIDS at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 10 June 2011. The global youth movement, What about HIV? founded in Mali at the Global Youth Summit on HIV/AIDS is calling for world leaders and heads of government to implement their Call to Action.
As a relatively young person living with HIV right here in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, I feel it is important for me to have joined their call – so I have signed up here. Please consider doing so yourself.
Don’t forget that here in Belfast you can make a difference to people right across Northern Ireland who live with HIV by donating to The HIV Support Centre which is now in its 25th year here in the city of Belfast
The full text of the Call to Action is below.
Continue reading “Call to action: from Mali, across the world, and on to the United Nations”
And so once again I am not well. The persistent cough and cold has not gone away. Despite the use of decongestant and chest rub, I am told by Andrew that it is getting worse. Therefore we are off up to the RVH again this afternoon. Will report back when we know more. The best update is that the Meds have been taken every day. So that is good news. Continue reading when you’re ill, take it easy
My name is Andrew, and I am living with HIV. You might think that I am HIV positive – I am not. I am living with HIV because my boyfriend*, Michael, the man I love, is HIV positive. I am living with HIV because HIV has a direct impact on my life. I am also, to some extent, living with PVL-MRSA, because Michael has that too. Today Michael had an appointment at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, and his doctor took the opportunity to screen me for MRSA, because there was a chance that I was an asymptomatic carrier. It … Continue reading my name is Andrew
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
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?
Gyronny Herald 