"Let's Talk About It" Blog

So why is it important to get tested? There can be so many different reasons NOT to go get tested and the reality is many people don’t believe that they are at risk for an HIV diagnosis. You may be thinking, “I don’t participate in that kind of lifestyle, I work on Wall Street, or I’m married, etc.”

But you see there’s this stigma surrounding HIV- that diagnosis is directly related to behavior and lifestyle choices -as if some people do not “qualify” for diagnosis and are immune to HIV. This is not the case. The ugly truth is almost everybody is at risk for an HIV diagnosis. If you’ve ever had a sexual relationship, are currently in a sexual relationship, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you might be are at risk. Understand that HIV is a health condition, not a punishment for behavior.

Now let me ask you a better question… Are you ready to go and get tested? If you’re answer is no, then I’d say that’s even more of a reason to get tested for HIV. The bottom line is it’s better to know than not to know, believe me.

There are lots of ways to prevent the transmission of HIV. You have PrEP*, condoms, abstinence, the list goes on, but the very first step is knowing your status. When you don’t know your status, you run the risk of transmitting HIV to others, or even worse, dying prematurely from lack of necessary treatment. But on the flip side, when you DO know your status you can begin treatment sooner and with consistency, live a long, healthier and productive life, and prevent transmitting the virus further.

So why not get tested or retested? When we examine the issue at its core, what’s really holding people back from knowing their status is fear. Please know that it’s absolutely normal and okay to be afraid, but you can’t let that stop you. It’s your health and potentially your life at stake—you have to take control!

Someone once told me, “If I had known my status earlier, I would not have been diagnosed with AIDS. That’s what made me get tested.”

The bottom line is, it’s not all about you. Think about your friends, family, and partners; they are affected when you don’t know your status and we’re trying to get to zero! Now that I know my status, I would love for you to know yours as well because Silence=Death. So, don’t be afraid and don’t be ashamed. Get tested, everybody’s doing it! 🙂

*PRep is a medication for those who are not living with HIV, but are at risk. It is said to be estimated at 99% effective when taken as prescribed, in preventing the transmission of HIV

Local Testing Sites-Alachua County:

Not in the Gainesville/ Alachua County area? Check out the website to find a testing site near you: https://locator.hiv.gov/

Some of the events will feature counseling and testing, education, free condoms, and referrals to other resources in the community that deal with HIV/AIDS issues.

Wednesday (6/27/2018)

GRACE Marketplace
3055 NE 39th Ave
Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

The Heart of Gainesville Thrift Store
125 NW 23rd Ave.
Time: 3-6 p.m.

HealthStreet
(Please call and schedule an appointment and be sure to arrive 30 minutes earlier if you are not already a HealthStreet member (You must become a HealthStreet member (FREE) for the free testing)

2401 SW Archer Road
Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone: (352) 294-4880

Friday (6/29/2018)

University of Florida Health Family Medicine
1707 N. Main St.
Time: 5:30-8:30 p.m.

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Citrus County:

Wednesday (6/27/2018)

Florida Department of Health
3700 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, FL 34461
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Phone: (352) 527-0068

“As an advocate for Women living with HIV, this is very close to my heart. In this day and age, this test can change your life! You can live a long and great life as with many diagnoses. We must end the stigma attached to so many medical conditions.”

SaveSave

I live each day with a dirty little secret. Suicide. My sister and I were only 13 and 17 when my mother left; she died just a day shy of her 35^th birthday. She was hospitalized after taking some pills three days prior. I lived over 100 miles away. I called that morning to check her status and a nurse said, “Hold on, the doctor wants to speak with you”. Shortly after, a stranger came on the phone and said, “Your Mother just died.” “Why? How? She was listed in fair condition for the past three days,” I asked. I had so many questions, but it was the stranger’s next response that would forever change the world my sister and I have come to know.

“Her heart just stopped.” I was married and five months pregnant when she died, and my sister had been sent to me by greyhound bus two days before. Handling all of the details of hospital releases, funeral homes, etc. is a lot for anyone, but especially for young people. My Aunt who was 27 and seven months pregnant helped my small family deal with it all, and my reliable young husband supported us.

Guilt! Survivors always feel guilty.

Guilt kept me from making that final choice a few times. Since those early days of my life there’s hardly a day that goes by that I don’t think about suicide in one form or another. My Mom’s, my own, and people around me. My dirty little secret. But I never want my children to suffer the way I have, and the way my sister has suffered. My Mom missed a lot by leaving us in July 49 years ago. She never met her grandchildren or her great grand children. I never want to miss out on that special time of life.

When I was first diagnosed with HIV I was in a fog, but in facing reality I knew that my dirty little secret would keep me company and would always be there for me. It was an “out” if I ever couldn’t handle it, or if my family abandoned me.

Do I consider myself suicidal? No! But I think I understand how or why any person takes that escape choice—it’s like a hidden escape. Someone once said it takes more courage to live than it does to die and I believe that. I’m a strong, stubborn fighter and my courage has held me here for many years. Suicide is not an easy way out, it’s final! And there’s no coming back! So I’ve decided to fight the fight a while longer. Besides, there may be some people who’d like to see me gone and I’m not going to give them their wish. Lol.

Talk to a counselor—A 24-hour hotline: (800) 784-2433

Additional Reading: My 10-Step to-Do List for Enduring Depression, Josh Middleton.

http://www.thebody.com/slideshows/my-10-step-to-do-list-for-enduring-depression?ap=818