Living with AIDS

At first I can say that life was difficult when you get shocked by the result of the HIV test. You begin to ponder what had happened and why did you allow it to happen to you of all people. Questions begin to pour in. Will I die? Will treatment be expensive? Will I always get sick? can I go back to work? What will my family and friends say once they find out? You begin to doubt yourself and become depressed. As it sinks in you feel that the only way to fully accept it is by educating yourself , one from the wisdom and experiences of your doctors, two by getting information from reading materials from the hospitals and the internet, and three by talking to other people living with HIV/AIDS. Well, that's what I did and then I began to live my life again.

I know it is hard but I keep an optimistic attitude towards it. When I was bedridden with pneumonia and PCP, I fought hard by telling myself that I will recover fast. I did after a month of taking my antibiotics, by eating right, by exercising and by avoiding infections. When I started to do all the lab works which entailed me to go back and forth to the hospital, I told myself that these are all my way of getting back on my feet and they will help me know my physical self more. When I got my first CD4 count result of 76, I realized that there is no way to go but to make it higher. When I first started my ARV's, I told myself that in case there will be side effects, I didn't worry at all because I know there are other substitutes that I can try. When I went back to work, I told myself that nothing can go wrong if I continue to be vigilant and continue to make my body stronger.

Life is still good. I know that for a fact. Turn the obstacles of having HIV/AIDS to challenges in life. Make them a journey to be lived. Life is full of mysteries. I for one has found a niche in this world. By having this disease, I was able to write a blog for all of my readers who are confused and who, too, are living with HIV/AIDS. By having the disease, I was able to meet and value the medical field. I was able to meet my best doctors who form part of my treatment team. They are my friends now. By having the disease I was able to help other people by counseling them on their journey to good health. By having the disease I was able to help and promote The Love Fund that financially supports those people with HIV/AIDS who are in dire need of assistance. By having the disease, I was able to assist our fellow AIDS person who can't afford the treatment and lab exams for their opportunistic infections through my connections with PCSO.

Living with AIDS, literally is hard. But you too, can think of it otherwise. Life is beautiful. You can turn things to beautiful and meaningful perspectives. Really, life is worth living for, even with HIV/AIDS!