Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Be Empowered!

Knowledge is power! That is what everybody says.

This is true. All of us need to be empowered so that we can easily deal with HIV and AIDS. We all need to learn by getting information and listening to get the wisdom of other people. Information and wisdom from others can equip us with all the right tools in accepting and dealing with HIV and AIDS.



How To Empower Yourself:

1. READ!

Reading is the best tool to get information. You can access information from the internet or by reading books.

We are in the era that everything is available in the internet. All the latest news, studies and breakthroughs are posted immediately and by just typing words, we can get what we need. There are also forums and chatrooms where one can learn from comments or one can pose a question.

There are books about HIV and AIDS but we are lucky that this the internet, with its up-to-date information, is available to us. Now, we can quickly research anything about HIV, it's symptoms, how it is diagnosed, where to get treatment and get tested, etc. All we have to do now is to use this technology to our benefit.

2. LEARN FROM OUR DOCTOR

Our doctors are another source of vital information. We have to ask everything that bothers us so that our good doctors can share their wisdom to us.

Whenever I go and see Dr. Ditangco, my HIV doctor, I always prepare a list of questions so I won't forget anything. I trust her good judgment so I make it a point that I would follow whatever she tells me to do when it comes to treatment. I ask her about things that I read and she would validate everything for me and tell me what I can apply to myself and to my illness. I partner with her so that I treatment becomes easy.

3. COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER PLHIV's

Each person has a different way of dealing with things. Each PLHIV's experience is different from you so the best way is to listen and learn from the wisdom of other people.

Communicating with others can be done with the use of the internet. We can communicate through social networking sites like facebook, twitter or Skype. Of course it is best if there is a face to face encounter or a direct communication through the phone. However, as long as the lines of communication are open all the time, it doesn't matter which type you are going to use.

Ever since I got sick, I started my blog and I did my researches and posted them in my blog. Now, people are finding my blog and months ago started asking questions. I opened up my communication line with them and opened up my communication lines with HIV doctors and health workers. I have become both a direct link and a mediator between health professionals and my readers. As I say in my blog, as I educate myself, I educate others. I learn from both sides, from my health care givers and from the experiences of others.

4. PLHIV'S ACTIVITIES

This is another venue wherein someone can empower oneself. There are small groups of individuals who meet on a monthly basis, to talk, to share experience and enjoy the company of others. The power of the group can be channeled to each and every individual in it, as they celebrate life together.

 5. ADVOCACY GROUPS

Advocacy groups can be self empowering too. Either you put up your own or you join an established one. The group can make you feel an important part of a mission to others.

You can choose a mission. You can choose an advocacy focused on awareness and prevention, an advocacy on policy making or an advocacy on treatment.

When I got sick, Tag and I thought on how we can help other PLHIV's who are already sick and who are needing medical assistance. From day one, we already knew what we wanted to do and up to now, a year and a month later, we are still doing it.

However, as the months passed, my advocacy broadened. My blog has served as a venue where I can educate and promote awareness about HIV and AIDS and it's treatment process. Through my blog, I am able to share the stories of other PLHIV's so my readers can learn from them. With my blog, I am able to link up advices and the wisdom of my doctors and health care providers to patients. Also, my blog is serving to seek donations and contributions to help our indigent PLHIV's who are in dire need of medical assistance.

6. ATTEND TRAININGS

There are self empowerment trainings that are geared towards empowering all PLHIV's to better accept their condition, to enable PLHIV's to live a normal and productive life. RITM-ARG has a Self Empowerment Training facilitated by doctors and volunteers and they guide the new PLHIV's on their new journey towards self acceptance and self actualisations.


Truly, knowledge is power. We all need to do whatever it takes to be empowered to show to our loved ones and to ourselves that HIV is not an obstacle to having a normal and productive life. By being empowered, we are going to a life that we always wanted despite having HIV.




"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-


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