by admin
I told my family, and I do not have a full knowledge about HIV/AIDS, but I tell them I’m HIV-positive. The same day I’ve been kicked out by the family. And all my friends get away from me. But I am so lucky that I meet a very good doctor. She’s just like my mother. […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Asia-Pacific, Male • Tags: ACTIVISM, China, death/dying, depression, doctor/patient relationship, family, stigma, support, treatment access
by admin
In year 2003 I already need to be on medications, but at that particle of time, that we need to pay about 1,000 ringget Malaysia, and my salary is less than 1,000. So… I, I stop seeing the doctor because the doctor says, “You need to be on medication.” I rather, you know, feed my […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Asia-Pacific, Female • Tags: children/parenthood, cost of treatment, death/dying, faith/spirituality, grandchildren, liver health, Malaysia, support, treatment access, Tuberculosis
by admin
I am very fortunate. I’ve been able to educate myself to the graduate level. I hold down a really decent job. I make, in nonprofit, nonprofit-decent money. (Laughs) That’s a disclaimer. I think to live with HIV you have to have a lot of support. And if they’re not coming from your family? You have […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Female, North America • Tags: Art/creativity, children/parenthood, companionship, dating/relationships, faith/spirituality, fear, grandchildren, HIV/AIDS education, isolation/loneliness, Jamaica, keeping busy, support, trauma, United States, Work/Career, working in HIV/AIDS community
by admin
I think it’s harder now to live up to the expectation that you’re well. People think that HIV has been finished. That the treatments are great and everyone’s fantastic. Because “the drugs are working so well now.” “We’ve solved the issues.” “There’s no more side effects.” “Yeah, it’s all done.” Um, no it’s not. And […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Asia-Pacific, Male • Tags: Australia, fear, grief/loss, Healthcare access, HIV/AIDS community dynamics, Illness/Wellness, side effects, treatment access, Work/Career
by admin
Getting older is like, um… Things are happening with my body that I don’t like. You know, my mind is still 25– my mind wants to be 25, my body is not. You know I wanna, like, run around with my 15 year old step son, and I can’t. For me, getting older with HIV […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Female, North America • Tags: caregiving, children/parenthood, married/life partner(s), positive outlook, United States
by admin
Al principio– sí, mucho rechazo. Primero porque era transex– soy transgénera, mujer transexual. Y luego el VIH, luego no saber el idioma y luego venir de un país “bajo.” Pues el VIH no era muy bien visto, en las mujeres y sobre todo transgéneros. El rechazo era visto, se miraba de lejos. Ahora ya no. […]
Categories: Age 50-54, North America, Trans / Non-Binary / Two-Spirit • Tags: Mexico, United States
by admin
Edward: She used to follow me around all the time. I was 15, she was 11, so I looked at her like a kid, like my little sister, and she became my best friend. Andrea: We lived in the same neighborhood in New York. Long Island. I’ve always been in love with him, […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Age 55-59, Female, Male, North America • Tags: Couple, United States
by admin
I always knew that there would be a possibility. I had some friends that passed away. I was a intravenous drug user. My lifestyle prior, from ‘80 to ‘88, wasn’t the nicest thing. But I stepped out on faith and changed that on my own. By 1988 I had changed my whole life around. I […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Female, North America • Tags: United States
by admin
So the first question was: Are you going to keep quiet or are you going to tell someone? It took 20 minutes for me to disclose. When I was in the counselor’s room, the counselor gave me the results in a stigmatizing way. He said, “Man of God, what are you going to do?” And […]
by admin
I decided to go back to school after I got fired from Barclay’s Bank because of my status. I was diagnosed in January 1988. My daughter was breast feeding at the time. I just got sick, and went to one doctor, another one, and another one, and it wasn’t getting better. And so eventually the […]
by admin
I’ve had cancer three times, I had stage four cancer. I’ve been through a lot. Every day is a bad day for me at some point or another. I got neuropathy from taking a particular medication. It’s from like above my knees all the way down to my feet, like someone has taken a truck […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Male, North America • Tags: United States
by admin
Ann: I kept it a secret for a decade that I was positive. It would have cost me my job in my state – we don’t have job protection. And the only way you could fight it is take it to court, but when you take it to court it becomes public record, […]
Categories: Age 50-54, Age 55-59, Female, Male, North America • Tags: United States