The month of December is recognized for the awareness of HIV/AIDS. The story I’m about to tell is one so real that it could happen to anyone. HIV/AIDS is a virus that infects the immune system by altering its regular production of white cells, damaging a protection mechanism that prevents other illnesses. HIV/AIDS can be transmitted via sexual intercourse without protection or during the birth of a child by an infected mother. Try not judge people who are have HIV/AIDS because we are sexual beings in need of affection and the closeness of sexual interaction. Most of these people are infected because they simply don’t have knowledge of STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) or because they trusted someone with their bodies and got infected. That’s my story about “Andrew”: Andrew was a young college student that just started to blossom in the social lifestyle of “hanging out” with his friends at clubs. He had sexual experiences before and was always aware to protect himself. He knew well all the consequences that came with not protecting himself. One day he met “John” an older guy that he felt attracted to. They started to go out for about a month. In that month, they had sexual intercourse, and of course, with protection. One day, however, John told Andrew to play with him without protection, and since Andrew was fond of him and trusted him, he gave in to John’s petition. After that month, Andrew confessed his love to John, and John simply parted away without saying anything. This devastated Andrew and he felt sad and angry with himself. He started to have sex without measuring the consequences. He suffered alone the departure of John from his life. He continued this compulsive lifestyle, but always in mind to protect himself. Until one day, one of the condoms broke and he got scared. He thought: “It could have harmed me, but that person looks clean, I don’t think he’s infected with anything”, and he continued with his lifestyle. Three years passed from that and everything was fine until one day, he felt kind of sick and he went to the hospital. In the hospital, the doctor told him that he needed to go through more tests, because there was something strange in his blood. They told him his white cells weren’t regenerating and that he had to go for more checkups so they could be sure of what was going on. A week passed from that and the nurses from the clinic told him that the test results should be out in about three months. However, immediately after that week he was called from the clinic and was told to come right away. When he was on his way, he felt uneasy, like something bad was going to happen. When he entered the doctor’s office and saw the doctor holding an envelope, he was told that his test results were in, and that he was positive for HIV+ and he needed intervention immediately. At that moment, his world began to spin around, his limbs crumbled and he started crying. He started to blame his last relationship, his last lover and ultimately himself. On his way home, he thought of what to say to his family, how his mother would react, what his brothers and sister would think of him. When he told his family, they all came to tears and despair, but through all this, he was strong and endured this sickness. Another month passed and the clinic called him again and told him to come right away. He didn’t know why, because he already was taking his treatment and was feeling alright, but he went anyway. As he entered the same doctor’s office, this time the doctor showed a sad face to him and didn’t know how to tell him that he only had six months to live, because the medication wasn’t working on him. As soon as he heard this, he cried even more and questioned what wrong he had done to deserve this. When his family knew about this, they crumbled even more, but were strong and supportive of him. They started to go out more and enjoy life in the shorts months that he had left. They went on trips, to the beach, enjoyed parties and went out with friends, but nothing could take away from his mind the thought that he was going to die soon. Five months passed and the frustration had already taken over him and he felt worthless and alone in his situation, even though everybody was there for him. Until one day, the clinic called to tell him that the test results from last month showed a miracle, the medication started to kick in and was stopping the disease from killing the white cells from his immunologic system. The doctor told him to keep using the medication, because eventually he was going to have a normal immunologic system, but that he shouldn’t stop, not even for a day, taking his pills. He felt anxious. He stopped for a second to think this over. As he sits, still with his phone on hand, he thinks: “I’ve been giving a second chance to keep fighting”. When his mother knew about this, she shed tears of joy and was happy that his little boy was given this opportunity. This is only one story of millions that go through this unpredictable virus. This people are taking care of other people through their medication. This medication not only helps them to not get even sicker, but helps not to spread the virus to other people. HIV/AIDS patients are doing their work to protect other people not get infected. They don’t want other people to go through what they are going through. May not what Andrew is passing through be ever your case, but if it is, remember that you are loved and have a support network that will always be there to carry the same weight that you carry through life. In this month, let’s show appreciation and support to those survivors and warriors and families that are challenged with this task in life and don’t judge them, they don’t deserve resentment from anyone, all they need is your support. Remember to never overlook them and that this could happen to you in any way. Show love and support to them. Don’t be like the media and dehumanize them, they are regular people that love and need to love and can maintain a good relationship just like anybody else. Educate and learn a new perspective from this disease, we need to learn to care for one other and not judge each other of our situations, because we are all the same. Also, be aware of your status and take the test at your local STD Clinic or support center and learn the truth about each situation and not the myths that you hear: educate, love and support.
Makeup and photo by: Edwin Irizarry, Editing by: Cheyenne Corujo, Model: Nicole Conde (Michael)