Moday Morning - Guest Speaker

Hi Everybody - hope your week goes well. I am getting ready to leave town for several days on business, but will try to keep up with posting as I am able to find time.

I was chatting with someone I met online yesterday who is a healthcare professional who works with persons affliced with HIV. I asked him if he had anything he wanted to say to us. He was kind enough to send me an e-mail with the following:

First and foremost, no matter what you do when you meet someone who is positive, NEVER treat them any differently. They eat, drink, sleep, and get dressed just like anyone else. We as people have the tendency to judge others before getting to know them. Never judge someone because of what they have. Cause you know what? It could happen to you at anytime. Not just from having sex, you could be exposed to blood in other ways.

You may have HIV, but it does not have you. Leading a normal healthy lifestyle, will enable you to live for many, many, years. Eat healthy, exercise, and never bareback with other positive guys with out a condom. Two strains of one virus can spell trouble. If your on medications, take them at the same time everyday and get your lab work on schedule. Take your vitamins religiously. Vitamins are known to help and also eat yogurt. Eating yogurt has been discovered to be very beneficial to HIV positive people.

Never treat someone HIV positive any differently. Treat them as you want treated, with dignity and RESPECT!!!! Cause there are people who are HIV positive that are not gay. There are men, women, and children living with HIV. We are all people, don't let living with HIV stop you from loving. I know of a family where the wife is positive, the husband is not. The wife had a daughter from a previous relationship and they are both positive. The new husband is not and married her. Now that is true love and you will find it to. Just because you are positive, doesn't mean you can't have a positive outlook on life. Like it was said in the movie Auntie Mame, "You know what your problem is?" "You've gotta LIVE LIVE LIVE!!!!!" Don't give up on life. Live it to the fullest. Good luck everyone. I wish you all the best. *Anonymous*

I thank him for offering such good advice! I hope that he will continue to be a contributor as it is warrented.

I had a phone call yesterday - and some other things happened which made yesterday something to talk about. But sadly, there isn't enough time to go over it right now - I have a plane to catch. I will fill you in on the news when I am settled in my hotel room with a good internet connection.

Be Well