Blog 12- It's almost over

South Beach, I'll see you soon!!! :)

Only a week left before final exam and I can't wait. I started the count down for summer since after Spring Break and it is finally...close. It's not here yet but it is so close that I can smell South Beach and the good night sleep awaiting me.
This semester was a very challenging one for me, especially for this class. I can never seem to catch a break with the assignments. I love the class but wasn't a fan of all the works.
But overall, I've learn alot and I can honestly say that I appreciated my health much more than before. Life is too preciuos and I want to treat it as such not only by protecti ng myself sexually but I am also eating healthy and take my exercises routines more seriously.
I am thankful for being able to read and interract with some of the students in the class. I hope everyone enjoyed the class like I did and hopefully will pass it with a satisfying grade.
Good Luck to you all and Have a great summer vacation!!!!

Did You Know!!!!
Mystery 4: Some HIV positive people Never Get AIDS Disease
"A Many people, known as Long Term Non-Progressors, have been HIV positive for over a decade, have not taken therapy, yet have still not got sick with AIDS. These people, along with the long latency period in others, are living evidence that something apart from HIV is needed" (http://aras.ab.ca/mnm.pdf) .

According to Munoz et al, " we presdict that approximately 13% of homosexual/bisexual men infected at a young age may remain so for > 20 years. Since studies have not followed individuals for such periods, long-term survivors must be characterized using stability of immunologic markers. In a cohort of 1,809 seropositive men followed since 1984-85, 15% (187/1,214) of those with at least two consecutive visits early in the study showed no decline in CD4+ cell count. From these, 67 men with long follow-up and no use of zidovudine were identified as cases to investigate correlates of protection against HIV-1-induced immunodepletion" (Munoz el al, 1995).

http://aras.ab.ca/mnm.pdf

Munoz el al. ( 1995, April 15). Long-term survivors with HIV-1 infection: incubation period and longitudinal patterns of CD4+ lymphocytes. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7697447

Blog 11- Just a couple weeks left!!!!

There is only a couple weeks left before final and I am trill that this semester is almost over. I am praying to God that I make it through. I don't think I can take one more month of this, my brain is working overtime, I might go crazy. I think I did alright in my classes, I am only worrying about this class because so far I am not where I want to be. So, I have to make the last weeks count.

This monday was the first day that I started to carry the HIV egg with me and so far it is not going so good. I only have class monday, wednesday, and Friday, both monday and today my egg had cracked and licked all over my desk. I had to spent the rest of the day smelling like eggs, so after this experiment I don't think I 'll look at eggs the same way again. I only have this friday left to really expose my egg the way I want to and this time I'll boiled it. I didn't have time to boil the egg today so tommorrow night before I go to bed I'll boil it and put it in the frig for Friday. But besides that I had some feedbacks about the HIV eggs. Most people thought that it was funny and laugh, others gave me weird looks like I was crazy or something. Can wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

If I have enough time I might dress up my eggs for the Easter season.... Yayy!!!

DID YOU KNOW!!!!

Myth #2: Women who are HIV positive will definitely spread the disease to their unborn babies.

Fact: If a woman knows that she is HIV positive early in her pregnancy and receives the right treatment, her chances of spreading the virus to her unborn baby are less than 2 percent in the United States. Without treatment, however, this risk increases to approximately 25 percent.

QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board. (2008, Nov. 20). HIV/AIDS: Myths vs. Reality. Retrieved from http://www.qualityhealth.com/colds-infections-articles/hivaids-myths-vs-reality

Blog 10- Bestiality

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Blog 9- Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS)

This past week, I couldn't help thinking of my friend by home. Just like last week the rumors are still present but it seems that she is not only HIV positive but pregnant as well. I can't imagine what she must be going through, if the rumors are true. I tried to call her a few times but I was able to reach her. I want to be there for her but how can I be of any help if she does'nt even want me there? Then again it's probably just rumors.

While browsing the web this weekend I came accross this organization known as Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS)
Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS) is the grassroots mobilization of black women in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Launched on June 20, 2008, SOS encourages black women living in Florida to get tested where they live, work, play, and worship. Since its launch, eight local SOS conferences have been conducted, 7544 people have taken the online pledge, and over 100,000 black women in Florida were tested in 2010.
The SOS initiative focuses on the following endeavors:

• To educate black women about HIV/AIDS and how other STDs, hepatitis and substance abuse increase their risk.
• To empower black women to take charge of and control their sexual health.
• To connect black women to HIV/AIDS resources.
• To offer tools that enable black women to educate others where they live, work, play, and worship.

	http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wemakethechange.com%2F&h=36625

They have a conference every year and last year conference was in Fort Lauderdale. "The conference is designed to educate women about the impact of HIV/AIDS and develop an
action plan that prevents the further spread of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STDS) among Black women in Broward County. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss
this issue with doctors, community providers and other health professionals who are experts in the
treatment of and education about HIV/AIDS, STDs, human sexuality, and the provision of mental
health services" (Sistas Organizing to Survive and APA, 2010).

(2010, April 26). Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS) Education and Empowerment Conference Schedule for Thursday, May 6, 2010. Retreived from http://browardchd.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=4LcYUHAe8Io%3D&tabid=113

Did You Know!!!!

There are people out there who still think that straight people don't get HIV. I am sorry to say but if someone tells me that I'll ask him if he or she have been leaving under a rock for the past decades. I know people don't want to talk about it much but I think they should at least know how common it is and how fast it is spreading. According to the Well Project "The majority of HIV positive people worldwide are heterosexual. Risk is not about labeling people; it is about behavior" (The Well Project and APA, 2010).

The Well Project. (2010, July). Myths about HIV. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art58887.html

Blog 8- What a week!!!

 Ladadee, Haiti- picture taking by Lydie Joseph

THE WEEK AFTER SPRING!!!! Can I say disaster!!!! Good thing I had fun in the cruise. I met a lot interesting people and plenty of vitamin D. I was feeling great until I get back in Orlando last Sunday night and found out that my house lock was change and i had to come up with a grand to get in. The funny part about the story is that security or whoever was in charge made a mistake and evicted the wrong person.  So I had to crash at a friend house that night because the person in charge wasn't in until the next day. Yes, I know life can be so unfair to the innocent.

When I came back from the cruise last weekend, there was a rumor going around that one of my childhood friend is HIV positive. We've lost contact since I've moved to Orlando last year, so I don't know if I should call her and ask or wait until she tells me? I want to be there for her if the rumors are true but I don't want to break the little we have left of our friend if the rumors are false. I am so confused!!!! For right now, I'll just act like I didn't hear anything. It's probably safer.

DID YOU KNOW!!!
Bathing after sex can prevent HIV and Aids!!!
This myth was first emerged in 2006 during the rape trial of South African President Jacob Zuma who stated that he took a bath after he had knowing had unprotected sexual relation with an infected woman.  According to the counselling manager of the National Aids Helpline, Hope Mhlongo, the president's statement created a lot of confusion throughout the nation.
The South African HIV Clinicians Society hopes to reduce the damage by reiterating that:

The most effective protection from HIV that a person can use during sex is the correct and consistent use of condoms;

Showering or bathing will not prevent HIV transmission and in the case of women, douching (washing of the vagina) may even increase the risk of HIV transmission;

Not using safe-sex practices, including the use of a condom when one has multiple sexual partners, shows reckless disregard for your partners' health; and

All South Africans who are sexually active should find out their HIV status regularly. It is taking responsibility for your own health (Green and Gordin, 2006).

Green, J. and Gordin, J. (2006, April 10). Zuma's 'Shower Theory' Causing Confusion. Retreived from http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-s-shower-theory-causing-confusion-1.273500

Blog 7- Spring Break is Here!!!!!!

Hey Guys,
                I hope everyone is as excited as I am for Sprint Break. Yay!!!! I am counting down the days.  Monday around this time, I'll be on a ship cruising to Labadee, Haiti and Jamaica. I can't wait, I know I'll have a lot of fun. BUT... it also reminded me of the scenario from the QOTW#2. So, I'll minize my drinks to two cups per day instead of my regular six cups.
 
In regard of this week QOTW, I found that "the White House Office of National AIDS Policy's official strategy aims to reduce new infections by 25 percent in five years through better education and screening among higher risk populations, including young people" (HIV: Myths Persist and APA, 2011)."Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia already require schools to provide HIV/AIDS instruction, although these laws vary, according to the Guttmacher Institute" (HIV: Myths Persist and APA, 2011).


DID YOU KNOW!!!!
One-third of all new HIV infections occur in young people between the ages of 13 and 29. And according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll in 2009, nearly 30 percent believed  that HIV is spread through water in a swimming pool or by sharing a drinking glass. "The National AIDS strategy recommends schools improve current education by providing accurate and more age-appropriate information about the biological aspects of the infection. The office promotes programs that cover abstaining, delaying or limiting sexual activity but that also ensure sexually active young people know how to protect themselves" (HIV: Myths Persist and APA, 2011).

HIV: Myths Persist. (2011). State Legislatures, 37(1), 11. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ucf.edu/ehost/detail?hid=122&sid=e7eb5ed9-72d5-495f-a351-a8778742c828%40sessionmgr114&vid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=57429749

Blog 6- What We Fear The Most About HIV.

For my research this week, I came across an article by Tyler J. Helms from his column called "Living the Questions" (Helms, 2011). Tyler Helms is "an award- winning advertising executive, a former TV journalist, and a contributor for the world's leading gay news magazine, The Advocate"(Helms, 2011). It's a great article and I personally think that it is an inspiration for others who are living with the disease. There are certain things that he said in the article that I've, myself, been given a lot of thoughts lately.

One of the things is said is that “there is power in the conversation around HIV/AIDS today, but I have struggled to elaborate beyond that. What message should this conversation be supporting, debating, or developing? What makes this disease so very different from any other illness? Why is it still so hard talk about? How would conversation help? On one hand, HIV is manageable; in its 30 years they have made advancements unlike any other terminal illness of its kind. But on the other hand, there is this huge social stigma, perception, and cloud of preconceived notions that follow even the healthiest HIV-positive person” (Helms, 2011). The researches, the knowledge, and the educations about HIV had progressed since the 1900s, which is good for HIV patients in regards to better treatment and health but what do they do for them socially? Why can’t a HIV-positive person come out publicly and be treated the same? We have come far from where we were in the 1900s, but we are not quite there yet.

He also stated that even though “no longer scared of dying from HIV, we are each in some way scared of living with it” (Helms, 2011).  Oh, that statement really hit the spot. Even though I wouldn’t want to discriminate against someone with HIV, I find out that I wouldn’t want to be them either. Like he put it, I am “Scared of being infected. Scared of being judged. Scared of someone lying about his or her status. Scared of getting sick. Scared of a sex life forever changed. Scared of what my friends may think, for taking a chance on love. Scared of never finding love. Scared of being alone. Scared of a world scared of me” (Helms, 2011).  I am a hypocrite???? I want to help fight the stigma about HIV and AIDS but as long I am not in that position, being a HIV positive.

Helms, T. (2011, Feb. 22). Living The Questions. Retreived from http://www.advocate.com/Health_and_Fitness/Health_and_Treatments/Living_the_Questions_February_23/

DID YOU KNOW

I had the chance to talk to a newlywed woman this week at a hair store and sometime during our conversation the disease HIV came up. She stated " it is impossible for me to get HIV, I've only been with one man I won't contract the disease". I was dumbfounded and she was very serious. I found it ironic because that is one of the myths for HIV. According to the Well Project, so people think they are safe from contracting HIV because they are monogamous. I tried to explain to her that even though she is a faithful wife that doesn’t mean her husband is, and that before her she doesn’t know who her husband has been in sexual contact with. I don’t think she liked my comment very much but she did thank me and we went our separate ways. Some questions need to be considered by everyone who is in any kind of relationship: “Were you tested for HIV before you got into the relationship? Was your partner? Are you sure both tests was negative? Do you spend twenty- four hours a day together?” (The Well Project, 2010).

The Well Project. (2010, July). Myths about HIV. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art58887.html