Nomad JuanCa's Report

Tomorrow i will deliver my second testimony, i am meeting Claudia and her co worker (the pretty but silly psychologist from Social Security Hospital). We will team in this sensibility training. That's gonna be cool, i like to facilitate :) feels like AIESEC time.

I won't take my tests tomorrow... cause i don't think i will be done with them by the time Claudia will pick me up. I will take them next week. Today did a good sale. Except from something i read at night...

The next editorial note "Control of AIDS and infected ones" was published today, June 30th 2007, in El Diario Manabita, province newspaper. Being near to the National Assembly to be conformed, it is very important to open discussion about the rights of people and about the position that some sectors take. Your comment about this will be quite useful to create educational activities locally about THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS/HIV. Carlos Terán. ATP - UNFPA
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EDITORIAL - El Diario - 30 de junio 2007
CONTROL OF AIDS AND ITS INFECTED

Those who keep a systematic control of diseases like AIDS are against to disclose the names of those suffering of that illness, trying to prevent the infected ones from social discrimination that would damage their already poor health.

They explain that to the physical illness this would increase the mental and emotional discomfort, bringing consecuences, even from infected's families, because generally the critics, jokes and discrimination comes before the feeling of human solidarity.

In front of this, there is not even the intention to impose special control to their activities, leaving their actions and moral and sexual behaviour to their own will.

Understandable measure. Although, It has been known about some cases that people infected with Aids, have been infecting others intentionally.

Alarm signals, have started from entities like SOGA (protector of aids infected people) because the increase of infected ones, fear that was been confirmed by real numbers even though they have not been official yet.

Being respectful to other's pain and rights, we believe that our community is facing one of those moments where considerations for people should be re considered and re evaluated accordingly to how these people exercises their rights.

If there is a law the impose protection to the identities of infected people, this one should be reviewed to modify it in a way that does not affect the security of our community.

Who knows is carrier of death and intentionally exercises forbidden activities to multiply the disease, lose automatically his rights at the moment of becoming a menace against the security and well-being of citizens.

The respective authorities, specially health ones, should create a real epidemic control to enclosure the disease.
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I replied....

Dear all, i have read this editorial gently submitted by Silvia Tello and i have to say that as a person living with HIV i have found it SAD.

It shows how few people try to get educated in an illness that in 20 years more will be considered same like cancer. Although of course... it is hard to ask some people to have some historical perspective... lets go back in time and imagine the years when cancer was firstly discovered... when there was no cure... and no treatments like those we have nowadays...wouldn't people react to the cancer patients same way they react nowadays to the seropositives ones?? what made the difference during these years was....THE EDUCATION... that's why nowadays cancer patients don't have to hide themselves... pity none is trying to get educated on HIV.

I also want to clarify something and it is a pity i don't have the email of the "journalist" writing this editorial, because i have learnt something ... one cannot deliver phrases nor numbers without a prove... phrases like "It has been known about some cases " cannot be said just like that. Some cases is how much? one? two? none?. Who said it? this journalist? the Ministry of Health? the neighbour around the corner?. Long before diagnosed seropositive i was taught one has to show proves for what we say.

Until what i know, none has established legal actions against anyone because of being infected of Hiv in this country (none gets infected of AIDS... but of HIV.. something this journalist with lack of education does not know). In case a demand like this one would be established there are tests (fenotype ones if i am not wrong) that could prove the responsibility or lack of it of the accused.... of course... these tests are expensive because nor the government nor anyone else.. have taken the time to put them available to the public, still with it they exist... and i assume you already knew them, right?.

For me the point is clear, people speak without knowing what they say. A week ago i delivered my testimony in a health care facility was a part of a sensibility training. First of all it was a huge impact for them because i am not black, nor drugs addicted, nor living a crazy life, it means i am not into the paradigm that sadly people with lack of knowledge about this illness have (i have nothing against these groups.. but it is a pity that ignorance makes people believe they are risk groups... without realising we are all in risk of this disease... same like we all could catch flu). The point i really want to emphasise is that at the end of my testimony there was a woman coming to me and asking me....

...."after diagnosed didn't you feel the desire of having sex with lot of people in infecting them with Hiv? I ask you because i knew i guy from my neighbourhood who died of aids and their family as soon as he died they burned all his clothe and all his things. They told all the people that he died happy because before dying he had infected lot of woman by having sex with them".

I replied... what you say has nothing to do with the Hiv, Hiv does not make a person bad or good... if the person is bad... he will keep on being bad with Hiv or without it. If the person is good, he will keep on being good with or without Hiv. What would happen if a thief gets infected with Hiv... it is very possible he will keep on stealing. What would happen if a priest gets infected with Hiv... he will keep on delivering his ceremonies and following his vocation (unless the church fires him...none knows how they would react).

The point is... firstly, lot of these "gossips, tales, and so on" are not based on real cases... what would happen if i would tell you "the neighbour of this woman told her, to tell me... to tell you that there are some people infecting others with Hiv intentionally". Some naives would go out running and screaming terrified (same like this journalist).. although some others would ask proves for such affirmation, because there are not known cases.

In the last six months i have received emails telling bollywood stories about things happening in Mexico... supposed bad things done by Hiv+ people.... to both emails i replied with a complain because people cannot be so naive to believe everything they read.... but yes, we still have some of those. That's why we don't improve politically, financially... we are like sheeps without critic sense... not even journalist feel ashamed of writing silly articles like this one published in this newspaper.

Are there people infecting others intensionally?... there are no proves, but lets assume there are... and not just because of being seropositives, but because they were already miss-adapted prior to their diagnosis. Hope that is clear. Although there is a need of proves before a non-aids-educated journalist comes to ask that our right of anonymity to be retired. I actually don't use it much anyways, because my family and my friends know about my diagnosis and they have assimilated it well, because they have been abroad and know that in other countries the people living with Hiv is same like the person living with heart diseases, or diabetes... just in this corner of the world people keep on freaking out. WHAT A SHAME THAT MY COUNTRY THERE ARE LOT OF IGNORANT PEOPLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE YET!.

By other hand this journalist is missing a point... assuming that there are 1 or 100 or zero people infecting others intensionally, the infection is IMPOSSIBLE if people would have protected sex like a way of living. And i hope more than one reading this is aware that scientifically and statistically condoms have proved to be effective in prevention of HIV infection. I assume i am dealing with educated people on this issue therefore i will not post url addresses of internet sites about this. Everything can be summarised in this point... the new infections does not depend on HIV positives people totally... in fact, not even in a minor percentage... because i can only be responsible of my own health, not of other's. Even though most of the people i know would disclose before having sex or if not disclosing they will be extremely careful and take safety measures not to risk anyone's health (taking into account most of the time the other person has never ever taken Hiv test), but the final responsibility and obligation belongs to each individual, something people fail to understand.

Since my diagnosis until now... i have listened 3 seronegative people to mention they are having unprotected sex and have never taken the Hiv test, in this cases they were not aware of my status. At the same time i have received at least 3 request of unprotected sex from people saying they "don't feel comfortable with using condom" simply trying to hide the fact they don't like to use protecting and have never ever protected while having sex. I have refused these offers. The final point at the end of the day will be always the same... each one of these people are responsible of their own decisions and actions. In this case i know my diagnosis and i can help not to put them in risk... even though it is not my obligation but THEIRS, but my conscience like human being guides me to behave as what i am... a good person. What would happen if i would not know my status?? if i would have not taken the eliza tests??? in that case... the person unaware of his status is not responsible for other's poor decisions. And not even now, we, seropositives might be consider responsible for wrong decisions taken by others. It is their own personal responsibility. It is being time for everybody to understand that if they use protection in their sexual relationships there is no risk of infection.

Something else this journalist fails to note ... is that for each person aware of his status, there are three not aware that they are seropositive and they keep on infecting others. It is very possible that the increase of cases could respond tot he bigger emphasis made to people to get tested and to the fact that there are tests available for free for pregnant women... being only this the way they and their husbands get to know they are infected.

Everybody always try to look at other place when they have to assume their own responsibility for their acts, why instead of looking for someone to blame this journalist starts to promote National Testing Day that is held in USA every year and is now being promoted in Latin America. During this day free Hiv tests are offered to people under the motto of "take the test, take the control" while making them understand they have to be responsible for their own health and know their status... i assume you knew all that. Perhaps we need other 10 years until Health Ministry and Education Ministry get the news and realise it is a good idea.

That without telling that the more infected ones we have... the fewer medicine available for them.... if not ask me that social security does not even have my vitamins... if it was for them i would be death already. Why none makes an article about them and their criminal way of treating me?. Why this journalist does not write about the criminal ways some government institutions and social security treat patients not only of Hiv but of other diseases too?? Perhaps this won't cause scandal... ahh... journalist and their hunger for scandals.

What would happen if in my work the would get to know about my status?? what would i do if i get fired??. Independently that i am not a risk for anyone in my work.. i can work, run, jump, play soccer, swim, and so on without being a risk for anyone.... but who will make them understand?? YOU??? this journalist??? I don't need to keep my status hidden because thats silly.... if any day something happens to me and am unconscious... none would know my disease... and i could receive a doses of something that might hurt me instead of helping me... and would end up with my life faster than Hiv... although... i have to choose between unemployment and hunger (with lack of meds) or remain the way i am and ask to God to give me time and health to work until the day something in my body fails and i would have to be in hospital for a month or two... and my boss gets to know about my disease and after that.... fired. My family knows my status and if one day i am alone and feel like dying... i just need to make a phone call and they will come fast to rescue me and safe my life. As you can see... for us it would be better not to hide our status, because while being open about it... our lives does not depend only of our hands... that with the time will become weaker and weaker... but when we are open, our lives will depend on every single person around us in a moment of need.

One day i will be on street and will be hit by a car... and i will bleed....and i might be awake after it... perhaps someone will come to help me and i will say "Mrs watch out.. i am seropositive". Apart from the fact that stepping on or touching my blood is not risky for this person (unless she has any injure that will be in contact with my blood)... the point is... what do you think this woman will do??? what would YOU do??... help me???? run away??? run away screaming watch out watch out he has aids!!! he is a sidoso!!!. Only you can answer this, but be realistic and sincere while answering. I am tired of so much hypocrisy in this country. So while people like you and this journalist would be unable to help my survival...but keep on being a risk for it and for my normal life... i don't find a right for me to disclose to you, you would not do any good to me if you knew.

It is quite easy to move your tongue or in this case your pen when your survival is not in risk... but this journalist should eat his own article cause he does not know what he is talking about.

As usual this country is upside down, and it is so disappointing to know that ignorance is allowed in written media, i think that even myself could have written a better article than this mentioned "professional".

I hope nothing i have mentioned in this email would be "new" for you, otherwise i would request you to update your knowledge about this disease... perhaps that knowledge will help you out to save someone's life some day.

warm greetings,
Juan Carlos

PS: I know i will die some day, same like any other human being.... i know it won't be sooner nor later than anyone.. it will be just in the right time. Although there is a thing i won't do... I WON'T LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE SAD, ASHAMED AND READING STUPID THINGS ABOUT ME OR MY DISEASE without saying a word... I am a seropositive person, so what? i am not a monster, in fact i am very good person, very good friend, happy and trust worthy. I am a good human being and i think TO LIVE like that until the last day of my life. We have to fear the virus NOT TO THOSE INFECTED BY THE VIRUS.... I AM NOT THE VIRUS, THE FIGHT, THIS WAR.. IS NOT AGAINST ME...i though everybody in this country knew it.

PS1: instead of "enclosing the disease" like this journalist suggest.... we should enclose him!!!

I know it was long... sorry... but i was inspired and i had to say it all. 3am here....gotta go to sleep tomorrow it is going to be a great day.

Labels: New life, same illness