Navigating HIV Disclosure, Love, and Health ChallengesI shared my HIV status with my husband on the very first day that we met. This was in 1998, and it...reactions3comments
How (and Why) I Took Control of My Treatment PlanI could not choose the time and place I became HIV positive. But I did decide when and why I would begin...reactions2comments
From Kaposi Sarcoma to High Blood PressureIt started with a bruise on my thigh. I thought I had bumped into something, except it didn’t go away. I could...reactions2comments
How I Avoid HIV Burnout as a Long-Term SurvivorI recently found an article about HIV burnout at my doctor’s office. I only had time to read the first sentence before...reactions1comment
After a Diagnosis and Treatment, What Now?I wasn’t expecting to be diagnosed with HIV for my 30th birthday. And I certainly wasn’t planning to be under treatment for...reactions4comments
How I Handled the Failures on My Path to HIV Treatment SuccessAs treatment options for HIV have changed, so have my personal views evolved. When I was first diagnosed, I resisted taking AZT...reactions1comment
Why I Shouldn't Be Afraid to Call My Doctor BackThe first time I heard the term AFRAIDS was several years before I tested positive for HIV. A friend said it was...reactions3comments
Beyond Diagnosis: How Embracing My HIV Status Taught Me to Truly LiveI began my HIV journey during the year with the highest number of AIDS deaths ever recorded in the United States. I...reactions3comments
What I Do to Control the Anxiety of UncertaintyThis is the 30th year that some type of HIV testing has been a part of my life. From the first confirmation...reactionscomments
What I Do When I Can't AnymoreIronically, I did not consider pursuing a career until I became HIV-positive. I had been very happy working front-line service-level jobs in...reactions5comments
What It Means to Get a Late-in-Life HIV DiagnosisLike everything else in life, things weren't supposed to turn out this way. In 1995 I was told to get my affairs...reactions3comments
Why I Stopped Being an HIV Advocate, Then Started AgainIn 1988, I met an AIDS activist, and my life was forever changed. It was during my high school years when I...reactions2comments
How Shingles Reminded Me HIV Health Is My Top PriorityYears ago, after a long Mardi Gras weekend, my partner woke up with a rash on his side. Within a few hours...reactions8comments
An HIV Test Saved My Life, but Not How You ThinkI took my first and only HIV test 3 decades ago. It saved my life, but not in the way you might...reactions2comments
Support After Loss and Illness: Is It Okay to Not Be Okay?When my partner died of AIDS, the world became a maelstrom of dark emotions and platitudes. At the end of his lingering...reactions6comments
My Tips on Surviving the Holidays and Living With HIVIt doesn't take a lot for me to get excited about the holidays. I always love the feeling in the air with...reactions2comments
Who I Had to Forgive When I Learned I Was HIV PositiveWhat is the most challenging act of forgiveness you have ever had to do? I began to understand what it meant to...reactions3comments
How I Handle Being a HIV Long-Term Survivor and a Long-Term CaregiverFor 30 years, I have been a caregiver to myself. I have managed doctors' appointments and treatment plans and built networks of...reactions5comments
Why I'm No Longer Ashamed of My HIV BellyOver the decades, I have watched so many vibrant, young people pass away. I knew some of them, and I only saw...reactions1comment
How I Outlasted My DoctorEarlier this year my doctor said something that I hoped I would never hear. “I’ve decided to retire.” My reaction was immediate...reactions4comments
