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A Long and Healthy Life With HIV

There are moments in my life that I stop and realize that I am almost going to be 30 years old. The crazy thing is that I was diagnosed with HIV a week before my 21st birthday and time is just flying by.

As I age over the years, I can acknowledge that I am aging with HIV. Over the years things like medication and treatment change, but the virus that I live with stays the same. I stay at an undetectable viral level, and I plan on continuing to stay that way.

There are times that I wonder how my life would be if I contracted HIV long before I did. I wonder how different my life might be if I was born in a different decade and saw the beginning of the AIDS epidemic.

Recognizing aging with HIV

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day is coming up on September 18, and I think it should always be recognized. This national awareness day sheds light on the increasing number of individuals living long and healthy lives with HIV. It brings attention to issues related to individuals over the age of 50 as well as trying to assess their health and social needs.

One great way to spread awareness is to try and encourage older adults to know their status by getting tested. Routine testing should be something that people of all ages should do especially if they are sexually active.

Reflecting on the battles from the past

I cannot imagine how difficult and frightening it might have been to get diagnosed with HIV over 30 years ago during a time when not many people understood the virus. When I was diagnosed in 2014, even with all the advancements, I still did not know what to do. I still panicked and was unsure about my future and my health.

There are so many individuals that are living long and healthy lives with HIV. Many are also getting to an undetectable viral level which means they have so little of the virus in their body that it is impossible to pass the virus to someone else.

In my opinion, I should do more for my community in how I raise awareness around National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. I am very fortunate to have had a diagnosis during a time when there were so many medical advances and when it was no longer a death sentence.

Showing appreciation for those who came before us

Raising awareness around this day will have individuals think about the time when HIV-positive individuals had to fight each day to stay healthy and strong. I feel the older generation is not shown enough appreciation for all that they have went through and for paving the way for many of us.

Moving forward, I want us all to appreciate those that are over the age of 50 and are living and thriving with HIV. It has not been easy the last few decades for those at the beginning of the epidemic and we should constantly appreciate those that came before us. Soon enough we will also be over the age of 50 and those who come after us will look to us for advice, comfort, and knowledge.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The H-I-V.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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