First off, piercing through the eyebrows, lips, nose, eyelids and through the ears are all considered normal. My thoughts on this is "If God wanted holes in my body he would have got out his drill!" Now as to the dress code. Remember how the boys used to wear their jeans baggy and way down their hips? Now they wear what is called "Skinnies". I know this because John told me. I digress! Back to my purpose here on this blog.
So there were 8 long tables here in the foyer and we all advertised free HIV testing and our job was to reel in the students, talk to them about safe sex and the end goal was to get them tested! I was absolutely amazed at our reception. Here we have mere babes in arms being counseled on how to have safe sex by an old woman who would not have even said the word out loud 20 years ago.
They all left with a handful of condoms and a goodly portion of them headed upstairs to learn their fate. That trip usually lasted about 20 minutes if they waited for results. Then they would come by the table and poke out their finger with the band aid and I would give them a high five. If they did not want to go upstairs they were given a card for free testing at the Health Center. Walk in. Anytime.
I noticed one young girl visiting the tables and you know how you can just tell sometimes? She finally came to my table. I told her my spiel. Free HIV testing and then I went a step further with her and engaged her in conversation. I told her if she had sex she needed to be tested. She told me she was pretty sure her boyfriend was faithful and I told her he probably was, but this is her body to take care of and protect. "Take the test and if it comes back negative you can breathe a sigh of relief. If it comes back positive then you got an early start and we will cross that bridge, but the unknown will do you in." Only with this girl did I leave my table and walk her up the stairs and personally deliver her to "the room". Of course I could not stay with her due to privacy issues. So I went down to my table to wait.
The goal in testing is it is part of education. There are people out there who think AIDS has been cured. They think it is not the problem it used to be. And it is definitely different. People used to die of AIDS Related Complications or ARC. But now we have high powered drugs that make the body toxic and in so doing suppress the viral load and build the immune system. Now the cause of death is Heart Failure, Liver Failure, Cancer, Lymphoma, and any disease that can come in under the radar. AIDS always wins in the end. Always.
Along with the AIDS test comes counseling. Now this whole process takes about 30 minutes from the needle stick till you get your results. Do you think anyone is going to leave that room and go have unprotected sex again without thinking about it? That would be just like setting there looking at a ticking time bomb and trying to figure out just when it is going to blow. Your whole life is now hanging on the word "if", the longest word in the English language. I am pretty sure I would change a few habits I carried for years if I had thought about them a little more!
It seemed that waiting for Melissa to reappear was one of the longest waits of my life. I had formed an instant bond with this little waif and I must confess I may have said a prayer or two inside my head that not our will but thine be done. I felt a personal connection to all the kids I sent upstairs, but it was just special with Melissa. I wanted them all to be alright, but especially this little girl with the sad eyes.
And my patience was rewarded after due time. I knew when Melissa started down the stairs what the news was! She was negative! So I gave her a card for the Health Center testing with instructions to get that boyfriend in and get him tested or I would be paying him a visit. Then I told her, "I am going to write about you on my blog, but look, no pictures. And I will change your name." Then I gave her a card and I just want her to say this to her.....
"Melissa, it was wonderful to meet you yesterday. You reflect the innocence of youth and the hope for the future. It is women like you who hold the key to ending this epidemic that grows every year. You can talk to your friends about safe sex and convince them that their bodies are theirs to protect and as women it is our duty. AIDS is not gender specific, it is not a GAY disease and it respects no boundaries. If your boyfriend thinks a condom is uncomfortable, what does he think full blown AIDS would be? You can help me do this. And you can have your friends talk to their friends and soon we will be an army of women marching shoulder to shoulder ...."
My God! I am woman hear me roar! I feel sooooo Helen Reddy!
In an ironical twist of fate there were in the neighborhood of 70 tests given yesterday and not one positive in the whole college! To me that was absolutely amazing. This group of people that I thought was the party crowd, clothing optional, pass the bong turns out to be responsible citizens of society. Well, I for one feel a little better about my future.
And I want to send a plea out to my Melissa and all the other Melissa's out there and the little gay guy and the macho football player and anyone else who will listen to me....I need you! Southern Colorado AIDS Project needs you. The Community Health Center needs you. We need warm bodies to help us. We are overwhelmed. Linda Lorraine at SCAP particularly needs help answering the phone and always something to be done. Do this. See down below this where it says send a comment? Send me a message. If you do not want it published just say so and it will be our little secret. If we keep talking we can conquer the world!
I do not remember who said this, but I remember it being said:
No man is an island....
P.S. I give a social luncheon on the second Tuesday of every month at the SCAP office. Everyone is welcome. Come and meet some of the clients that eat with me. They are wonderful people and this will put a face on this disease. We even have a tiny baby to play with! It starts at 11:30. Oh, but I am skipping December because the Springs office caters that one for Christmas! Well not skipping, but being lazy. I will be there with the cookie bags from PFLAG. Call me! I am lonely!
No comments:
Post a Comment