World AIDS day

[Kappa]

The boyfriend of a male friend of my mother's died of AIDS a little more than a year ago. I knew him for little more than three months before he died. I wasn't all that young, and quite conscious of what AIDS is, does, and works like, but even then, I would not be allowed to visit him in his last days in the hospital. His partner told my mother he just didn't want to be seen in the condition he was, and he died a week after we were told he didn't want us to see him like he was.

After a bit of thought on how he died and the horror of what AIDS is, I can't but feel proud of surviving on mere information. No one is safe, no matter if you're white or black or asian or slavic or alien or hetero or gay or bi or yourself. Sharing freddie's lament on how Freddie Mercury died, I post these links with good information.

Be informed. Yahoo's briefcase on it.

AIDS.org.

[angeljas01]

I'm sorry about what happened...
Thank you so much for the information Darje, knowledge is the key in AIDS prevention.

[Lena410]

thanks for the thread and the links darje.

[freddie]

Thanks for the links Darje.
I think it's high time we stop fooling ourselves that you just go to sleep when you die of AIDS. That's what they said about FM. That he "died peacefully at his London home." This was far from the case. He died of bronchial pneumonia caused by the disease - he suffered terribly during his last days; he went deaf and blind, his skin was decaying, he couldn't breathe he weight 46 kilograms in his final week.
It's a horrid disease and I think people would be way more carreful if they actualy saw an AIDS pacient die once.

[QueenBee]

Thanks alot for the links Darje.

I myself am very scared of getting AIDS. I am not sexually active but I am horrified by the fact that I could actually become a victim of sexual abuse (god forbid). Sometimes there just isn't a way to protect ourselves, but I hope everyone here who is sexually active is smart enough to use a condom! Just use a condom!!!!!!

[Kappa]

freddie, *nodnod.* I saw a case of a terminal AIDS patient. Do you know how he died? For what he said, someone in the subway had the flu and passed it to him. It degenerated into pneumonia and killed him within six weeks. He suffered badly the last three.

[Lux]

this reminds me of pedro, from real world. he died in 94, and he is one of the few people i've seen who was not afraid of death. at least, he handled it very acceptingly.

in the 8th grade my elementary school brought an AIDS patient in as a speaker and he was also very unafraid. he spoke of living with it calmly and collectedly, which made such a positive impression on me about dealing with the virus.

[goku]

Well once you have it, there's basically nothing you can do to get rid of it. You just have to face the truth and move on and make the best of your life. Still, this does take a deal of courage. If AIDS continues to climb at the wild fire rate its killing at, it will become the deadliest disease to man. You know, there was a real interesting thread on this forum a while back. We were talking about religion, and how with the coming of the millenium God was about to relinquish control of Earth to the Devil for 1000 years, and how there would be much death and destruction. Our first prime example were the many terrorist attacks that have happened, like the 9/11 hijackings in America and the car bombs in Turkey. Could the AIDS/HIV virus be just another terrible event? Hmmm...

[Kappa]

goku, it's in records. AIDS/VIH will be a significative event in the 21st century.

[Lux]

goku - i know that. there is no cure for AIDS yet, only treatment. but i was very happy to see how brave these individuals are. some people crumble at the fate of knowing their immediate death. i wouldn't be brave enough to, thats for sure.

[taty994945]

AIDS is a terrible disease. Something must be done about the situation in Africa.

[PowerPuff Grrl]

Originally posted by taty994945
AIDS is a terrible disease. Something must be done about the situation in Africa.

Well, whatever it is, don't leave it to the Vatican Church. The reason why the disease keeps spreading is because of the very scarce availability of contraceptives and protection out there. We all know the Church's stance on procreating, well now we know how far they'll take it. Knowing that AIDS has approxiamately affectly a quarter of the entire African population and still continues to spread, the Church still refuses to educate people to safe sex and heavily discourages other institutions from doing so (the Vatican has been pretty successful doing this). They have even gone so far as to release an official statement - right out of the Pope's mouth - stating that condoms don't prevent people from STD's. Knowing the power and influence they have over Africa, I bet my bottom dollar AIDS will become an even bigger issue than what it already is in the near future.


Just when I thought I couldn't hate the Vatican Church more, they go ahead and pull this sh!t.