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Author Topic: How to get involved locally?  (Read 6877 times)

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Offline Ravhyn

  • Member
  • Posts: 260
  • Nerd Alert
How to get involved locally?
« on: February 17, 2010, 10:01:24 pm »
I live about an hour west of Nashville, which I think will be the only place I can get active. I know they have Nashville Cares. How do I get my foot in the door with getting active? I've never been active in anything in my life really.  But, since finding out in Jan that I was positive I want to be active, I want to help in every way I can even if it's just talking about the virus to people and spreading the word about using condoms.  Or delivering food, holding fundraisers whatever it takes.

Being active is the one thing that has pulled me out of my depression to date.  I want to make lemonade out of these lemons and help other people. 

So can anyone give me any advice on how to get started? who to contact? where to go? 
April 2006 - Sero-Conversion
December 2009 - Diagnosed
Jan 2010- VL 3,800 CD4 152
Summer 2010 VL UD, CD4 over 200
September 2010 VL UD, CD4 324
March 2011 VL UD, CD4 477
May 2011 VL UD, 338

Offline YaKaMein

  • Member
  • Posts: 368
Re: How to get involved locally?
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2010, 10:23:50 pm »
Welcome to the forums,
I read your blog and assume you have contacted them: nashvillecares.org
Nashville Cares, 501 Brick Church Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37207, 615-259-4866, HEARTLine: 800-845-4266

I was angered at your entry where you stated you were forced to sign a paper to not conceive. WTF?? having any disease does not allow others to force you to give up reproductive freedom.

If you've not already done so, consider the not only the positive women's forum here, but others too. This site's been informative and has some great folks with great heartshere.

Glad you're hoping to get involved. All the best in your life and health. -YaKa
09/11 Endocrine Consult
08/11 CD4 328 14.9% VL 0
 Disc'd Bactrim DEXA -3.1 Tscore
03/11 CD4 338 14.7% VL 0
11/10 CD4 300 14.3% VL 0 <20copies
07/10 CD4 336 14.0% VL 0 DEXA -2.7 Tscore
03/10 CD4 308 13.4% VL 0 Vit D normal
01/10 Began FOTO
11/09 CD4 274 13.7% VL 0 Chol 173 Trig 131
07/09 CD4 324 13.5% VL 0 DEXA -3.1 Tscore lumbar
03/09 CD4 207 10.9% VL 0
11/08 CD4 227 10.3% VL 0 Chol 176 Trig 156
04/08 CD4 228 9.5% VL 0
01/08 CD4 194 9.0% VL 0
09/07 CD4 176 8.3% VL 0
03/07 CD4 130 9.5% VL 0 Chol 261  Trig 227
12/06 CD4 109 6.4% VL 0
09/06 CD4  88 5.5% VL und desens'd rtd to Bactrim
08/06  Began Atripla
07/06 CD4  59 5.0% VL 145 Chol 117 Trig 104
06/06  Bactrim rash, X2 Dapsone
 EFV & Truvada Chol 128 Trig 131
05/06 CD4  6 (2.0%) VL 78667 only V179D mutation Dx PC MAC

Offline Hellraiser

  • Member
  • Posts: 4,155
  • Semi-misanthropic
Re: How to get involved locally?
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2010, 11:03:31 pm »
The Mississippi Department of Health had me sign paperwork that said I was legally liable if I infected anyone else.  I found out later that I was not legally required to even go to the Department of Health.

An embarassing interview for a very old infection and they gleaned no useful information from me because I have absolutely no idea who infected me.  Not to mention I was so anemic it basically killed me just getting up to the place, and I was surrounded by sick people.  Just glad I came out of it without picking up anything else.  I understand the motivation behind it, but when I look at the guy and told him I haven't slept with anyone unprotected in a while, he should have taken it at face value.

Sorry, still a little bitter about that whole process.

Offline YaKaMein

  • Member
  • Posts: 368
Re: How to get involved locally?
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2010, 12:07:34 am »
Hate hearing about this kind of abuse. We don't have to sign such garbage. Intentional criminalizing laws are a scourge and to add insult having people sign some incriminating document or supplant a right is outrageous. You've both been victimized and understandably embittered about it. This crap needs to stop.
09/11 Endocrine Consult
08/11 CD4 328 14.9% VL 0
 Disc'd Bactrim DEXA -3.1 Tscore
03/11 CD4 338 14.7% VL 0
11/10 CD4 300 14.3% VL 0 <20copies
07/10 CD4 336 14.0% VL 0 DEXA -2.7 Tscore
03/10 CD4 308 13.4% VL 0 Vit D normal
01/10 Began FOTO
11/09 CD4 274 13.7% VL 0 Chol 173 Trig 131
07/09 CD4 324 13.5% VL 0 DEXA -3.1 Tscore lumbar
03/09 CD4 207 10.9% VL 0
11/08 CD4 227 10.3% VL 0 Chol 176 Trig 156
04/08 CD4 228 9.5% VL 0
01/08 CD4 194 9.0% VL 0
09/07 CD4 176 8.3% VL 0
03/07 CD4 130 9.5% VL 0 Chol 261  Trig 227
12/06 CD4 109 6.4% VL 0
09/06 CD4  88 5.5% VL und desens'd rtd to Bactrim
08/06  Began Atripla
07/06 CD4  59 5.0% VL 145 Chol 117 Trig 104
06/06  Bactrim rash, X2 Dapsone
 EFV & Truvada Chol 128 Trig 131
05/06 CD4  6 (2.0%) VL 78667 only V179D mutation Dx PC MAC

Offline Ravhyn

  • Member
  • Posts: 260
  • Nerd Alert
Re: How to get involved locally?
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2010, 10:30:32 pm »
Yes I contacted Nashville Cares

I think the whole signing the paper had to do more with the army.  I will dig the paperout and scratch out my info and scan it for my blog.  I was upset then, and I had seriously believed what the paperwork said that I wasn't allowed to concieve.  So when I came on here I was really surprised too see so many women talking about babies and when I went to Nashville they were very kind and she hinted that it is possible and that they had six negative babies born this last year (or over the past couple years) can't remember and one positive baby because the mom did not get treatment. 

The stigma is what bothers me, not because it's directed at me, I can handle it. But so many out there can't. I was very fortunate to have understanding friends and family but not everyone does and they become isolted. 

I did email Nashville cares though I havent recieved a response yet, or I missed it.  I asked about anything closer to home.  I''m also doing a partylite fundraiser over the next month to raise money to take down there to Nashville Cares, it probable wont be a lot but it makes me feel better even if its just some pocket change. 
April 2006 - Sero-Conversion
December 2009 - Diagnosed
Jan 2010- VL 3,800 CD4 152
Summer 2010 VL UD, CD4 over 200
September 2010 VL UD, CD4 324
March 2011 VL UD, CD4 477
May 2011 VL UD, 338

Offline WillyWump

  • Member
  • Posts: 7,367
  • EPIC FIERCENESS!
Re: How to get involved locally?
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2010, 11:42:49 pm »
I live about an hour west of Nashville, which I think will be the only place I can get active. I know they have Nashville Cares. How do I get my foot in the door with getting active? I've never been active in anything in my life really.  But, since finding out in Jan that I was positive I want to be active, I want to help in every way I can even if it's just talking about the virus to people and spreading the word about using condoms.  Or delivering food, holding fundraisers whatever it takes.

Being active is the one thing that has pulled me out of my depression to date.  I want to make lemonade out of these lemons and help other people. 

So can anyone give me any advice on how to get started? who to contact? where to go? 

Rav,

There are several pathways you might consider to get involved.

You've already emailed Nashville Cares (which I assume is the closest ASO to you), that's a good start. Also you might consider joining a support group in your area, the reason I say this is I joined a support group here and soon found myself helping with getting informational pamphlets together to distribute throughout the city. I even participated in manning a booth at the local community college and handing out literature, condoms, etc..The ASO's do this also but our support group lended a hand in these types of functions. There is always need for people willing to do these types of tasks. If there are no support groups in your area, pehaps you should look into starting one, maybe one for women only, your choice. Find a local library or church willing to let you use their facility and then start getting the word out or placing ads about your new support group.

Also most ASO's are connected to or run their own AIDS Hospice facilities. You might check into that, even just emptying trash cans or washing dishes at a Hospice can go along ways towards helping. Of course, if you wish you can probably do more intense duties at a Hospice facility, such as assisting the patients, etc... Just ask.

We have several fundraising activities in our area, "Viva Las Vegas", "Western Swing", "Webb PArty" are some of the annual events we have in the area and they are always looking for volunteers to help with these. These may or may not be associated with the Local ASO, just do some checking around.

We also have AIDS Thrift stores which need volunteers to man the store, sort doantions, etc..

We also have an independent AIDS Emergency Shelter complex that helps homeless people with HIV get off the street, they too are always looking for help.

These are just examples of the opportunities in my area, these may or may not be in your area but it gives you an idea of what's out there.

The best place to find these types of opportunities is obviously through the local ASO, but you can also Just google the info. For example Google "AIDS NAshville", or "AIDS Ft Bend" and sort through the results.

Good luck and it's good to hear you are so eager to get involved.

-Will
POZ since '08

Last Labs-
11-6-14 CD4- 871, UD
6/3/14 CD4- 736, UD 34%
6/25/13 CD4- 1036, UD,
2/4/13, CD4 - 489, UD, 28%

Current Meds: Prezista/Epzicom/ Norvir
.

 


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