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Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: iking2009 on November 09, 2009, 02:21:32 pm

Title: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 09, 2009, 02:21:32 pm
I found out about my status about a year ago now. Initially, I knew that i wouldn't tell my parents/family right off. I thought I'd come around after i got more comfortable with myself & status...Well, now a whole year has gone by. I'm doing OK with everything, still not on meds, & my family still doesn't know. So the question is, am i wrong for keeping this from my family??  i think that if my parents knew, it would kill them, Way before hiv killed me. I feel like id rather take this secret to my grave.  Am i selfish???  Don't they have the right to know??
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 09, 2009, 02:47:09 pm


     I wouldn't say you are being selfish, no not at all.  Parents can be a bit sticky on the disclosure issue, but then again they can be on many different issues as well.  My parents are both deceased, if they were alive and not in poor health of course I would tell them because my mother would have killed me if I didn't.  Being that you said it would "kill them", I assume you are worried that they might worry about you unnecessarily.  That's why it was a good idea for you to wait.  You've know  accepted it as a part of your life and adjusted well.  Being that you are doing so well it might be a good time to disclose to them as opposed to a time when you are not.

    Essentially everyone's situation is different,  only you truly know your parents and what their reaction might be.  In my situation I would have definitely told, however I can understand why others would choose not to.

   It kind of reminds me of the 8th step in recovery.  You only make amends to those that won't do you harm!  I think that's how it goes anyways... it's been a long time. ;)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 09, 2009, 03:24:53 pm
i think that if my parents knew, it would kill them, Way before hiv killed me. I feel like id rather take this secret to my grave.  Am i selfish???  Don't they have the right to know??

I didn't tell my family for about 8 months after diagnosis.  At that point, I still wasn't on meds, but I was very sick in the hospital for 8 days with PCP pneumonia.  My plan had been to wait 'til I was on meds and doing fine and then disclose.  I did not want to tell them when I was sick and hospitalized.  They took it very well, which really shouldn't have been a surprise.  They are all very educated, accept other 'things' about my life just fine (such as being gay), and love me.  I now discuss my labs with my mom.  My dad asks about 'em too every so often when we talk.  

When I was trying to determine if or when I would disclose, I asked several friends - all have children - if they'd want to know if their child was HIV+.  All said yes.  I knew I'd tell my family if I had some sort of cancer or other serious, life-long illness, so once I got over the stigma of how I acquired HIV, it was a pretty easy decision to make.  One thing about it, the stress over not being able to talk about this one serious thing in my life was causing a tremendous amount of anxiety and panic attacks.

Maybe I just have an exceptional family and friends.  I'm not really sure, but I do know that my family accepted my being HIV+ way better than I ever imagined.  Honestly, I think they were more stressed by my having a motorcycle!  So, are you being selfish?  Perhaps you are just a bit.  Do you generally tell your family what's going on, both good and bad, in your life?  Good luck to you whatever you decide.

David

edited to add... I forgot to say welcome to the forums!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leatherman on November 09, 2009, 03:26:08 pm
I feel like id rather take this secret to my grave.  Am i selfish???  Don't they have the right to know??
no comments on me from whether THIS is the time or not; but here are some things to consider.

Would you tell them if you had cancer? Would you tell them if it was diabetes? It's never easy to pass along the news anytime you have a serious illness. Of course, I understand there's stigma surrounding HIV that isn't around those diseases; but there are an awful of illnesses that your family might be just as upset to hear that you have. If they care for you, hearing about cancer or HIV probably should cause them some consternation. As far as HIV having the stigma, if they are going to super freak out about it anyway, then the sooner you tell, the sooner they move pass their issues, and the sooner they will be able to support or help you.

Also, untreated HIV could eventually cause you to have some health problems before or just as you start onto meds. Do you want them to find out when you're sick? Do you want to have that discussion when you're sick? Just like talking about end-of-life decisions, it's probably better to talk about this kind of thing when you're healthy, happy, and more adapted to the news yourself.

Procrastination never really helps much; so sooner rather than later is usually a pretty good motto.

Concerning actually telling them - be prepared. Be prepared with answers (try looking at some of the Lessons here at AidsMeds. Some of those question will probably be the ones they ask of you). Be prepared for them to be stunned/scared/upset. Just remember that you've had time to deal with it, and they will probably be as shocked as you were at first. If it took you a year to "get more comfortable" about it, don't expect them to move to that mental state in an hour, a day, or a week maybe.  ;)

Best wishes for whenever you choose. ;D
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: GSOgymrat on November 09, 2009, 04:12:26 pm
It has been 16 years and I still haven't actually told my family. I really didn't want my mother to know because she had an anxiety disorder and would have worried all the time. She used to call me up and say "Are your tires getting worn out? I was up all night knowing it was raining and worried sick you are driving on bald tires." Only a mother cares about you like that.

I didn't tell my other family members because I didn't want mom to find out. Mom died of cancer in April and I am so very happy she never knew about it. If I needed her I would have told her but I think not telling her prevented her from unnecessary pain because she would have acted irrationally-- freaking out over every sneeze or weight fluctuation. My father found out about my HIV status by Googling my name and was fine with it because he is a very educated, rational person. Now that mom is gone I honestly don't care who knows.

Every person's situation is different and you need to decide what works best for you. Normally I would say honesty is the way to go, however looking back on my life so far I see having unsafe sex one of my worst decisions and not telling my mom about contracting HIV one of my best.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Nestor on November 09, 2009, 04:44:30 pm

I've never told my family and have no intention to.  Why worry them?  My mother began dealing with cancer shortly after I got HIV and the last thing she needed was to worry about me.  My grandmother is 92; what point would there be in upsetting her?  And my father--why would he want to know?  To have another thing to worry about?  I think like many people he would hear HIV and think of AIDS circa 1985 and it would upset him very much.  What would be the point? 

Maybe if I were living with or near them and they were a big part of my life my feelings would be totally different. 

A student of mine was recently given a ticket for something really ridiculous.  (He had been walking from one car to another on a moving subway, which is now illegal in NY.)  He had to go to the police station and make an appointment to appear in court and pay a fine.  I asked him if he told his parents.  "No," he said.  "In my culture"--he's from China--"we don't want to make our parents unhappy.  If they call me when I am sick I tell them I'm okay." 

Quote
Would you tell them if you had cancer? Would you tell them if it was diabetes?

I think even with that, I certainly wouldn't tell my grandmother, and with my father it would be on a 'need-to-know' basis.  If I had diabetes I would have to explain why I wasn't having any cake. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 09, 2009, 04:51:37 pm
Oddly people make those exact same arguments for staying in the closet, don't they Nestor?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Nestor on November 09, 2009, 04:55:59 pm

Indeed they do--and? 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 09, 2009, 05:09:47 pm
Indeed they do--and? 

Many people would make the argument that staying in the closet, either due to homosexuality or HIV, is ultimately detrimental long term for one's own mental health.  Hard to complain about stigma when you only stigmatize yourself don't you think?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 09, 2009, 05:52:26 pm


 I think Phylica Rashaad is about to give me a seizure...
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Nashvegas on November 09, 2009, 06:43:31 pm
I don't think you're wrong not to tell your family, but I'll admit I've struggled with the same issue.  If I had cancer, I'd definitely tell my family members.  If I had been diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1983, I would have told them.  But, having been diagnosed in 2006, it's not at all clear to me that this is something I need to tell them about.  Mainly because I'm fine physically right now and there's nothing they could do for me.  And they'd worry themselves to death over me. 

There may come a time when I'm ready to tell them, because they truly need to know.  But that day isn't here yet for me. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 09, 2009, 06:48:49 pm

 I think Phylica Rashaad is about to give me a seizure...
Indeed, she's having that effect on me, too.  However, she speaks the truth about the closet, stigma, etc.  In fact, my parents were both a bit upset that I hadn't felt comfortable telling them about my diagnosis before I did.  I explained that I hadn't really even come to terms with it yet and didn't feel like I could tell them until I had.  Of course, the 4L/min of oxygen I was receiving in the hospital made it a lot easier to talk about.  I was high as hell from that and felt sooooo good I could have talked about anything to anybody!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: karry on November 09, 2009, 06:53:12 pm
Hello,
I dont think you are wrong in not telling your family.

Everybody here will have their own points of view about disclosure to family...but personally, I think it all depends on the person who has to disclose, if they feel ready or not and thier level of comfort with having their family know....or not know.

I found it impossible to keep it from my mum from the first day...and I told her  that day. Friends have come to know with time...and I only tell someone when I feel I am ready, and when I know I can handle the consequences of telling them...be it acceptance or rejection.

So its your right to tell your family or not....and its a right you earned the hard way!

Goodluck!


Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leatherman on November 09, 2009, 07:38:21 pm
In fact, my parents were both a bit upset that I hadn't felt comfortable telling them about my diagnosis before I did.
absolutely every friend and family member "complained" to me how disappointed they were that I had not confided sooner. ;D Pretty amazing for living down in the Bible Belt and having only been out of my Baptist high school and college for just a few years. ;) I guess telling them I was queer several years earlier had taken all the sting, surprise and shock out of anything else I could tell them. ;D
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 09, 2009, 07:53:24 pm
Indeed, she's having that effect on me, too.  However, she speaks the truth about the closet, stigma, etc. 

LOL both speaking of the avatar of course!  Not the wise words spoketh by it's owner.  Although, the way she flashes and her head gets bigger I swear those words are coming from her in a I told you so type manner.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: northernguy on November 09, 2009, 10:25:47 pm
For a couple of reasons I haven't told my mum, or brother.  No real need to, at least at this point.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 10, 2009, 12:46:38 pm
Thanx 2 everyone for your thoughts!!!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: MarcoPoz on November 10, 2009, 01:47:18 pm
Ok--I have NO idea about how this IS or ISN'T like being closeted about one's sexual orientation--but I think consideration of how the person hearing my disclosure will feel and deal with it is a VERY thoughtful way to go about it.  I mean--its not ALWAYS about me, ya' know.  Sometimes when people heard my status they got angry, sad, uncomfortable, began instant greiving, numb--you name it.

Disclosure of status to loved ones is a relationship-based issue.  To me that means the emotions of all persons involved should be considered.  I've told everyone I've felt needed to know in a way and in a time that made sense for our relationship--there are some in my life(very few) who don't know my status--but then that's based on the relationship too.

Not telling them is definitly not a sign of stigma--moreso a sign of relative importance of the relationship.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 10, 2009, 02:42:57 pm
Not telling them is definitly not a sign of stigma--moreso a sign of relative importance of the relationship.
Or of fear of rejection, alienation, feeling stupid, or any number of other feelings that 'belong' entirely to the one considering the disclosure. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Nestor on November 10, 2009, 03:10:41 pm
I agree completely with MarcoPoz, below.  First, to get back to iking's question, I do not think your parents have a RIGHT to know anything that you don't want to tell them, because to assert that they do means that you do not have a right to privacy.  People have a right to know only things that intimately concern themselves.  Secondly, you ask whether you are being selfish; I don't think you are at all.  In not wanting to make your parents worry, there might be a selfish element (insofar as their worrying would be unpleasant for you) but the principal motive appears to me to be quite unselfish: you don't want them to worry because you care about them and don't want them to suffer needlessly.  Indeed you say that it "would kill them"; wishing to spare them that suffering strikes me as quite unselfish indeed.  

The one argument for telling your parents is this.  If you have a very intimate relationship with your parents, sharing everything and talking about everything together, then over time your keeping your HIV a secret from them would begin to take its toll on that intimacy.  Since I do not have such a relationship with my father that is not an issue for me, and if we were to start such a relationship tomorrow there are far older and bigger issues than my having HIV that we'd have to hash out first.  

 Miss Philicia, you write:  

Quote
Many people would make the argument that staying in the closet, either due to homosexuality or HIV, is ultimately detrimental long term for one's own mental health.

This would depend on whom one was staying in the closet from and about what.  If we followed this philosophy to its logical conclusion, we would never have the right keep anything to ourselves; we would have no privacy, no discretion.  

I am not a fan of the argument that because something is a bad idea in one case it's necessarily a bad idea in a quite different case.  I don't think homosexuality is a bad thing; having HIV, however philosophical I might be about it, is.  Therefore the distress that would be caused one's parents in the one case is not on the same order as in the other.  However, even there, if someone's parents are likely to be violently angry about his being gay, why shouldn't he spare himself the grief and just draw a discreet veil over his private life?  As for being detrimental to one's own mental health, I think the detriment would come either from active lying (as when someone "in the closet" pretends to have a girlfriend) or from a slow break-down in intimacy in a relationship that used to be close, as I suggested above.  Neither one is applicable in my case.  To tell my father that I have HIV would do nothing for my mental health, I assure you, and it would occasion some distress for him.

I think, too, that when we live with something for a time it becomes very difficult for us to appreciate with any accuracy what that thing looks like from the outside.  Living with HIV for more than five years now as I have, I am sometimes amazed by the tone in which people speak of HIV who do not spend much time thinking about it: many people hear "HIV"--especially in connection to someone they know--and it's still 1985 in their minds.  So in deciding whether to tell a parent, one has to consider not only what HIV means in one's own mind but what it would be in the mind of the parent.  

Finally, there is the question of motive.  Why would one tell?  In the case of someone who is in the late stages of cancer, as my mother was, or who is 92 years old, as my grandmother is, the one goal in our minds is to give that person as many pleasures and as few worries as possible.   Even without such grave issues to think about, I suspect a sign of maturity is that one bases the decision not on the consequences for oneself (I want to tell them because I want them to comfort me; I don't want to tell them because I'm afraid they'll scream at me) but rather on the consequences for them.  I will tell them because they will want to know; I will not tell them because it will make them unhappy.  This is what MarcoPoz means, I think, when he says "It's not always about me". 

A few years ago someone was talking about a question that had come up in his mind.  There were issues between his parents and him from his childhood that had never been resolved, and he wondered whether he should bring them up.  He decided against it.  He had asked himself: "Why would I?  What would it accomplish?"  He said "If you cannot come up with a good, convincing answer to those two questions, don't do it."  

I am not arguing agaisnt telling one's parents; that depends on the nature of the relationship in each case.  As I've suggested, if it's an intimate and "share-all" sort of relationship to begin with I think one should tell them.  But I do want to argue against the idea that there's some duty to tell them or something shameful or detrimental to oneself about not telling them.  
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: hotpuppy on November 10, 2009, 03:24:01 pm
I found out about my status about a year ago now. Initially, I knew that i wouldn't tell my parents/family right off. I thought I'd come around after i got more comfortable with myself & status...Well, now a whole year has gone by. I'm doing OK with everything, still not on meds, & my family still doesn't know. So the question is, am i wrong for keeping this from my family??  i think that if my parents knew, it would kill them, Way before hiv killed me. I feel like id rather take this secret to my grave.  Am i selfish???  Don't they have the right to know??

I think each of us has to evaluate our circumstances and make the choice that is right for you.  I have told one parent and not the other.  They are divorced and so they don't talk.  I work with the one and therefore think the need to know is greater.  I don't work with the other and have no compelling reason to share that information at this time. 

I realize that my choice may not be right for others... but it works for me.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 10, 2009, 04:30:36 pm
I love the gay man that thinks Mommie is made of delicate, breakable china.  Trust, if anyone can handle bad news in the family it's the female.  This discussion comes up yearly on here, and while yes every situation can be different, I'd wager nine times out of ten it's the gay guy that can't handle the situation, not the parents.

All I'm asking here is for people to be honest about their situation and not try and cover it up with excuses.  If you're not mentally ready to tell Mommie than just say so, don't try and blame her for your own weakness.  And yes, if you're in the closet about your own sexuality just say so, because indeed it makes the issue of disclosure a double whammy and doubly difficult, but again don't blame the situation on your mother.  Seriously.

Let's think of things this way:  if two years from now you start shriveling up from HIV wasting is it really fair for you to lose 40 lbs. and your mother to sit there at Christmas looking at you and not knowing what's going on?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 10, 2009, 04:54:28 pm


 
Let's think of things this way:  if two years from now you start shriveling up from HIV wasting is it really fair for you to lose 40 lbs. and your mother to sit there at Christmas looking at you and not knowing what's going on?

  That's when you tell em you have a $500 a day crack habit.  That way they don't worry about your health unnecessarily. ;) :D
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: megasept on November 10, 2009, 05:51:49 pm
No, you're not wrong.

No one but YOU, the patient (or perhaps a recent intimate sex partner), have the "right" to know your health situation(s). Not your boss. Not your coworker. Not your government. Not your neighbor. Not your third cousin.

Does telling someone improve your life? Is this person trustworthy? Are they judgmental concerning disease, illness, and those afflicted? Does this person love you ("like" doesn't count)? For those of us past middle age being gay was a "secret" that had to be painfully revealed or shamefully hidden. "Coming out" is good practice for HIV disclosure issues/strategies. Similar upside. Similar downside.

I told my Family to beat rumors to the punch. Only one Aunt has been supportive concerning my health, or even my personal life---everybody has known I'm POZ for 15 years. I have gained nothing from family disclosure, other than not being accused of keeping "secrets". Many HIV+ people are not supportive of other POZ.

In the end, it's empathy, not demographic similarity, that make the difference.

Public disclosure is dicey but important towards reducing stigma and gaining respect for our issues. With this post, I will complete that process. I recently "came out" as POZ to fight for what I personally need, a Public Option in U.S. healthcare reform. Here are two video links, one of which "outs" me as POZ:
Link #1:
http://storiesofhealth.org/video/54

Link #2:
http://www.fixourhealthcare.ca.gov/index.php/story/videos/13684/

-Steven ( aka 8) "megasept")
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: BT65 on November 10, 2009, 06:30:38 pm
Trust, if anyone can handle bad news in the family it's the female.  

Speak the truth!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: mecch on November 10, 2009, 06:30:57 pm
All in due time.  And I agree with Gymrat that some OCD moms might be better off not knowing.  My mom saw me through a half dozen sero-discordant relationships, including sad stories, death, etc.  Back when it was a death sentence I promised to them I would never get HIV and I didnt.....  That was more than 20 years ago.  Dad's gone now.  Mom's getting on and is very obsessional about health so why give her this burden?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: wow1969 on November 10, 2009, 06:52:45 pm
I think it has more to do with your relationship with your family. My family and I are only partially involved in eachothers lives. I haven't told them because I don't think they care enough to be supportive. I think it would be easier for them to just turn their back on my rather than help and be supportive. Under these circumstances why tell?

I think telling soeone you have HIV is a personal decision.

It is also not fair to equate disclosing my HIV status with telling someone I have cancer or am gay. For one, I can't hide being gay. I can try, but the truth is, I'm gay. It's just part of who I am. If I had cancer, I wouldn't tell alot of people. It's none of their business. Sorry, but Cancer and HIV are not in the same category. As we all know, there are still many social issues surrounding HIV. It's too complex to make blanket statements regarding a persons choice to disclose.

The only times I think a person absolutely has to disclose is in an intimate or medical situations.

Ask yourself this? Is it going to help your current situation if you disclose? Someone said to me right after I found out that before I ever disclose to stop and consider my motivations for telling someone. Doing this has helped me avoid many painful and unnecessary situations.

Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: J.R.E. on November 10, 2009, 06:54:06 pm
Here are two video links, one of which "outs" me as POZ:[/b]
Link #1:
http://storiesofhealth.org/video/54

Link #2:
http://www.fixourhealthcare.ca.gov/index.php/story/videos/13684/

-Steven ( aka 8) "megasept")


Two very powerful and sobering videos of the crisis, that so many of us are dealing with today.  Thanks for sharing Steven.




Iking,

When the time is right, you will know.   I told all my family members, except my father, within weeks of my diagnosis back in 1985.  It is something that I never regretted, and something I felt I needed to do. But, It was also a very difficult thing to tell.   I have out lived two of them.  My mother died from breast cancer back in 2002, and my sister died of the same, several years ago. I miss them both.

There were also friends I've told, that have nothing to do with me.


Ray


Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 10, 2009, 07:20:00 pm
I'm quite sure there have been several studies about family disclosure and how it relates to depression, and we all know that many studies have repeatedly shown depression in HIV patients to be much much higher than in the general population.  It's really kind of logical.  And, of course, depression can often lead to alcohol and drug issues down the road.

But hey, what's a few data points?  Most of you have made up your mind about this issue.  And all in the first year or two of your diagnosis.  That's rather impressive.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Joe K on November 10, 2009, 08:14:54 pm
How sad that so many of you, think so little of your parents and the role you play, in thier lives. Whatever issues you may have with your parents, I can tell you, as a parent myself, that you are seriously under estimating your parents. Thier is no greater love or power than that between mother and child and to just ignore your parents, when you have a real issue, can be horribly unfair. The reason is simple. I would give my life for my daughter and if I knew she could not tell me something, I would be crushed.

I know familes can suck, mine did, but that had no influence on how I raised my daughter. My love for her does not waver and while I may not like something she does, it will never change how I fell about her.  That's the thing about parents. As you grow, we already know all the horrors you can face and for most of us, our greatest fear is that we can do nothing to help you, in your time of need. If you have a decent relationship with your parents, I ask you to consider why you would exclude them from this facet of your life.

Please don't discount the strength most parents possess and please consider just how much right, you have to keep something like this from them. If the answer involves other issues, like also being gay, again I ask that you consider allowing your parents to be there for you, in whatever capacity you believe would be helpful. We have had a few nasty health scares in our family and I don't know what I would do, if Kate wasn't there for me, the same way, that I have been there for her.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: megasept on November 10, 2009, 09:39:04 pm
How sad that so many of you, think so little of your parents and the role you play, in thier lives. Whatever issues you may have with your parents, I can tell you, as a parent myself, that you are seriously under estimating your parents.

You mention being a good father, but coming from an unsupportive family.

In my case, I seriously overestimated my Parents. And it is no better in 2009 (gay and POZ) than in 1978 when I painfully disclosed my sexuality, except that my current expectations are miniscule. Disclose with caution, or low expectations! Pray for the best.

-Steven ( 8) megasept)

Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 10, 2009, 09:44:04 pm
Let's think of things this way:  if two years from now you start shriveling up from HIV wasting is it really fair for you to lose 40 lbs. and your mother to sit there at Christmas looking at you and not knowing what's going on?
Sounds familiar.  Thanksgiving '06 was spent at my mom's house, as is every Thanksgiving.  What was different that year was that I spent 90% of the meal on the couch.  I ate two, maybe three bites of food.  I was exhausted.  All that week, I was barely able to walk across the yard.  When I walked to my car, I had to sit and catch my breath before I could drive.  I was looking good, however, as I'd lost over 20 lbs in a couple of weeks.  A few days later, I ended up in the hospital with severe PCP pneumonia with multiple IV antibiotics and various fluids, full telemetry monitoring, and a nasal cannula for oxygen.  My mom lives in the same town, and I knew she'd call me at home or at work, and that she would wonder where I was.  I did not feel that lying to her was the right thing to do. 

If somebody is wondering whether or not to disclose to their family, they probably should.  The fact that they're even considering it indicates, to me, that their family is part of their life, that there is some legitimate reason for their disclosure. 

How sad that so many of you, think so little of your parents and the role you play, in thier lives. Whatever issues you may have with your parents, I can tell you, as a parent myself, that you are seriously under estimating your parents. Thier is no greater love or power than that between mother and child and to just ignore your parents, when you have a real issue, can be horribly unfair. The reason is simple. I would give my life for my daughter and if I knew she could not tell me something, I would be crushed.
What Joe describes is how my family felt after finding out I'd been HIV+ for 9 months before disclosing.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leatherman on November 10, 2009, 09:52:04 pm
i guess, after having read throught this thread, that perhaps this discussion should be framed in a different manner. Telling your family, iking, depends. Are they part of your support network? Are they the people you have turned to and will turn to in the hard times, and your times of need?

I would always recommend you telling the people in your support network, otherwise what the heck good are those people then if not to give you support as you try to live and deal with HIV? LOL  :D
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: tommy246 on November 11, 2009, 03:24:29 am
My parents would totally support me i know but they are in there seventies and i see no reason whatsoever to tell them nowadays you can live along healthy life with hiv whats to gain out of telling elderly parents. We are all different some people might feel guilty or need there support not my case i told my wife and brother no one else . There is stigma with this illness through lack of information and its not my job to educate the village its the goverments. Alot of people only disclose other serious illnesses to a few people as well, at the end of the day there is no right or wrong its down to the individual and ones circumstances.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 11, 2009, 04:06:48 am
There is stigma with this illness through lack of information and its not my job to educate the village its the goverments.

Holey moley Jesus!  I've read this line about 5 times and still can't make sense of it.  In my honest opinion it is this very attitude that helps the stigma fester on with success.  Luckily for us not every individual shares this opinion though.

I've told everyone who knows me.  The ones that are still around, God bless them... the ones that gave their ass to kiss, fuck em.  People at my work know also, and I've never heard anything said to or about me and I consider myself one of the most popular employees there.  I actually have co workers ask me how were my labs were because they knew I was getting them checked and I've had this conversation at work many times where anyone can hear.  I get questions from fellow employees regarding HIV occasionally and to tell the truth have not faced any negativity from anyone.  So you see Tommy I think people like you and I can make a difference, because if we wait on the government to do their job....well I think we know it just won't get done.


So where does that leave us?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: BT65 on November 11, 2009, 05:58:17 am
lack of information and its not my job to educate the village its the goverments.

When my parents found out, and my extended family, I did everything I could to educate them.  This was back in '89 and '90, and the family was grateful that I gave them the information that I did.  I can't believe you wouldn't want to educate people.  How else will this stigma end?   Should people just keep on "assuming" things about people with HIV, because we choose to hide, and want someone else do the job?  Geesh.

My family has been very supportive.  If I would have waited to tell them until I was going through severe wasting in '94, I would have felt extremely guilty. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: mecch on November 11, 2009, 06:17:12 am
Let's think of things this way:  if two years from now you start shriveling up from HIV wasting is it really fair for you to lose 40 lbs. and your mother to sit there at Christmas looking at you and not knowing what's going on?

Well you got a point that mommy isn't fragile but then again toward the end of life is mommy capable of the attitude adjustment and educational input about HIV being manageable? Maybe you are right.  Not sure.  My mom would worry herself nonstop and she's sick and going to die in the next few years. 

You are fear mongering here about the HIV wasting, because how many people face that future nowadays? Which is just the point some of us are making.  Overall it would be better to tell and be open universally.  Better for the population and better for the individual. Improvements in each sphere effect the other. 

So why use the old fears now, Miss P - as an argument to disclose?  When for instance the thread about aging with HIV details all kinds of new things to fear, wasting and death from AIDs not among them.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 11, 2009, 06:40:41 am
You are fear mongering here about the HIV wasting, because how many people face that future nowadays?

I must be special then, because my doctor just noted that I was suffering from HIV wasting on my chart.  This after only being positive for a little over 4 years and on meds for 3. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: mecch on November 11, 2009, 07:26:25 am
Hmm, someone (me) isn't getting the right info, then.  I better have a talk with my HIV specialist, Dr. Rosy Picture. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: tommy246 on November 11, 2009, 08:19:39 am
Holey moley Jesus!  I've read this line about 5 times and still can't make sense of it.  In my honest opinion it is this very attitude that helps the stigma fester on with success.  Luckily for us not every individual shares this opinion though.

I've told everyone who knows me.  The ones that are still around, God bless them... the ones that gave their ass to kiss, fuck em.  People at my work know also, and I've never heard anything said to or about me and I consider myself one of the most popular employees there.  I actually have co workers ask me how were my labs were because they knew I was getting them checked and I've had this conversation at work many times where anyone can hear.  I get questions from fellow employees regarding HIV occasionally and to tell the truth have not faced any negativity from anyone.  So you see Tommy I think people like you and I can make a difference, because if we wait on the government to do their job....well I think we know it just won't get done.


So where does that leave us?
Okay skeebo you have a point but like i said we are all different and in different circumstances i wish sometimes i could be like you but i cant i also wouldnt tell everybody i knew if i had cancer or other serious illnesses its got fuck all to do with them just as me being hiv poss has got fuck all to do with them so why should i try and educate some guy i work with who is nothing to me .
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 11, 2009, 08:55:28 am
so why should i try and educate some guy i work with who is nothing to me .


Tommy,

    See you and I are much different obviously.  I tend to care about my coworkers and have built many friendships through my job.  Outside of the time I told HR my status, it pretty much all started with a young lady who told me her boyfriend gave her herpes.  After telling her about myself, I advised her to get a full std panel done along with a HIV test.  Then as time went along and I built more and more friendships it became known when I was sick.  Now if I so much as take a personal day I have people calling me asking if everything is OK.  

    I don't know man.  Perhaps it's my charming personality, or my deep raspy voice, or my long flowing mane.... people just like me man. ;)  Well except here of course, but I think it's because I don't use enough emoticons.

Hmm, someone (me) isn't getting the right info, then.  I better have a talk with my HIV specialist, Dr. Rosy Picture.  

  Yeah she's specially trained to deal with the newly diagnosed with the snotty nose and tear filled eyes. ;)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 11, 2009, 10:01:20 am
... them so why should i try and educate some guy i work with who is nothing to me .

I wonder how many of us would still be negative if somebody 'gave a fuck' and tried to educate us, even though we might have been nothing to them.  I'm truly glad that people like Jan, with her face on the side of a bus, and Ann, with her work in the forums (especially in the 'Am I Infected' forum), and many, many more people here try to educate folks who are 'nothing to them'.  I'm not saying we should all say to the guy down the hall 'Hey, I've got AIDS' or 'I'm HIV+; would you like to know more', but as a blanket statement, it's pretty selfish.  I'd word it a different way.  Why shouldn't you try and educate some guy / gal you know or work with who is nothing to you?  We may not all be activists, for whatever reasons, but remember the old bumper stickers from the '80's - 'Think Global, Act Local'?

Hmm, someone (me) isn't getting the right info, then.  I better have a talk with my HIV specialist, Dr. Rosy Picture.  
That sounds like reason enough for us to educate.  Obviously, some professionals aren't doing it.

(edited for a spelling mistake)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: MarcoPoz on November 11, 2009, 10:08:49 am
Speak the truth!

I'd have to respectfully disagree here with both BT and Miss Phillicia.  Although in some of the studies I've worked with concerning disclosure suggest that female family members are more frequently the first to hear an HIV disclosure, I'm not sure that the grand assumption that somehow they accept the news better than male counterparts solely based on their gender is neccessarily true.

I'm still inclined to believe that it has more to do with the depth and importance of the relationship.  Ask those who have had sisters, mothers, aunts etc, respond negatively to an HIV disclosure. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: max123 on November 11, 2009, 11:18:15 am
hi people.

really great, thought provoking thread...being somewhat newly diagnosed and grappling with this very issue myself, i can relate to all said. all of you raise some pretty compelling points and thanks for your openness. as i see it, each case is different in circumstances, as is each pozzie's priorities. my thoughts thus far have been to focus on dealing with hiv+ and educating myself on as many aspects of hiv as i can, so that i can in turn, be armed with the necessary info to provide sound education where needed, when i disclose to family. for me, it's what i see as the proactive approach required to minimize the drama and fear of the unknown that i'm pretty sure the hiv bomb will initially cause for my family.

as for educating the general public on hiv, i would have to agree with many of the posts supporting it. if one of us can help make a difference in someone else's life and perhaps circumvent yet another hiv+ statistic, that would be a great thing. david_nc is right on track.

mecch:
Hmm, someone (me) isn't getting the right info, then.  I better have a talk with my HIV specialist, Dr. Rosy Picture.

that may in fact be a good idea. the dr. rosy picture mentality is exactly that. i got a similar spiel from my doc until i took the convo one step further, passed her "generally speaking" terms. the bottom line is what we all need to face is the reality of the matter. this is one of the concerns that i personally have and have raised in other posts. while today's meds can potentially allow a majority to live out a normal life, there is no guarantee that any one of us won't fall into the minority that doesn't, and yes, that sucks, but it is what it is. hence the importance of keeping ourselves as mentally & physically healthy as we can to try and improve our odds. moreover, even being in the "majority" does not mean that life without oi's or worse are guaranteed not to occur...just listen to some of what the lts folks have told us in other threads.  additionally, today's meds, although technically safer than yesteryear's meds, still have the potential for long term side effects that we do not know about yet. lastly, as in skeebo's case (and i'm sure in others'), there are still symptoms that hiv itself can incite, e.g. wasting syndrome. while it's important for us to maintain positive outlooks for our lives, we also need to be cognizant of all the potential pitfalls that come with this disease.

peace.

max
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: tommy246 on November 11, 2009, 12:32:22 pm
I take all your points on board but its to difficult to generalise everybodys situation ,personality,family set up etc etc is different its down to what the individual person is comfortable with,and in my case i am content just telling my wife and brother do you understand that or are you saying i have a responsibility to the hiv community to spread the word and due to present day stigma ruin my life my wifes ,daughters and family. Now i am aware that this is wrong but i want to be honest with you so dont come down on me like a ton of bricks but i am 11 months pos and at the moment feel embarrassed about my hiv status even though i know i shouldnt be its a virus that anyone can get but its how i truly feel. Maybe that will pass in time i dont know,maybe things in the states have moved on alot more than here in europe i am from the uk ,living in spain.
I hope you understand i am not saying i am right buts its how i feel right now. I know how my small community think i have a restaurant and they would be saying dont eat in there youll get aids,awful isnt it,how backward people are and uneducated but thats how it is,my daughter would get tortured at school kids can be cruel you know .
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 11, 2009, 02:35:27 pm
My parents are very loving & very supporting in every aspect of my life.  It's not that i don't think they'll love or support me less, i just honestly don't feel the need to tell them. My parents barely even know about my lifestyle. I remember once, when i was maybe 13 or 14, my mom asked me, "You're not gay, are you?"  Of course, i said no. My father, nor anybody else in my family has every questioned me.  I always told myself that if they asked me seriously, i would tell them yes. I know that any mother who raises her child will know if their child is gay or not.  I don't think my sexuality is a big deal anymore @ all. It is now my hiv status.

I guess you could call me "a little too secretive" or some may call me a dishonest person.  It's all good. We all have flaws. But i won't let it hurt or worry my family, when its barely hurting me now. I wont underestimate this, but I'm just living in the moment for now. Life hasn't changed much for me since being diagnosed. So no. I don't plan on telling them until its necessary.  Being on poz.com is the next best thing, i guess.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 11, 2009, 02:40:05 pm
Tommy,
Read this quote from my post above:
Quote
I explained that I hadn't really even come to terms with it yet and didn't feel like I could tell them until I had.
 
Then read what I've put in bold from your post. 

I take all your points on board but its to difficult to generalise everybodys situation ,personality,family set up etc etc is different its down to what the individual person is comfortable with,and in my case i am content just telling my wife and brother do you understand that or are you saying i have a responsibility to the hiv community to spread the word and due to present day stigma ruin my life my wifes ,daughters and family. Now i am aware that this is wrong but i want to be honest with you so dont come down on me like a ton of bricks but i am 11 months pos and at the moment feel embarrassed about my hiv status even though i know i shouldnt be its a virus that anyone can get but its how i truly feel. Maybe that will pass in time i dont know,maybe things in the states have moved on alot more than here in europe i am from the uk ,living in spain.
I hope you understand i am not saying i am right buts its how i feel right now. I know how my small community think i have a restaurant and they would be saying dont eat in there youll get aids,awful isnt it,how backward people are and uneducated but thats how it is,my daughter would get tortured at school kids can be cruel you know .

You WILL do what's right, at whatever level that happens to be, when you are ready and have accepted that you are HIV+ and aren't embarrassed about it, among other feelings.  At some point, you may even want to do as many here have and do everything but shout it from the rooftops!   ;)  Not likely, I know, but the point is you will become more accepting of your status and may use the memory of those feelings to try to help and educate others. 

I've only told two people here at work that I'm HIV+; those same two happen to be friends of mine.  I will take the opportunity to correct or educate others when I notice ignorance about HIV.  Why don't I disclose to the entire office?  The office and I don't have a personal relationship like most families do.  I will add one more thing; the more I've disclosed, the more comfortable I've become.  It's like saying it and explaining it to others brings me a bit more peace and has helped me to forgive myself for getting infected in the first place.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 11, 2009, 02:48:02 pm
My parents are very loving & very supporting in every aspect of my life.  It's not that i don't think they'll love or support me less, i just honestly don't feel the need to tell them. My parents barely even know about my lifestyle. I remember once, when i was maybe 13 or 14, my mom asked me, "You're not gay, are you?"  Of course, i said no. My father, nor anybody else in my family has every questioned me.  I always told myself that if they asked me seriously, i would tell them yes. I know that any mother who raises her child will know if their child is gay or not.  I don't think my sexuality is a big deal anymore @ all. It is now my hiv status.

I guess you could call me "a little too secretive" or some may call me a dishonest person.  It's all good. We all have flaws. But i won't let it hurt or worry my family, when its barely hurting me now. I wont underestimate this, but I'm just living in the moment for now. Life hasn't changed much for me since being diagnosed. So no. I don't plan on telling them until its necessary.  Being on poz.com is the next best thing, i guess.

Some parents don't ask because they think it would make their child uncomfortable for them to know they are gay.  They also think that their children would tell them if they were gay.  Not all parents know, however, despite raising their children.  Some children can deceive so well and lie and omit parts of their lives that they hide their sexuality from their parents.  

Again, it's such a relief to be able to call my husband 'husband' or 'honey' in front of my family.  Hell, my mom even asked me if she should join on of the groups like PFLAG when I told her!  My parents, who are divorced, invite us both to family gatherings, get togethers, etc.  Basically, they treat him like they treated my wife when I was married.  Actually, they treat him better; they feel like he's nicer and more loving towards me.  Perhaps I've got a unique family or that I'm one that doesn't like to keep secrets - it's way too much work.  I do have a great family, I know many gay and lesbian folks who do too.  

If you haven't told them you're gay, then I can understand why you haven't told them you're HIV+.  For me, it gets harder and harder to be honest the farther I get from the truth.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: rmgjunk on November 11, 2009, 03:06:54 pm
Hi Iking,

I found out my status recently and haven't told my family yet.  I also don't plan to do it for a while.

I think Miss Philicia is right about drawing a parallel between coming out and disclosing HIV status.  It feels the same to me, it's like going through all the same steps again, and I think I'll probably take the same, non planned approach:

- It will start with my closest friends (done already!)
- Next, I'll reveal it to people I like, but are not so close to me, like some old time coworkers, and to my favorite siblings.  When the time is right.  Probably after a glass of wine (or five).
- I think I'll never speak the words to my father.  I'm pretty sure he knows I'm gay, my whole family does, but he never mentions it, so I don't either.
- Finally, it will get to the point when I don't know who knows or not, and feel confortable about it.

I expect to find the same reactions also.  Some people handle it fine, some people can handle it like my father does - and I try to respect that.  On the education topic, I became the "gay reference" for several colleagues, and think I've done my share of "making the world a better place, little by little".  But I'm not ready to take that stand on HIV yet.  So, I'll take my time, and I think it's OK if you take yours also.  Don't feel pressured to disclose anything.

[]s
Roger
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 11, 2009, 03:16:40 pm
Thanx Roger!  & I agree with you 100%
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: GSOgymrat on November 11, 2009, 03:26:46 pm
Although in some of the studies I've worked with concerning disclosure suggest that female family members are more frequently the first to hear an HIV disclosure, I'm not sure that the grand assumption that somehow they accept the news better than male counterparts solely based on their gender is neccessarily true.

I know my father took the gay thing MUCH better than my mother. My father calmly expressed his disappointment because 1) he thought being gay in this society would be a challenge and 2) another lost chance at grandchildren since my older brother is gay. Other than that he was very supportive. My mother's reaction was another story. I had told my siblings first and each one said "You CAN'T tell mom." When I did tell her I was expecting the worst but even I couldn't imagine the total meltdown. She cried hysterically, insisted I see a psychiatrist, thought my older brother had molested me, blamed my father and then refused to speak to me for 3 months. When she did speak to me again it was "You'll end up alone," "It's like my son has died," "You caused my nervous breakdown," guilt, drama, guilt, drama. It took years of being with my partner before she accepted my relationship was basically like everyone elses and actually became supportive. You would think because she knew about my older brother it wouldn't have been such a shock but it was.

I think the HIV disclosure would have gone similarly.

Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: deibster on November 11, 2009, 03:49:01 pm
Hello all; There is another issue that you should be looking at Iking. You are poz and not on medication. They are changing the guidelines every year and starting to treat hiv earlier. One theory is that starting meds at a CD4 count of 500 rather than a CD4 count of 200 may add 20 years to your life. I wish I had known this back in '95 when my CD4 count went under 300.

As for telling your family; it would give them the chance to spend more quality time with you while both you and they are still healthy. I know that I had good days & bad days when I was first poz and again when I started medication. If I had not told my mother that I was poz, she would have picked up on these bad days and been worried about the cause & was I getting treatment for the cause. So, telling my family, avoided questions about why I was occasionally nauseous, and occasionally down. And avoided worry on the part of my family that it was something more immediate, like cancer, or something that was untreatable.
Best of luck whatever you decide. Hugs from Provincetown, deibster
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: LatinAlexander on November 11, 2009, 03:55:22 pm
Hello all:

Well, it is a hot issue. But I would resume it on this. What is a parent biggest fear? Losing its child. Being gay doesn´t kill you. HIV CAN kill you.

So , for me, saving families from that pain is an special way of loving them. I am sure my family would be there for me. They completely take me being gay perfectly ok. But their fear and sadness of losing one of us is just too much to handle.

I am not a father, but if I would, then I would be sad that my kid wouldn´t have told me. But I would understand it.

I also think that social , cultural, generational levels are critical factors. I mean, if they have seen or met other people with HIV, then maybe it would be a little bit easier. But again, it varies a lot.

And not, I do not think you are wrong. You´ll do what you need to do. And no one has the right to say you were right or wrong. After all, you are you :)

Alex
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 11, 2009, 03:57:56 pm
If you haven't told them you're gay, then I can understand why you haven't told them you're HIV+.  For me, it gets harder and harder to be honest the farther I get from the truth.

This is Soooo true....
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 11, 2009, 04:02:56 pm
This thread is very illuminating on why so many gay men I've met over the years are incapable of handling emotional situations.  It's utterly depressing, frankly.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: rmgjunk on November 11, 2009, 04:15:53 pm
She cried hysterically, insisted I see a psychiatrist, thought my older brother had molested me, blamed my father and then refused to speak to me for 3 months. When she did speak to me again it was "You'll end up alone," "It's like my son has died," "You caused my nervous breakdown," guilt, drama, guilt, drama. It took years of being with my partner before she accepted my relationship was basically like everyone elses and actually became supportive.

Are we brothers?!? :-)  Except for the gay older brother, that's exactly my mother's reaction when I told her.  Nowadays she even cooks my boyfriend's prefered dishes, though. :-)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: skeebo1969 on November 11, 2009, 04:24:22 pm
I take all your points on board but its to difficult to generalise everybodys situation ,personality,family set up etc etc is different its down to what the individual person is comfortable with,and in my case i am content just telling my wife and brother do you understand that or are you saying i have a responsibility to the hiv community to spread the word and due to present day stigma ruin my life my wifes ,daughters and family. Now i am aware that this is wrong but i want to be honest with you so dont come down on me like a ton of bricks but i am 11 months pos and at the moment feel embarrassed about my hiv status even though i know i shouldnt be its a virus that anyone can get but its how i truly feel. Maybe that will pass in time i dont know,maybe things in the states have moved on alot more than here in europe i am from the uk ,living in spain.
I hope you understand i am not saying i am right buts its how i feel right now. I know how my small community think i have a restaurant and they would be saying dont eat in there youll get aids,awful isnt it,how backward people are and uneducated but thats how it is,my daughter would get tortured at school kids can be cruel you know .

I don't think you are wrong one bit Tommy and I agree everyone's situation is different.  I also understand your feelings regarding your status especially since you are only 11 months in, just hang in there.  
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Joe K on November 11, 2009, 04:53:47 pm
Well, it is a hot issue. But I would resume it on this. What is a parent biggest fear? Losing its child. Being gay doesn´t kill you. HIV CAN kill you.

So , for me, saving families from that pain is an special way of loving them. I am sure my family would be there for me. They completely take me being gay perfectly ok. But their fear and sadness of losing one of us is just too much to handle.

I am not a father, but if I would, then I would be sad that my kid wouldn´t have told me. But I would understand it.
With all due respect, you have no concept of what a family can be. It's evident because you miss my point entirely. Kate has known of my HIV, since she was three years old and I cannot imagine ever keeping something like my infection, from her. Never. I have learned how to minimize my health reports, because unless I am dying, she doesn't need to know the gory details of daily living.

I want an honest relationship with Kate and there is nothing she has not told me. I would be crushed if she felt uncomfortable telling me anything, because then she fears my possible reaction, and if that were true, then I have failed as a parent. Unconditional love is just that: unconditional. There are no rules and with the exception of murder, there is little she could do, for me to ever stop loving her.  Believe me, when I tell you, that those thoughts are the same ones your parents have, regarding you.

My greatest fear is not losing Kate to illness, rather it would be having her feel, that she needed to suffer alone.  Most parents will not do that. Ever. That is what "unconditional" love means.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leese43 on November 11, 2009, 06:12:58 pm
I know that any mother who raises her child will know if their child is gay or not.  I don't think my sexuality is a big deal anymore @ all. It is now my hiv status.

I'm a mother who didn't have a clue her son was gay until he told me when he was 18.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: mecch on November 11, 2009, 06:29:13 pm
I'm a mother who didn't have a clue her son was gay until he told me when he was 18.

My grandmother figured it out before my mom. 

That must have been a surprise for you!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 11, 2009, 06:30:38 pm
My mother didn't know it either, even though she dressed me in multi-colored flower embroidered lederhosen as a young child, and my favorite toy was a red plastic broom.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leese43 on November 11, 2009, 06:36:51 pm


That must have been a surprise for you!

A surprise...I nearly crashed the bloody car... He could have at least waited until we were at a red light!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leese43 on November 11, 2009, 06:39:46 pm
Quote from: mecch link=topic=29818.msg365837#msg365837 date=12579821

That must have been a surprise for you!
[/quote
A surprise..I nearly crashed the bloody car...he could have at least waited until we were at a red light! lol. Was funny though, I had been asking him if there were any girls on the scene haha. taught me tolearn to mind my own business. unless i'm stationary of course ;)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: leese43 on November 11, 2009, 06:41:48 pm
Oops that went wrong lol. sorry for 2 posts
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: komnaes on November 11, 2009, 09:13:05 pm
That's a sensitive topic to me.. I agree though mothers are mostly able to handle whatever you (us, the sons and daughters) throw at them and in time they'd adjust, one way or another. In my case I kept it from her for a while, thinking that I would hide as long as I could, only to be busted. She found out by "noticing" me behaving oddly, and as most worrying mothers would do, she started going through things in my room, and she found the clinic appointment paper I hid between a very thick book in my bookcase among hundreds of them.

OK I guess my family is a bit "unusual" - that my mother IS HIV+, got it from my father, a LTS (been diagnosed for 13 yrs now, probably been infected 15-16 yrs) and my father died of untreated AIDS. Now everyone in the family know. My sister oddly calms about it ("wow, I actually expected that you got it years ago") and my brother not so much ("Why now after all these years man?"), and his wife is the only one in the immediate family that still doesn't know about our mother and me because my brother still can't figure out how to tell her. And it's a burden he's to carry.

Now I am not entirely sure if she hadn't found out herself whether I would still not have told her... but now that she knows, I find that (1) my life is easier, mentally healthier for not having to hide it from her/family, (2) though we still don't talk much about it, it's easier to deal with hers and my own mental well-beings. My conclusion is also that what I thought were good reasons for not telling her (i.e. not wanting her to worry, she'd die if she found out, etc) were my invited excuses.. it was me who couldn't deal with telling her.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 11, 2009, 09:25:11 pm

Now I am not entirely sure if she hadn't found out herself whether I would still not have told her...

I am.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: komnaes on November 11, 2009, 09:31:17 pm
I am.

Yes very possibly, and I would have called you a few more times half way across the world while having those panic attacks! But let's tear this girl apart in another thread Ms. Philicia.. ;)
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 11, 2009, 10:21:21 pm
I was at my mom's house for a visit tonight.  We were talking about something and it led to talking about difficult topics.  I mentioned this thread and how hard it was to bring it up the first time in the hospital.  You can't imagine how shocked I was when she told me that she figured something was wrong and that it might be HIV.  I thought I was hiding it well, but evidently it showed.  On the day that I disclosed, she told her boss that she needed to leave early, as I was in the hospital with pneumonia.  He told her that she needed to leave immediately to come see me.  Her boss is gay, as is his brother.  His brother's partner had just passed away and his HIV had come up in conversation (he quit taking his meds, which nobody realized until he was deathly ill).  She said that she could tell something was wrong when we talked (months before I got sick) and how I didn't look her in the eye the same.  She said that she knew that it was something serious since my 'behavior' went on for several months.  Damn, and I thought I hid it so well!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Ann on November 11, 2009, 10:28:50 pm

 Damn, and I thought I hid it so well!


David, we mothers really do have eyes in the backs of our heads. They grow during the first pregnancy. ;) ;D
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 11, 2009, 10:52:11 pm
David, we mothers really do have eyes in the backs of our heads. They grow during the first pregnancy. ;) ;D
It's funny you mention that!  I remember one time in particular when my mom said she had eyes in the back of her head.  She had dozed off in a chair while we were visiting relatives.  I sneaked up close behind her and started looking in her hair.  She woke up and asked me what I was doing.  "Looking for the eyes in the back of your head" I replied.  Children can be so literal!
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Queen Tokelove on November 11, 2009, 11:11:09 pm
This is a thread I have mixed emotions about. And I am just talking from the disclosure point because I have no idea what it's like to be gay. But I have seen some of the struggles that gay people go through. I guess I am that one person who believes in disclosing at one's leisure or when you feel comfortable enough to do it. I don't feel anyone can tell someone when they should do it or if they should do it. And I feel some comments here have been very judgemental to say the least.

I mean it's great if you can tell your family, there's no backlash, and everyone is supportive. Not all families are that way. Mine wasn't or I should say not everyone was supportive. My parents were great, though they found out through someone else when I wish it would've been me.I use to live in a small town and word traveled fast. But they still supported me. My sisters, the opposite, no support, just grounds for them to "put me out there" in order to try to make themselves look good.

So to the OP, I would say it's your call, you're the one that has to live with the decision. You know how it is going to affect you and your family's well being, not us. I wish you luck no matter which path you choose to follow.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: erasfred on November 12, 2009, 12:59:04 am
No you are not wrong. That being said I will give you my point of view.

I only told my parents two years after being diagnosed. And I am going for 6 years from diagnoses now. And as I said to Mom on her question of why I did not do it earlier was this " I first had to come to grips with it myself. How can I help them to understand the situation I am in without me exactly knowing myself what I am dealing with."

So what I am saying to you is make sure that you yourself know the ins and outs of living with HIV before disclosing to them if and when you decide to do it. Because as much as you are going to expect support from them you are going to have to support them in giving them the necessary information in understanding what is happening to you and to your body. and if you yourself do not know, what are you going to say top them?

Hope this also helps.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: tommy246 on November 12, 2009, 02:30:24 am
I must say no one knows there son like a mother they are just to wise or kind to say anything sometimes you cant hide anything from them .
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Ann on November 12, 2009, 05:54:46 am
It's funny you mention that!  I remember one time in particular when my mom said she had eyes in the back of her head.  She had dozed off in a chair while we were visiting relatives.  I sneaked up close behind her and started looking in her hair.  She woke up and asked me what I was doing.  "Looking for the eyes in the back of your head" I replied.  Children can be so literal!

My daughter did something similar when she was little and I'd fallen asleep on the floor in front of the telly. I suspected what she was up to, but she just said "nuthin!" when I asked. I knew a few days later though, when I mentioned about the famous eyes and she said "no you don't, I looked!" ;D

Having said that, you could have knocked my mother over with a feather when my sister came out to the family. I'd always known about her even before I knew what words to use to discuss the concept - I've had gaydar for as long as I can remember. My mother was clueless, but she was never very clued in to how either of us was feeling or experiencing. My mother was a bit wrapped up in her own issues.

I never bothered to disclose my hiv status to my mother, which many here might think strange given that I'm so out about my status. Thing is, I've lived on another continent from her for nearly 20 years now and I can count the amount of phone conversations I've had with her during that time on one hand. We're not close and I just can't be bothered to tell her as I know she wouldn't be supportive at all. She wasn't supportive about my hep C diagnosis, and hiv won't be any different at all. There's just no point. My family is on the Rock now and between them and my friends, I've got all the support I need.

Families can be tricky and for those of you who have loving, supportive families, count yourself lucky and let them know about your hiv. For those who don't have supportive families, I can understand why you don't want to or just don't want to bother.

Ann
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 12, 2009, 12:30:49 pm
This is a thread I have mixed emotions about. And I am just talking from the disclosure point because I have no idea what it's like to be gay. But I have seen some of the struggles that gay people go through. I guess I am that one person who believes in disclosing at one's leisure or when you feel comfortable enough to do it. I don't feel anyone can tell someone when they should do it or if they should do it. And I feel some comments here have been very judgemental to say the least.

I mean it's great if you can tell your family, there's no backlash, and everyone is supportive. Not all families are that way. Mine wasn't or I should say not everyone was supportive. My parents were great, though they found out through someone else when I wish it would've been me.I use to live in a small town and word traveled fast. But they still supported me. My sisters, the opposite, no support, just grounds for them to "put me out there" in order to try to make themselves look good.

So to the OP, I would say it's your call, you're the one that has to live with the decision. You know how it is going to affect you and your family's well being, not us. I wish you luck no matter which path you choose to follow.

Thank u so much...
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 12, 2009, 12:32:14 pm
I must say no one knows there son like a mother they are just to wise or kind to say anything sometimes you cant hide anything from them .

I completely agree.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: max123 on November 12, 2009, 10:06:16 pm
i had an experience yesterday that reminded me of part of we have discussed here...educating others about hiv.

i went to the ophthalmologist, and my preliminary work done was by his technician, a younger military trained guy. the technician, in taking my history, acknowledged that i had indicated that i was poz on my intake sheet. then he went on to say that he had only seen two cases involving poz folks (that he knew about anyway ;) ). we ended up having a great discussion about hiv, and he even shared his own "hiv scare" story with me. it was one of those spontaneous discussions where everything comfortably fell into place. it felt surprisingly good, considering this was my first 'public' disclosure. additionally, the tech came away from the convo with a better idea about hiv and the poz patient. i guess we made a small difference in each other's lives. trite, but just thought i'd share.

max
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: prettyfighting1 on November 12, 2009, 10:52:48 pm
3months after my diagnosis i tell to my family, and im glad and happy that i tell them, im on meds now, i see the love and care  from my family, i never been sick, i have hiv but its just the virus on my body, they are helping me to take good care of myself so i will never get sick and they used to alarm their cell phone, and reminding me thats its time to take my meds.. im happy that i tell them, now its not my secrect, its a big FAMILY secrect..hehehe
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: wow1969 on November 12, 2009, 11:30:03 pm
How sad that so many of you, think so little of your parents and the role you play, in thier lives. Whatever issues you may have with your parents, I can tell you, as a parent myself, that you are seriously under estimating your parents. Thier is no greater love or power than that between mother and child and to just ignore your parents, when you have a real issue, can be horribly unfair. The reason is simple. I would give my life for my daughter and if I knew she could not tell me something, I would be crushed.

i've debated for a few days regarding whether to post anything on this thread as i don't want to cause trouble for anyone but this particular posting kept popping back in my head ... after reading  this thread a few times and seeing everyong defending telling parents because "we kids" have made assumptions regarding how they will respond and that we need to give them a chance is extremely egocentric

just because there are parents on here that would be crushed if their children didn't disclose this onformation  - does not mean that all parents will be crushed  - just because there are "kids" on here who have told their parents and it's been wonderful and loving - doesn't mean that we all get that

handing out this information to people struggling with telling parents can have some serious effects ... whether or not anyone tells another of their status is a personal decision and should be based on the relationship you have with the person you intend disclosing too

to the rest of the world it looks like i grew up in a loving upperclass family ... but i can tell you that what the rest of the world sees with my family and what i see are different ... i know that if i told my parents after the way my mother reacted when i told her i was gay ( haven't spoken to the woman in years) .... i would banished and my mother would probably tell me it was a punishment for the way i've lived my life (being gay)

just because some of the writers on this site have had good experiences doesn't mean everyone will and each of us has to make the decision to tell in our own time ... don't get me wrong, i'm not mad at any of you have had great family responses ... to be completely honest, i'm jealous and it makes me sad to know that i didn't get that lucky ...

decide who you will tell and decide why you want to tell them ...
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: ThomasHopper on November 12, 2009, 11:40:19 pm
I haven't told my parents (and don't plan to) mainly because they are in their 70s and live 1000 miles away.  There's nothing they can do but worry about me, and they don't understand the disease (I didn't either until I got it).  I just don't want to put them through that in their golden years. 

My sister and some of my close friends know and are a great support group.

I think who you tell is your own personal decision.  There is really no right or wrong in this unless you are putting someone else at risk. 
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: tommy246 on November 13, 2009, 02:52:52 am
Summing up the treads its seems there is no write or wrong some people need to tell some dont ,some parents might be crushed by not knowing and some would be crushed by knowing were all different.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: minismom on November 15, 2009, 07:27:35 am
I, of course, didn't have the option of waiting for Mim to disclose her status to Hubby and me.  Nor did she have the option of who she did and didn't want to know.  In our situation, it was the exact opposite - we had to disclose her status to her and then had to figure out who did and didn't "need" to know.  It wasn't an easy decision to make.  We knew that each of our disclosures would have a direct impact not only on her but on our entire family.

 In the end, we chose to disclose.  Our reasoning was simple - we didn't want our daughter to be the dark family secret.  We didn't want her to be ashamed of herself or her virus. I couldn't imagine the stress of her - and her siblings (and us) - having to keep it a secret. The only way we could make her feel unashamed is to be unashamed ourselves. We wanted to surround her with the biggest support net we could.  And, it would be easier for her, and for us, if those who chose to reject her did it while she was young and unaware.  We wanted to "weed out" those who simply couldn't hack it and educate those who chose to stay.  I was suprised how many people we underestimated. 

(To be totally honest, I must admit  here that I have no idea if Hubby's family knows about Mim's HIV or not.  They don't bother knowing my kids' names, so it wouldn't suprise me.  It also doesn't bother me.)

I know that there are only 2 other people on this board in our situation.  I understand that everyone else has a pre- and post-HIV life.  But also understand that if Mim had contracted this virus in her adult life, I can't imagine her going through what she's been through ( 6 gram-negative blood infections, endless blood tests, broviac placement, all the pneumonia, med problems, 5 mths in the hospital, diabetes, CP, all the MRI's, spinal taps, CAT scans, vision problems, heart and liver issues, knee and hip joint deteriation, high cholesterol / triglycerides, memory problems,  brain myelanization problems, physical, speech, developmental, and occupational therapy, and yes, Mecch, wasting) by herself - too scared to tell us.  The thought breaks my heart. 

I agree with Philly - as mum, I bore the brunt of doctor's appointments, blood tests, results, decisions,  disclosures, educating myself and others,  and moving into the hospital with Mim for 5mths while leaving my other 2 children in the care of my parents and my husband (and the guilt that that brought along with it).  I never knew what I was capable of, how strong I was, until I had to be for my child. 

You don't want to worry your parents?  Newsflash - they've worried about you your entire life. Let them know. Let them grieve for you if they need to grieve.  Let them get angry if they need to get angry.  Let them be scared, stomp, slam, throw things, cry, scream, pound. Then, let them just love you.

Mum
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Dachshund on November 15, 2009, 08:53:33 am
Of course your situation is entirely different. Your parents didn't know from the time of your birth that you were infected or gay. No lifetime to adjust and accept your homosexuality, let alone your disease. My only suggestion is you wait a bit until you're comfortable, no matter what your decision may be.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: MWCLTonline on November 15, 2009, 03:21:46 pm
As someone who went thru 2 Coming OUTs with my family, I agree with my brother who always said to me that "Blood is thicker than water..."  My family, like it or not, have been with me thru both and I agree w/ minismom; Let them love you as best they can and together you can learn and grow older...

Last Saturday...
 SoBankBeacon(Me): I guess this is gonna be like waitin' for the cable guy...  They sd Sat but no specific time
Frank (my bro): waitin for who
SoBankBeacon: exterminator
Frank: OIC
SoBankBeacon: sposed to inspect the whole bldg and let us know what to do next, if anything
SoBankBeacon: So what's up?
Frank: nodda just chillin. I was up late last night and still got up and went into work this morn so pretty tired
SoBankBeacon: did you see SGU last nite or Survivor Thurs?
Frank: Surv yes  SGU no it's on the DVR
SoBankBeacon: russell may finally be on his way out
Frank: yea I think so, that will be sweet.   you been watching the gay bros on amazing race
SoBankBeacon: I missed SGU too so i'm hopin I had the DVR set
SoBankBeacon: yep,  sam & dan
Frank: yea, they could win it
SoBankBeacon: that wud be cool - much better role models than naked Richard Hatch!
SoBankBeacon: still waitin' for the exterminator/inspector   
Frank: he aint comin at this point i don't think
SoBankBeacon: means I'm stuck till I can call the office on Monday...
Frank: why is that
SoBankBeacon: well, until I know what it is I saw and/or what to do next, I just figure I wudn't leave and carry them away or do more until I know...
SoBankBeacon: BearCat Brawl across the street again this wknd 
Frank: ????
SoBankBeacon: new girls across street are UC alums & they have big game tonite...
Frank: bed bugs?  mom would freak
SoBankBeacon: She sd, btr u than me; let me know how it turns out...
Frank: hahahaha
SoBankBeacon: So now that I've talked to people and looked at all this stuff online, I'm not sure if they are or aren't.  W/ my luck, it'll be something else that's worse - bed lice
Frank: oh geesh
SoBankBeacon: What I've seen here don't look like what's online, they look more like lil razor edged paint specs
Frank: interesting, where did you find them at in the apt
SoBankBeacon: some tiny lil bug that gets into old houses w/ lead and...
SoBankBeacon: I looked down and saw one scurry across the arm of my orange chair and saw one crawlin' on my white sock when I crossed my leg
Frank: I hope I didn't pick any of them and and bring them home with me
SoBankBeacon: and then when I changed the sheet I saw a few on top of the box spring (previously sprayed & bagged in defense) next to the baseboard, I vacumned & sprayed around the baseboard and then sprayed the orange chair w/ alcohol/febreeze, by then I had talked to Clint/HlthDept and the landlord and this was all done by the time you got here so I'm sure we were 'safe'
SoBankBeacon: ironic metaphor for HIV/testing!
SoBankBeacon: The Navy Has the Highest HIV Rate of All the Branches of the Military
http://aids.about.com/b/2009/11/07/the-navy-has-the-highest-hiv-rate-of-all-the-branches-of-the-military.htm
SoBankBeacon: Gee, and I thought there weren't any gays in the military   
SoBankBeacon: Greetings!  Happy TGIF...the 13th

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, it's Sunday morning (11/15)  and here I am pondering why...  After I've survived and lived thru all the other stuff I have, it comes down to me & these damn critters
 
Pisces  You need to figure out what's important to you and what's not. It's time to take stock of what's going on in your life. The good news is that your significant other, trusted friend or mentor is more than willing to talk about it, and they'll have just the perspective you need. All you have to do is call that all-important meeting. Don't be afraid to put your heart and soul on the line.
 
Think of today as a time of restoration for yourself, dear Pisces, in which you can come to a point of great ease and comfort. Trust yourself and the people around you. Open your eyes to the reality of the situation at hand. If you are currently working through some major changes in your life, make sure you have faith that whatever happens will work out to your benefit.
 
Just when you thought you had everything planned out and working smoothly, dear Pisces, (love) LIFE!  comes in and clogs up the works. Suddenly your attention is diverted and your concentration flies out the window as that dazzling being A BedBUG!  catches your eye. This could be a good thing or a bad thing,  depending on how you view the situation. Remember that both aspects of your life are important, and the key now is to find a healthy balance between the two.
 
Quote of the Day:
"Freedom means the opportunity to be what we never thought we would be." -Daniel J. Boorstin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
Hhmm...   "WTF: Now!  I'm gonna Live...!?"  For this ...  I need a 'cookie'...

See! They don't have a right to know anything about me, but I sure am glad they do...
And you're not bein' selfish, you're normal  ;D
Michael
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: iking2009 on November 15, 2009, 05:31:18 pm


just because some of the writers on this site have had good experiences doesn't mean everyone will and each of us has to make the decision to tell in our own time ... don't get me wrong, i'm not mad at any of you have had great family responses ... to be completely honest, i'm jealous and it makes me sad to know that i didn't get that lucky ...

decide who you will tell and decide why you want to tell them ...

So so true...Alot of  people here are close-minded & dont understand that everyones situation isnt the same.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: BT65 on November 15, 2009, 07:47:59 pm
.Alot of  people here are close-minded & dont understand that everyones situation isnt the same.

Iking, I wouldn't say the people who've had good experiences with families are necessarily close minded.  Truly, would you like it if we called you close minded because you have a different thought?
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Miss Philicia on November 15, 2009, 09:34:02 pm
So so true...Alot of  people here are close-minded & dont understand that everyones situation isnt the same.
Uh, so then why did you start this thread and solicit the opinions of others?  If you knew what answer you wanted you could have saved us all the trouble.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: David_CA on November 16, 2009, 09:34:43 am
Iking, I wouldn't say the people who've had good experiences with families are necessarily close minded.  Truly, would you like it if we called you close minded because you have a different thought?

Well said, BT.  I'll add that it's pretty unfair to call those of us who've disclosed 'close minded'.  Don't forget, we didn't know, for a fact, how our disclosure would go over before we disclosed.  It's true that I had a pretty good idea that my mom would accept my HIV status (and my earlier disclosure of being gay).  People can often surprise you... in both good and bad ways.  Sure, it would / could have been easier for many of us to not have had to tell our families that we're HIV+, but it was often the right thing to do.  Regardless, I'll risk saying that none of us looked forward to it and that it wasn't particularly easy to do. 

Uh, so then why did you start this thread and solicit the opinions of others?  If you knew what answer you wanted you could have saved us all the trouble.
Exactly.  Perhaps the question would have been better asked as "How do you know if you should tell your family that you're HIV+?"  or "What have your experiences been with disclosing to family members?" 

Of course those who don't have a close relationship with their family might should give disclosure some extra thought.  If a family member has 'issues' and doesn't handle any problem well, perhaps disclosure won't be of any benefit.  However, if an individual is struggling with wanting to disclose but isn't sure how to do it, or if they even should, that's a different story.  If one feels guilty for not disclosing, one probably should.  Most of us are adults living away from home.  Although we may not want to disappoint or upset our families, we have to do what we feel is right and honest.  For me, it wasn't right or honest to not disclose, so I did.  If my parents hadn't handled it like they did, I'd have to have accept that too, but I would know that disclosure was out of my mind and that I was honest with them.  I don't like keeping secrets from those I care about.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: WildcatCC on November 16, 2009, 01:13:24 pm
I agree with those that say only you can decide this. You know the inner-workings of your family and what impact this type of news would have on them.

For me, I didn't much get a chance to tell my family. They pretty much told me. When I was rushed to the hospital over a year ago after collapsing at home from what would later be diagnosed as PCP, my SO called my Dad and my sister. I had been estranged from my mother and other sister at the time so he didn't call them.

When I woke up in the hospital, my family was there. My sister flew in from NH. My dad and his wife drove down from central Florida. I can't adequately describe the feeling of comfort having my family around me - that they would drop everything and come to my aid. I had not been particularly close to my dad or sister (the good one).  Yet there they were. No questions asked. My SO filled them in on everything while I was out of it for those first few days. They knew it all. And they never questioned it - they were scared, concerned then later proud that I recovered so quickly.

My sister stayed with me for 3 weeks - dropping everything she had going on in her own life. My dad stayed a week and drove down every weekend for 2 months. They helped my SO with everything from cooking (he can't) to laundry (he shouldn't) to yard work (oh no) to  ...  My sister kept a journal of all my meds, my follow-up appointments, what I should/should not eat, etc.

I've grown so much closer to my father and my sister (and my SO) as a result of everything.

Recently, I started a series of conversations with my mother and my other sister. Our rift, borne of religious views and judgment, now seemed immaterial as I desired to have some sort of relationship with them.

Sure enough, they've come to realize that we all need to put our differences aside and move on with life. My mother's only regret was that she was not able to be there in my greatest time of need.

My SO and I recently traveled to New England for my mother's 70th birthday - a trip I had not made in 7 years. My mother was so surprised at how healthy I looked she weeped. It was then that I knew I had a lot of educating to do.
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: deibster on June 02, 2010, 10:54:32 pm
I'm surprised no one has written on here in 6 months. I was married with children. My mother knew that I was bisexual - I told her - while my father was alive, but I didn't come out until after he passed away. I told my Mom & siblings about my HIV after a year. That wasn't a huge problem. The problem was when to tell my children; I didn't want them to hear it from someone else. My father was seriously ill when I was in college & in the Navy & it was always there in the back of my mind & affected my concentration & performance. So, I didn't want to tell my kids when they were in school.
Like leatherman says, I didn't want to wait & tell my children when I was sick. I told them recently & it went well (they already knew that I was on a lot of medication). They are 30 & 27 yrs old. My son is in the Air Force & I waited to make sure he wasn't going into pilot training before I told them, because of my experience with my dad's illness. Their biggest complaint, or question, was why didn't you tell us sooner. When I explained my reason they were okay with it. I'm more peaceful now that they know & I won't have to tell them over the phone when I have to change my regimen & don't feel well. Hugs deibster
Title: Re: Am I Wrong???
Post by: Matty the Damned on June 02, 2010, 10:58:03 pm
Thread necromancy is creepeh.

MtD