--- Quote from: emeraldize on November 30, 2012, 08:27:18 am ---Hi OMD,
Your approach to sharing information with others is yours alone, not right or wrong, but yours.
We all hope you get a different test result.
Call me crazy, but I think if healthy living can have an effect on the immune system it can have an effect on a response to HIV. My first ID doc was of the same mindset.
Our collective fingers are crossed for you. And, if you're confirmed positive you've got a friend who's positive and a resource here.
--- End quote ---
Hello emeraldize and thank you :0)
Haha, yes, the Asian approach and answer to everything is herbal tea lol. My mum used to serve it up whether I've got a cold, head ache or broken any bones...
Telling my mum would be the most difficult thing ever, which is most heart breaking. I'm still the baby in the family, although I'm 29 I still feel like a baby. :p lol
Maybe one day I will tell her, though maybe nows not the right time. It's seeing others hurt because of my problem that's hurtful. :( Though if I told her and she didn't care then I'd be angry! Lol
emeraldize:
Hey!
Most everyone will tell you here that while telling your mum is difficult for both parties -- it's worse when you withhold -- for both of you.
It's a mum's job, you know. You don't want to hear -- why did you wait so long? That's what I heard because I was trying to protect her health at the time. Baseless. Finally took the advice of others and told her.
Glad you're here Em
Ohmydays:
I understand...
It's going to be hard to initiate the subject, but probably needs to be done.
She's in her 60s, going strong, active and always running around doing things. I see a distinct contrast between us two. I feel like I have disappointed her.
As you can tell, I'm mostly worried about others around me than myself lol.
But thank you, guys, everything said has been taken in board. Has been very helpful :)
Ann:
Days, you should probably hold off on telling your mum at least until you know for sure one way or the other. After that (if you are poz), well, as a mum myself, I can tell you that it would hurt her more if you withheld this type of information from her. I'd be devastated if my daughter felt she couldn't tell me if this happened to her. She's only a few years younger than you - but it doesn't matter how old our children are, they will always be our babies and we want, we need to be able to be there for them in times of need.
--- Quote from: Ohmydays on November 30, 2012, 08:42:04 am --- On the initial visit I was surprised they didn't do a rapid HIV test on me, rather they took a few vials of blood from my arm and gave me a 5 day supply of PEP. Maybe because it was a trip to the A&E department of the hospital and that they weren't too familiar with it all...
--- End quote ---
Yes, it probably was a lack of knowledge in A&E regarding not giving you a rapid test. It can be the luck of the draw depending who's on shift and how much hiv testing and PEP protocol knowledge they have. Giving PEP in A&E for sexual incidents is still relatively new in the UK and not all locations are up-to-speed. This may be something you want to question in the GUM clinic if they and the A&E are part of the same hospital or even the same NHS trust. Someone in the clinic may want to arrange a refresher course for A&E employees.
I'm also in the UK - kinda-sorta. I'm in the Isle of Man but I go to Liverpool for my hiv care.
Hang in there while you wait for the confirmatory results. Even if you are poz, you're going to be ok. And no, it doesn't matter how it happened. What matters most is where you go from here and there's no reason why that where shouldn't be onward and upward. You'll be ok!
Ann
Ohmydays:
Thank you, Ann!
Your motherly talk has slightly welled me up :'(
Your advice and everyone else's has definitely been helpful and encouraging :)