Baby brother poz

[RedneckPrincess]

I just found our that my baby brother is poz... at this time I am not sure how to feel. I feel angry (toward the other person), I feel like I let him down by not talking to him more about being safe I also feel like a failure by not protecting him better. My baby(bro) is my best friend I wanted to protect him from everything. Now I still want to protect him and I also want to be there in any way possible for him to give him the support and love that he needs. I feel diheartened that he went through this battle already for a year and half alone, he didn't turn to any of us. He is such a strong man and I love him, I am looking for advice on how to better help him. I just keep treating him the same way I always have cause who gives a crap he is awsome!

[tednlou2]

Welcome to the forums.  You are already doing the right thing-- treating him like you always have.  Just keep doing that.  You may feel upset he didn't come to you sooner.  I don't know.  Many of us need time to just come to terms.  Many of us feel the information will upset family and friends, with the thinking HIV means death.  If you don't know, with medical care, studies show near-normal to normal lifespans.  If he stays in care, you both will grow old together.

So, just keep being his big sister and treating him like you always have.  If he's already a year into this, I would imagine he has educated himself.  If this was a newer case, I would say maybe you could ask him whether he wants help getting info and education.  That would be a way to help, if he wanted it.  But, I imagine he has already learned a lot and maybe that influenced him being comfortable telling you.  He could now reassure you everything will be okay.

Ted

[RedneckPrincess]

He has reassured me greatly I'm just want to make sure that I'm giving him enough..is there something I should do or say as I said in the past the only way I know how to treat him is like I always have. is it wrong to ask to go to his next doctor's appointment with him maybe so I can get more insight are there questions I should be asking

[Jim Allen]

Well I can't speak for your brother but ill reply as if I was commenting on my own sister.

You have answered your own question. Treat him as you always have.
Just be there for him when he needs you.

If you have questions ask here is you want or ask him/ask a doc. Just don't overwhelm him too much, I don't know how long ago your brother was diagnosed and I understand this feels overwhelming for you but if he was only recently diagnosed it will still be very overwhelming for him.

As for going with him to his next doctors appointment, now if it was my sister I would not appreciate her tagging along as I tend to be quite private regarding that stuff. But that's just me, your brother may feel differently

[initforlife]

Welcome to the forums.. The others are right just treating the same  it a plus. as far as going to the DR with him.. Well in my case I do not like people tagging along That's where I can be perfect honest and open with someone about hiv. But however if he request you go with him by all means go! Hugs and glad to hear  he has your support that is so important to us poz!