Life-threatening illness: To tell or not to tell?

[ds4146]

Interesting item and one that many of us have considered, and seems still so of importance and prevalent to many. Still hits home, but I am happy that I shared and still do with those who matter. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48321493/ns/health-cancer/?__utma=14933801.414079725.1342410892.1343267996.1343274781.39&__utmb=14933801.1.10.1343274781&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1342410892.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=139500979#.UBC_WrSvJ8E

[leatherman]

I am just going to read this article now; but here's a tinyurl.com link to fix the one ds4146 posted
(use tinyurl.com anything you get a long url or a url with special characters in it that way it won't break, or expand off the page.)

http://tinyurl.com/dyjyhom

[Mishma]

I've got no problem telling people I have cancer and heart disease but after being rejected/spurned after confiding my HIV status I am highly selective. One example will suffice. After revealing to a colleague that I was HIV positvie I was told not to get within 100 feet of his child!

[Dr.Strangelove]

OMG, are you serious? I'm sorry to hear that.
I don't deal too well with reactions like those. It really drags me down. This is why I have told only very few of my close friends. I tend to be more open to people I know I will probably never meet again. If they react in a bad way, I can handle it.

[surf18]

Great article,
But again it's so sad how HIV patients mostly suffer in silence.
But yet for me I resonate with the person in the article who didnt want to be treated differently or have pity.
But sometimes I want some damn sympathy.
Now I certainly don't want something but we all know if we were dx'd with most anything else we would have all pretty much disclosed

[Ann]

After revealing to a colleague that I was HIV positvie I was told not to get within 100 feet of his child!

Good lord, people are so ignorant. Whenever I encounter a reaction like that, I give them chapter and verse on transmission - and of course I always ask them when was the last time they tested. If they tell me they've not been at risk, I say "Oh, you've never had a bare fuck in your life? Poor you." That always gets them worried.

[surf18]

ha i like that ann!!!

[britchick]

Hi!

Good one Ann!!!!!!!!!!

Britchickx

[Rockin]

I completely understand this. I hate being treated differently and people are generally ignorant when it comes to HIV. They have no idea what being UND means and what the medicine does. Can't blame them, this is not widespread information.

It's quite ridiculous that we are in 2012 and people will still look at you thinking you'll die soon. "Oh poor thing".

[surf18]

But we have to remember these people don't have this thing. They don't read up on it or see a dr on it every 3 months. They are completely blissfully ignorant on it. To be honest I didn't know shit about this disease or its treatments until I was dx'd with it. The general public just is nt informed on this as they are on other diseases.

[jkinatl2]

But we have to remember these people don't have this thing. They don't read up on it or see a dr on it every 3 months. They are completely blissfully ignorant on it. To be honest I didn't know shit about this disease or its treatments until I was dx'd with it. The general public just is nt informed on this as they are on other diseases.

So they've been in a coma since 1980? How tragic.

I do not for a moment buy ignorance as an excuse. Not for a moment.

[vaguesbleues]

I know for me, I've disclosed to a very limited subset of supportive friends.  Even that was immediately after diagnosis, as I just needed the help and support and hugs and whatnot.  I still haven't told ANY of my family, and I don't envision ever telling them.  When I first came out to my family, I was told that they were concerned I'd die young & alone of AIDS and go to hell.  I just don't need the "I told you so" comments from them...

[Common_ground]

People dont believe me when I say I got HIV, because "You dont look sick" and when they know, they act like we will never meet again, kind of " Is there anything I can do before you pass away?" This is people I see regularly, several times a week.

Just like you point out surf, they dont know about HIV and what it really is. When I asked my friends(straight, if that matters) before they knew I was + what they would do if they turned out to be positive all said they would try to get a hold of all the money they could and just party hard, go crazy kind of stuff, most also said that if they were +, they rather live with it unknowing and then just die.