POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => I Just Tested Poz => Topic started by: raroy273 on June 28, 2007, 03:16:20 pm
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Yesterday I get home and my grandparents tell me that a letter was hand delivered for me. I open it up and its from the Colorado Department of Health, no big surprise I knew they would be contacting me but figured it would be by phone. No, the guy shows up at my house asking for me, asking where I work, what number he can reach me at and offers no identification to them. That makes me very upset that a government employee shows up and offers no explination as to who he is and why he is there. Glad I trained them well not to give any info out. Read the letter and it is EXTREMELY URGENT that he speaks with me. Leave him three voicemails, one last night, two today. Finally calls me back and he has this puney, sniveling little voice. He asks if I know why he is contacting me, of course I do. Then precedes to tell me that I have a Mandatory meeting with them to obtain health information in order to find out when and where I was infected and to let me know what services they have available to me. I dont freaking know where I got it, I know it was back when I was using/partying. I have looked at the services they offer and it is VERY little to nothing. I am so tired of all these unexpected appointments, mandatory meetings, the hearing officer that took my license now wants my Dr. to medically clear me to drive, I only told her that I have a serious medical condition that requires close montering in hopes that she would not take it. There are more third-party people that know my status then I ever wanted to know. Medical professionals are fine, family and close friends is all that I want/need to know at this time. When is this going to stop!?!?! I am beginning to feel that I am a circus freak. I am tired of all this!! Do they not understand that what I am dealing with is difficult enough and I dont want/need the State poking around. I have know for a little over a month now and still adjusting. This whole thing is making me outraged! Does it ever stop?!?!?!
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First lesson when you become HIV positive: your life has changed. How you cope is up to you. Its ok to be angry....but dont stay angry forever.....it will only eat at you and turn you into a bitter angry person.
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WHAT???????????????
The State Dep of Health is required to contact you and try to find your partners in case of SYPHILIS, NOT HIV. HIV'S PATIENT NAME SHOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE DEPT UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT YOU AGREE FOR DISCLOSURE TO THE DEPT OF HEALTH. The clinic must tell the CDC that there is a new patient, that's all. What this person is doing sounds like harassment, it's the first time I hear anyone talk about suspending a driving license for HIV. I would refuse to answer any other question and ask to speak to a supervisor!
Milker.
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Not here Milker, you test positive in Ohio and you are on the name base data computer. As of December, 2006, all states have made the commitment to move to a name-based system. Those states that don't comply will not get funding from the Federal Government.
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Not here Milker, you test positive in Ohio and you are on the name base data computer. As of December, 2006, all states have made the commitment to move to a name-based system. Those states that don't comply will not get funding from the Federal Government.
So it's not done in california, the person was very clearly stating the difference between syphilis & hiv disclosure to state when she called. Are you saying that HIV+ people are going to receive those kind of call soon in california soon??? Do they have to report HIV+ that were diagnosed BEFORE the new system?
Milker.
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If you get help from Ryan White, ADAP or other government agencies then your name will be on the data base.
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oic so it's not exactly like the syphilis disclosure but it looks worse!
still, this license thing is scary, and those mandatory meetings too. raroy i'm sorry you have to go through this at this time :(
Milker.
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http://cpr.ca.gov/report/cprrpt/issrec/hhs/hhs14.htm (http://cpr.ca.gov/report/cprrpt/issrec/hhs/hhs14.htm)
Here it tells you how much California will lose if it does not comply to name base data reporting.
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Thanks a lot Rapid!
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raroy273, those are normal questions that are asked by the State Health Departments. When you are in need of help with medication or other programs it is approved through your State Health Department. The information that you give just makes receiving help with meds or things offered through the state faster. Just answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you don't know who infected you, then you just say you don't know. Did you lose your license to drive due to other reasons? The State can help you get driving privileges to get yourself to and from medical appoints, pharmacies, clinics etc.
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WHAT???????????????
The State Dep of Health is required to contact you and try to find your partners in case of SYPHILIS, NOT HIV.
Milker.
Milky... these laws vary greatly from state to state. Some states call you when you get gonorrhea, herpes, syph, and hiv.
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New Jersey is quite different. My partner received a letter from the health dept. stating that he call them immediately. Upon calling them they informed him of his Hep C and that he needs to follow up. They never told him about the HIV. The doctor sprung that on him.
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Thanks guys, the info helps a lot. I lost my license due to excessive pionts. The make things worse the guy called back and demanded that we meet yesterday at 5:30 and that after discussing additional information with his supervisor that is was in the best intrest of my health to meet with him. What other information could they have on me? I did not meet with him. I have a natural disliking of sharing information with government agencies, esp when it concerns my health. I have an uneasy feeling about this whole thing, esp with the letter and envelope not on letterhead and snooping around my house. I have health insurance that covers my meds very well, I do know that the State does offer help with those, but I am able to afford them. If I do need help I will contact them, and I honestly do not know who infected me...it during many cracked out nights at the bathhouse.
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When the health dept representative insisted that I give her the names of my partners I said that this will never happen, I will contact the ones that I know myself, and tell them myself to get test for syphilis & hiv, and there is no way I'm going to give her names.
Some time ago there was another post about this, and the poster said that he was contacted because someone gave his name, and he was glad he was contacted because then he was able to test and realize he was infected. So yes, it is a good thing to contact the partners you can find, but I wouldn't do it through a government agency.
Milker.
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I find this interesting simply because it reminds me so much of the old movies where someone could walk up and demand your identity papers. I have read where the access to the data bases is very restricted and no one can just go browsing through snooping. And if you believe that one, I have a bridge or two I can sell you cheap.
You can now go on line and see if a sex offender is in your neighborhood. How long before you can do the same thing with people with HIV or any other disease? Prospective employers, able to check to see if you are in any type of data base and then decide that if you have an illness not to hire you because it could cost them money in future benefits.
Some people might think that its no big deal or only a minor inconvenience. But it becomes a big deal when some idiot comes up and says you have HIV in front of people who had no idea. When I was first diagnosed, some idiot from the Board of Health gave a professor at the university a list of everyone in the area who had HIV. Low and behold I come home and find a huge envelope clearly marked with what it contained with a questionaire inside. Since it was too large for my apt. mail box the postman was kind enough to stick it up on the corner of the mailboxes for everyone to see. Now my neighbors knew something that wasnt there concern.
I opened it and found two one dollar bills inside for filling out the questionaire and mailing it back. I filled nothing out but sent a very detailed explanation of why it was not his business and also included his two dollars and a brief discription of where he could put it.
I guess some of these people have never read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Our private matters are still our private business and the govt has no right to blackmail the states into doing whatever some moronic politicians dream up.
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Hey Roy, I think most of us HIV+ have gone through all that and much more. At the end of the day, if you love yourself, it will make you stronger. My very respectful advice: RELAX. These guys make a lot of noise for political reasons, to show everybody the government is doing something. Apart from that, you are a number or a stat. As cruel as it may sound, (this is Adler’s reality therapy) it is your responsibility to take control over your life, your health, and your emotions. Just relax and start living one day at a time laying plans for staying alive and as healthy as you can be, and above all keeping a sound mind.
In my case, when I found out, I was in negation. All of a sudden I felt inside a nutshell where the only thing I could here was the echo of my own internal voice while seeing the gestures of outsiders pointing at me. Nowadays all those spirits are gone. It was like any other learning process in life. Ironically, in the process, I became stronger, wiser, and happier that I had ever being. And you will hear a lot of testimonies like mine. I have been positive for 15 years already, and in the meantime I have accomplished most of the goals I had before finding out. HIV gave me the courage I never had before. The only real problem I have right now is the lack of resources to finance my treatment (that I need to begin soon : CD4 260 / Viral Load 160 K). In that I’m working right now; that’s my project right now; and in taking control of my life I find peace, joy, and contentment. Writing and meditation are my tools for sorting and pondering my ideas.
I wish you strength in this journey; have PEACE. Hugs Jim.
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UPDATE: Talked to the Dr on Friday and mentioned it to him...he asked who it was and told him and my complaint is the second one that he has had about this individual. He said he was friends with the director and would be calling him. He also stated that there is no information that I MUST give them, and the less the State knows the better. He said to let them know that I am at Apex and am receiving the care that I need and if I ever become unemployed, homeless, or uninsured that I would contact them.
Was nice to know that he was upset by the handling of this matter. It does make me wonder if someday there will be a report out there accessible by the public showing how is HIV+.
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raroy273, All U.S. States To Begin Names-Based Reporting of HIV Cases by End of 2007.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=44011 (http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=44011)