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Author Topic: Anyone in St. Louis?  (Read 2995 times)

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Offline CLP1972

  • Member
  • Posts: 12
Anyone in St. Louis?
« on: February 21, 2013, 08:27:40 pm »
Hi all!  40yo medical professional here, HIV+ for a year now, and doing well.  The idea of learning to love oneself again is definitely a process and a journey after diagnosis.  I am thankful that I have made peace with it. 

I'm moving to St. Louis in June and looking for friends in the HIV community, so, if that's you, please message me, and let's talk. 

I am also interested in forming a support group solely for those of us who are medical professionals and living with HIV.  For us, there is often no such thing as HIPAA to protect us in many ways, and much more stigma applied to us because of dealing with this while pursuing our careers.  I would love to hear from other medical professionals.  Take care!

Chris

Offline weasel

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,906
Re: Anyone in St. Louis?
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2013, 06:24:32 pm »


     Good Luck !

       I'm not of  your class , So it is not really too important to me .

     I am  aware of no suck cess ful support groups in the Saint Louis area .

    or  any in South East Missouri that will be sympathetic  to anyone that

 wants to  discuss HIV / AIDS  issues . Just not happening here .

 I have met a few HIV POZ  Doctors and professional guys . But other selling them
  selves I have seen no evidence   of wanting to share  their stories . 

  It is a great City and the Bars are VERY HIV / AIDS friendly .

                             The best to you ,
                                                         Weasel
" Live and let Live "

Offline weasel

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,906
Re: Anyone in St. Louis?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 08:11:21 pm »
 

I'm so glad you reposted  the same topic in a more friendly way  ;)

 You will find the Heart Land a wonderful place to live .

    It is thee  Gay Mecca of the mid-west  ;D

   So much to see and do here .   I'm always on the road visiting our type .

                                           glad to Meat you , Weasel  :-*
" Live and let Live "

Offline CLP1972

  • Member
  • Posts: 12
Re: Anyone in St. Louis?
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2013, 01:52:00 am »
Weasel,

I apologize if you were in any way offended by my original post, as it was not meant to offend anyone.  It has NOTHING to do with "being of someone's class".  I do not consider myself to be any different than the next guy and no better than anyone, regardless of what I do for a living.  I'm about as down-to-earth as you can get.  As you can see by reading my other post, the stigma placed on medical professionals is, believe it or not, more than what is faced by the general public whom we care for, in regard to HIV status.  On average, we spend 1/3 of our life in school & training, are in debt an average of $200,000 on completion, risk being sued on a daily basis, and that's just if you are HIV negative.  Now, in the event that you are human and become positive, you then get to face the possibility of losing everything you have worked for, regardless of what your risk is to anyone else....much as it was in the early days of HIV when people could be fired based upon their status.  Thankfully we now have laws to protect most people; however, many of these laws do not cover the medical professionals.  You not only face stigma from your peers (who should be educated better and more empathetic), but you also face stigma from your patients, who essentially put the food on your table.  There was one study, of a random set of the population, asking people if they would go to a physician who was poz, even if there was no chance of exposure.  Only 30% said they would.  The laws vary so much from state to state.  Some states actually make your advertise your status in writing so that everyone is aware, even if there is essentially no chance of exposure.  How degrading is that?  Not to mention how much it invades our privacy.  How many people in the general public would like to have to wear a sign around announcing their status to everyone they meet?  Not many, I'd bet. 

I was just posting trying to meet poz friends in the area, regardless of what they do for a living, etc.  I hope that we can meet and you can show me around some.  We all have this common bond of HIV and it is up to us to stick together, stay strong and proud, and fight the stigma and discrimination.  I'm glad to meet you, as well!  Take care and message me soon!

Offline weasel

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,906
Re: Anyone in St. Louis?
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2013, 07:03:47 pm »

  I would  be pleased to meet you  :)
   I get along well with  people . I do keep  some of my personal  stuff to  myself .

   Here in Missouri some people are more interested in  what a person has  :o
 Forgive me , I live in a little Town of 57 people .

   It has been almost 10 years  living here now  ;D

    Please message me .

   It would surprise  many of these people on the forums ,  I AM SHY  :-
         
                                                  Carl .  The Car guy  :)
                                                 

   
" Live and let Live "

Offline Blixer

  • Member
  • Posts: 712
Re: Anyone in St. Louis?
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2013, 07:28:42 pm »
Chris, I live in St. Louis.  It is a great city although I've found the gay community to be somewhat closed.  Maybe that's just me, but it almost seems like you have to know someone and be "invited" to be a part of it.  But I do love the city!  It has a lot to offer.  Do you know what part of the city you hope to live in?  I'm in the South City area near the Botanical Gardens.  There are lots of great neighborhoods.  If you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to share whatever I know.
David
Diagnosed 1/9/06
8/27/2007 CD4 598, 29%, VL 58 (72 wks)
11/19/2007 CD4 609, 30%, VL < 50 (84 wks)
2/11/2008 CD4 439, 27%, VL <50 (96 wks)
5/5/2008 CD4 535, 28%, VL <50 (108 wks)
10/20/2008 CD4 680, 28%, VL <50 (132 wks)
Changed to Atripla in 2012
1/14/2013 CD4 855, 35%, VL <40

 


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