Well this class continues to move right along. I'm still waiting for my HIV test results. I should be getting them anytime now. I feel kind of nervous - when I first learned of the assignment, I did not think it would be a big deal. I know that I do not have HIV but it is still a nerve-wracking experience. I actually enjoyed writing my paper last week for Assignment 3. As you can see from my last posting, I really enjoyed the book I chose to read. The paper made me look even deeper into the story. I definitely recommend the book, "At Risk" to anyone who enjoys reading.
I also enjoyed the Question of the Week this week. The situation that Teach presented us would be difficult. I was reading through some of the different responses and a lot of people said that without hesitation, they would help the dying girl immediately. I would have to admit that I would think about it for a minute. Does that make me a bad person? Of course I could only think about it for a small amount of time if the girl had any chance of living, but it would not be an immediate process. Ultimately, I would choose to help the girl. If I were in that situation, I would want someone to help me that is well versed in first aid. I could be the girl's only chance of survival.
I have a question for the people in my blogging group. In Teach's discussion posting, she says that Korey is our HIV blogging partner. I went to look at his blog, "Life How it Goes", and his one and only post was in 2006. Am I missing something? I know we are supposed to be commenting on his blog but there is nothing to comment on. Please let me know if I am doing something wrong! Thank you in advance!
***Did You Know***
A study in Kenya showed that HIV positive mothers who breastfeed are much more likely to become sicker themselves. This statistic could result from the loss of valuable calories, nutrients and fluid in the breast milk that are vital to the mother's own health. This sends out mixed signals. My last Did You Know feature stated that HIV positive mothers in developing countries are better off exclusively breastfeeding for six months or less. While this may be safer for the baby, it seems to be unsafe for the mother. There has to be a better alternative. We should find a way to get clean, safe formula to mothers in developing countries.
http://www.thebody.com/content/art13590.html
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Another Blog!
Another week has gone by! I finished my book and I was really surprised to find how much I enjoyed it. I read the book called "At Risk" by Alice Hoffman and I could not put it down! I finished it in about a day and a half. The story revolves around an 11 year old girl in a small town that contracts HIV from an untested blood transfusion during a routine appendicitis. I really enjoyed how the book was written. The story was told through the eyes of everyone involved with the little girl's life. The perspective would switch from the girl, mother, father, brother, doctor, friend, school principal, gymnastics coach and so on.
I am a cryer - just ask my sister. We always go to movies together and somehow I always find something to cry about. This book made me emotional several times throughout the story from several different character's perspectives. When you think of the emotional factors related to the transmission of HIV, often times you only consider the person who contracted the disease. This book helped to paint a picture of everyones emotions - guilt, fear, depression, discrimination and so much more. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. My sister lives in Tallahassee and she bought the book after I finished it. She is a film major at FSU and she is trying to perfect her writing skills for screenplays. The book had such an impact on her that she is trying to adapt it to a screenplay version. Its been really fun talking to her and bouncing ideas around for dialogue during the introspective moments of the book.
I had my HIV test done at Planned Parenthood this past weekend. I am a baby when it comes to needles so I received the OraSure test. I didn't think I would be that nervous about the results but it is a little scary to think about. I have never been tested for HIV before. I have been tested for every other STD but not specifically HIV. For some reason, I did not think HIV was a problem in the Tampa Bay area. I never hear any discussion about HIV statistics for the area. I was so surprised to see Florida's statistics in Teach's first slide show. I remember hearing alot about HIV and AIDS when I was a bit younger but I hardly ever hear anything anymore. I work for a non-profit hospital within the foundation. The foundation raises money to fund various programs, equipment and buildings within the hospital system. Our grant system is divided into different categories such as cancer services, diabetes services and so on. I have never once seen a grant for HIV. It seems to me that HIV positive patients are just as important as cancer patients.
The book I read, "At Risk", really showed the injustices an HIV positive person must suffer. This little girl lost most of her friends, parents and teachers petitioned against her coming back to school and she couldn't even find an orthodontist that would take off her braces. People are so uneducated about the transmission of HIV and rumors become truth. I wonder if that fear has anything to do with the difference between how a cancer patient is treated and how an HIV positive person is treated in society.
***Did You Know***
If an HIV positive mother wants to breastfeed, it is best that the baby is on a diet consisting of breast milk ONLY for the first few months. If the mother adds any other foods or liquid to the diet, the baby can develop a gut infection and has a much higher chance of becoming infected with HIV. A study in South Africa showed that mothers who exclusively breastfed their children for atleast three months were less likely to transmit HIV than mothers who incorporated other items in the baby's diet. This study showed that the risk of transmitting the virus among mothers who exclusively breastfed was no higher than those who did not breastfeed at all.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Moving Right Along...
Well, this week there is no particular blogging subject to speak of so lets talk about what went on in class during the previous week. At first, I was met with a problem when trying to complete Module 1. The bookstore had sent me the wrong CD with the HIV Course label on the front. I live three hours from campus so I had to get the correct CD overnighted to my house in order to finish the assignment. Just a little bit stressful, but I was able to finish the assignment all the same.
I found the different theories behind the origin of HIV to be very interesting. Growing up, I had always heard that the HIV virus originally came from a monkey. I remember in middle school hearing that a human had sex with a monkey and that is how the disease was introduced to mankind. Obviously that is a far fetched theory, but it goes to show how little is taught to correct such misconceptions about HIV. To be honest, this class is the first time I have ever heard real, logical theories presented about the origin of HIV. You would think that a major pandemic that kills masses of people around the world would be an important topic in middle or high school. Unfortunately, anything I learned about HIV in those years was from word of mouth or the television.
Also, I have really enjoyed how the QOTW has forced me to put myself in someone else's shoes - some very difficult shoes. The situations are always realistic and cause for some introspective thinking on my part. This week's QOTW made me wonder what some options are for tourists that are thinking ahead and want to stay safe in such a situation. The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service website gave a couple excellent options. First, they recommended completing a group compatibility profile if you are traveling with a group of people. This profile will show blood grouping and antibody screening tests conducted on each member of the party in order to find out which member could safely donate blood to another member in the group. Of course, each member in the group would also be tested for transfusion transmissible diseases.
Another option provided on the website was for tourists to carry blood collection bags and the equipment required for the transfusion. The bags and needles must be sealed and sterile. A physician or a nurse must be present to conduct the transfusion but the tourist would feel safer knowing the contents of their blood bag. Before this class, I would have never even thought about a possible blood transfusion before traveling to another country. I feel that after this lesson, if I were to travel out of the country, I would do all I can to educate myself about other countries' blood banks and how they screen donors.
For more information about traveling to Africa, please visit http://www.blood.org.za/tourists.html
******DID YOU KNOW!!*******
Did you know that the transmission of HIV from mother to child can occur in utero, during labor or after delivery? However, 65% of newborns with HIV become infected during labor. A cesarean section at 38 weeks can reduce the chance of HIV transmission during labor, but surgery can be very dangerous for the mother.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0515/p2049.html
I found the different theories behind the origin of HIV to be very interesting. Growing up, I had always heard that the HIV virus originally came from a monkey. I remember in middle school hearing that a human had sex with a monkey and that is how the disease was introduced to mankind. Obviously that is a far fetched theory, but it goes to show how little is taught to correct such misconceptions about HIV. To be honest, this class is the first time I have ever heard real, logical theories presented about the origin of HIV. You would think that a major pandemic that kills masses of people around the world would be an important topic in middle or high school. Unfortunately, anything I learned about HIV in those years was from word of mouth or the television.
Also, I have really enjoyed how the QOTW has forced me to put myself in someone else's shoes - some very difficult shoes. The situations are always realistic and cause for some introspective thinking on my part. This week's QOTW made me wonder what some options are for tourists that are thinking ahead and want to stay safe in such a situation. The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service website gave a couple excellent options. First, they recommended completing a group compatibility profile if you are traveling with a group of people. This profile will show blood grouping and antibody screening tests conducted on each member of the party in order to find out which member could safely donate blood to another member in the group. Of course, each member in the group would also be tested for transfusion transmissible diseases.
Another option provided on the website was for tourists to carry blood collection bags and the equipment required for the transfusion. The bags and needles must be sealed and sterile. A physician or a nurse must be present to conduct the transfusion but the tourist would feel safer knowing the contents of their blood bag. Before this class, I would have never even thought about a possible blood transfusion before traveling to another country. I feel that after this lesson, if I were to travel out of the country, I would do all I can to educate myself about other countries' blood banks and how they screen donors.
For more information about traveling to Africa, please visit http://www.blood.org.za/tourists.html
******DID YOU KNOW!!*******
Did you know that the transmission of HIV from mother to child can occur in utero, during labor or after delivery? However, 65% of newborns with HIV become infected during labor. A cesarean section at 38 weeks can reduce the chance of HIV transmission during labor, but surgery can be very dangerous for the mother.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0515/p2049.html
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Another week...
Hello my fellow bloggers! Yet another week has passed us by. This week has not been so great for me. Unfortunately, a lovely flu virus decided to inhabit my body and give me a temperature of 102 for two days! I am feeling much better today but I feel like I am playing catch up in all of my classes. I found the Question of the Week to be rather thought provoking this week. It is hard to imagine how I would feel and react in such a situation. It is hard to think that in a careless, drunken moment you can inherit a lifetime of struggle. It is so very important to practice safe sex. I was raised in a Christian, private school and all we were taught was abstinence. Abstinence is a beautiful idea but it is not a reality in the world we live in today. Teenagers need to learn about protection and what can happen if sex goes unprotected.
I also found our blogging topic to be very interesting. I found a unique ASO in Montreal called AIDS Community Care Montreal, or ACCM, and ended up searching through their website for almost an hour! I can only begin to describe all of the amazing programs they offer for HIV positive citizens, but I will do my best to give them justice. First, I looked at their mission statement and found them to be like most ASO's. They believe in building a society free from the stigma that HIV often entails. The ACCM strives to be a community resource to help citizens make informed decisions, ultimately resulting in a better quality of life for those infected with HIV and the prevention of transmission for others. All of their programs are offered in English and an increasing amount of programs are offered in French. However, every team member at the ACCM is bilingual and all programs are free of charge.
One goal of the ACCM is to offer a social setting free of judgement. They organize "Positive Mingles" throughout the year where people can meet and mingle without a worry of disclosure. They also offer a holiday season open house, summer BBQ's and an ice skating party. The ACCM has created a Drop In Resource Center that is available for coffee, social events, health promotion workshops and cooking demonstrations. The Center provides access to materials regarding HIV and the community and also offers referrals to other services.
The ACCM offers a series of workshops regarding different aspects of sexuality and HIV. You can take each workshop individually or partake in the whole series. There are workshops concerning relationships, sexuality, disclosure and communication. They also offer a variety of support groups. One support group called Positively Living provides information on concerns ranging from medication and nutrition to emotional health and sexuality. This support group is comprised of HIV positive, gay men and is primarily full of long term survivors. Another support group is the Spirituality Group. This group uses a variety of different belief systems to discuss topics such as life, mortality and afterlife. Latino Positivo is a bi-monthly support group offered completely in Spanish. The group covers information such as resources for refugees and/or immigrants.
I also found our blogging topic to be very interesting. I found a unique ASO in Montreal called AIDS Community Care Montreal, or ACCM, and ended up searching through their website for almost an hour! I can only begin to describe all of the amazing programs they offer for HIV positive citizens, but I will do my best to give them justice. First, I looked at their mission statement and found them to be like most ASO's. They believe in building a society free from the stigma that HIV often entails. The ACCM strives to be a community resource to help citizens make informed decisions, ultimately resulting in a better quality of life for those infected with HIV and the prevention of transmission for others. All of their programs are offered in English and an increasing amount of programs are offered in French. However, every team member at the ACCM is bilingual and all programs are free of charge.
One goal of the ACCM is to offer a social setting free of judgement. They organize "Positive Mingles" throughout the year where people can meet and mingle without a worry of disclosure. They also offer a holiday season open house, summer BBQ's and an ice skating party. The ACCM has created a Drop In Resource Center that is available for coffee, social events, health promotion workshops and cooking demonstrations. The Center provides access to materials regarding HIV and the community and also offers referrals to other services.
The ACCM offers a series of workshops regarding different aspects of sexuality and HIV. You can take each workshop individually or partake in the whole series. There are workshops concerning relationships, sexuality, disclosure and communication. They also offer a variety of support groups. One support group called Positively Living provides information on concerns ranging from medication and nutrition to emotional health and sexuality. This support group is comprised of HIV positive, gay men and is primarily full of long term survivors. Another support group is the Spirituality Group. This group uses a variety of different belief systems to discuss topics such as life, mortality and afterlife. Latino Positivo is a bi-monthly support group offered completely in Spanish. The group covers information such as resources for refugees and/or immigrants.
The ACCM offers a Buddy Program to improve quality of life for an HIV positive citizen through the use of one on one support. A buddy must go through intense training before they are eligible to join the Buddy Program. Buddy training includes classes in HIV 101 and 102, Active Listening 101 and 102, Depression and Suicide, Harm Reduction, Death Dying and Bereavement, Transphobia, and Queerphobia.
This is a link to an ACCM HIV 101 Introduction Video. For some reason I am having problems uploading it onto my blog but I really wanted everyone to see the video. If anyone could let me know exactly how to transfer videos from YouTube to this blog, I would really appreciate it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI4PLKL56dk
The ACCM also offers a Therapet Program in recognition of the healing powers a pet can have over its master. The Therapet Program offers bi-annual vet clinics with consultations, vaccinations and flea treatment medications at a reduced price. Participants in the Therapet Program are also eligible for the Emergency Pet Care Financial Assistance Program.
Another one of the many programs offered through ACCM is the Treatment Program. Tri-therapy anti-retroviral medication has provided a new hope for quality of life and life expectancy. However, it is not easy to become accustomed to the side effects and strict medication regimen. The Treatment Program supports people through the first months of a new or changing medication regimen. It is during this time that the side effects are the most severe. The Program also focuses on difficulties of adhering to the regimen and offers workshops to promote treatment literacy. Conferences are organized several times throughout the year to discuss specific HIV treatment topics.
One final program offered by the ACCM is the Buyers' Club. The Buyers' Club is a participant-run food cooperative that provides nutritious, high protein and low cost food for members on a monthly basis. Members can place an order ranging from $10-40 and this contribution plus donations from outside the club goes towards the bulk grocery purchase. The Buyers' Club was started in 1999 for members of the ACCM, but as of 2001 became available to other AIDS organizations in Montreal. Follow this link to see an example of the menu provided to participants:
http://www.accmontreal.org/en/documents/Order%20form%20English.pdf
I encourage you to check out the ACCM website. All of the information listed above is available.
http://www.accmontreal.org/en/about.html
***Did You Know?***
As you know by now, my "Did You Know" topic is HIV and pregnancy. Did you know that after a baby is born to an HIV positive mother, they must immediately undergo six months of treatment? This small window of time can reduce the risk of transmission by 60%.
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1223.asp#head11
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