Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I didn't see this elsewhere but I heard this on the radio earlier today and didn't have a chance to post.
http://www.worldaidsday.org/
http://www.aids.gov/ (resource site provided by US government)

17 years ago, my eldest uncle died due to complications associated with AIDs. I didn't know my uncle very well until he was diagnosed with HIV. It wasn't easy being a homosexual man in a Catholic family and as such, he kept his private life from his family. His disease affected my entire family deeply and I helped take care of him the last couple years of his life. I loved my uncle and even today thinking about him will make me cry.

My uncle wasn't the only gay man in our family that was affected as a cousin was also diagnosed with HIV and died a few months prior to my uncle. I remember the dread and fear for my uncle as I attended my cousins funeral. His parents had kept the disease secret until the last months of his life.

I just want to say that today, I remember my uncle and my cousin and I want to encourage everyone to be aware that AIDs is not going away and please get tested.

8ball made a post, but no harm in making another one.

So much to say about this....

Remember guys, HIV/AIDS is not only a problem in places like sub saharan Africa.

Get tested, get treatment. Advocate to make prevention, testing and treatment accessible. End the shame and stigma. Protect yourself by wearing a condom and using new, clean syringes. However, remember that HIV cannot be passed on by casual contact like hugging, kissing, sharing utensils or mosquito bites. Educate yourself about harm reduction. Remember the lives lost to HIV/AIDS, and support those who are living with it.

The list goes on....be aware!

I just wanted to bring this thread back up although a little late in the day.

I am lucky to never have known anyone affected by the disease - at least not to my knowledge. I do think it's a shame that AIDS is no longer the news item that it used to be, since it is still so prevalent. I grew up in the years that AIDS education was everywhere, I learned about AIDS before any other STD in public school. But people seem to think it's not a problem anymore, and that IS a problem.

I'm sorry for your family, Linanil.

Thanks for posting this. My mom's baby brother had a similar story. He died alone in a foreign country. The double tragedy is that the family wouldn't have cared and would have been a support, Catholic or not.

I'm sorry :(

I completely forgot that it was World AIDS Day today. Ironically, I am actually wearing my World AIDS Day t-shirt today, and didn't even realize, which shows you exactly how much attention I pay to what I wear.

I've worked in HIV prevention and I have a bunch of friends who are living with HIV, but this year was the first time I had a close friend die from AIDS. He was basically the nicest, kindest, most generous human being on the face of the earth...no matter how sick he was, he always managed to find someone who was in an even worse situation than his and make a difference in their life. I miss him so forking much.

I can only hope that I will be that person for other people one day