A United Family

How has your HIV status affected your family members and friends?

My family is a big family. We are very united. We, like other families, face many challenges, like my father’s passing five years ago, and more recently, and the suddenly passing of one of my brothers two years ago.

It has made an impact in each of us, but as to how they have been affected due to my HIV status?… what I can say and sense is their genuine concerns towards my health and the constant fear that I could die, and for them, the fact that it could happen anytime. I have spent time in carefully educating them and explaining about how it is like living with HIV and what that means. They feel okay once they see me, and or when we talk over the phone.

I guess since I don’t live in my country and only visit every two years, sharing time and my life with them is hard for them to understand sometimes how ‘am really feeling and what are those questions they can or would like to ask – our culture is about hope and with the values my parents had giving us keep us very close and ensuring that we respect each other. And that’s what they have showed me since I’ve disclosed my status with them.

Somewhat I have had to continually educating, talking, translating, and explaining them the challenges I face everyday. One important thing is that they know me better than anyone and therefore it’s hard to hold back what I need to say sometimes. At times I think they show to be bit more worry about the fact that I am gay and while trying to understand what that is they have never stop showing respect and how much they care regardless.