After working with many patients that have HIV over the last year, I have grown to view all patients in the same manner regardless of what they might be suffering from. I believe that it has also enriched my perspective on how I would approach someone on street. The second question of the week brought me closer into this perspective as well. After working through the assignment, I couldn't help but begin to think about my extended family and if there is anyone that I might see as having contracted the virus. The thought process didn't stop there as family quickly turned into friends and this made the possibility of someone having HIV much greater. I am very excited about the future of this class and what is in store not only for me, but for the rest of the class. People educated on this subject is something that our society needs to get rid of the negative stigma attached to the virus. The simulations that we have taken part in so far have been quite interesting, and I think having the guide of questions helped to fully dig into the experience. I still get chills from the feeling of the cotton mass grinding on my teeth as I was chewing and I can only assume that the actual condition is 100 times worse than anything we can simulate. This semester should prove to be very interesting, and it already seems like a course that anyone involved with health care should be involved with.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The beginning....
This last week I have began to walk through what I hope can be an experience that can deeply enrich my perspective on HIV and AIDS. I have been working in health care for about a year and a half now, and I have taken care of a handful of people whom either have HIV or those that have had the virus progress into AIDS. During my first experience I found myself to be a little withdrawn and entirely over protective. I think that when you are first confronted with someone who is unfortunate enough to have contracted the virus and you are drawing blood out of them through finger sticks for a diabetes test, it would make anyone a little nervous. Perhaps that last statement is just the opinion of someone that is not educated enough in the subject. It makes me think about how precious life is and how we will jump to ridiculous conclusions when that very life has any chance of being threatened. Upon that first confrontation, I was checking myself for any open cuts or wounds that I might have had on my arms and I kept checking and rechecking myself sometimes nearly working myself into a panic. This was even after having knowledge about the virus and how it could be contracted.
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I agree with the cotton grinding on your teeth! It gave me chills and was way worse than nails on a chalkboard. I could imagine how awful it would be to have thrush. I think its awesome you work in health care and have experience with HIV patients. To my knowledge I have never met anyone with HIV and don't know much about the disease.
ReplyDeleteI have had thrush, compliments of a round of intravenous antibiotics, and it wasn't fun. Eating becomes a challenge because you don't want to eat anything that will cause pain. Anything with acid was a no no. Drinking carbonated drinks was also a challenge. Water became the drink of choice. Taste didn't enter the picture. Foods that I loved lost their luster because the taste was challenged by the fungus growing inside my mouth. Sometimes I could swear I was chewing fungus and not food.
ReplyDeleteIf I could give each of you thrush for a week with all its associated pain I would, but since I can't, the cotton balls are the next closest thing. Glad you learned something from the simulation, Brett.
I agree that there is a lot of negative stigma associated with HIV. Honestly, I really don't know much about the subject, which is one of the reasons I am taking this course. People are beginning to be labeled because of the disease not the people they are, and kind of lose their identity and become a label. This is a very scary thought as it could hit anybody regardless of age or race.
ReplyDeletep.s. Teach wishes a week of thrush on all of us?! Scary!
Now imagine that your a baby and you have to suck on a bottle with all that junk in your mouth :X My oldest son, Michael, had thrush as a baby and it was so painful for him! Glad to see your interest in HIV Brett.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that is a shocking response to hear, I know many people would say the same thing. I kind of feel the same way in that I would not drink out of the same can even though the disease cannot be contracted through saliva. I read the book you posted on your blog and I must say it is a good book. The story is great, the characters are quite humorous, and entertaining. It opens your eyes to see how someone else lives with the diseases and the struggles that they go through.
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