to xhost...

[sunnygirl79]

hi xhost,

i took the test yesterday but do not have results yet.  i'm holding up alright, aside from the fact that i realized i only had a three week negative test - which kind of sent me into a short lived panic (i thought for some reason it was at four weeks).  if the test from yesterday comes back negative, i will fee much better as that will give me an eight week negative result.  i can only remind myself that "it is what it is," i can't change it at this point.

for those of you who wish to catch up on my story...read "high risk hiv exposure" from the 24th of March.

thanks for asking xhost...

[Xhost]

Sunny,

Ordinarily, I'd say leave that type of thinking (all the what ifs) until you know something for sure. But, you should know something about HIV. Even if your test were to come back positive, it is most definitely not the end of your world. It is most emphatically not the death sentence that it once was. People who contract HIV in this day and age still have a lot of life to look forward to. And that means:

*Dating
*Marriage
*Buying a house
*Kids
*Career
*Saving for retirement

Yes, all of the above. HIV is a chronic, yet manageable disease. It's not something anyone would want to catch willingly, but neither is diabetes or any other chronic disease. Healthy living and strict adherence to treatment protocols goes a long, long way to insuring that those who do catch HIV lead healthy, happy and long lives. And all of this isn't just something that you say to people who are worried to make them feel better, it isn't empty platitudes. It's the truth now. And the outlook is good for future treatments. New drugs come down the pipeline every year that are easier to tolerate and more effective at surpressing the virus.

But, now I will say it, don't start worrying about what to do if you are positive until you know your results. My bet is still that you're not positive. Try to deal over the weekend, and come on back if you need to unload.

[sunnygirl79]

hey xhost,

my doctor called today and wants me to come in.  she wouldn't give me the results over the phone.  i'm guessing this isn't good news as at three weeks, when it was negative, she had her nurse give me the info over the phone.  she's been my doctor for years and i know she'd tell me if the news were good news.

i'm out of town until monday - i won't have the final word until then.  

[sunnygirl79]

your story helps...i'm just nervous.  i live in a small town (around 12,000 people), one in which she'd probably tell me at the grocery store if she ran into me there, you know?  anyway, i'm just going to try and enjoy my trip (nothing fun, it's for work) then deal with it first thing on monday.  

what happens if it comes back positive, then what?

[Xhost]

Well, I wouldn't read too much into it, personally, though I know you must be worried. My own doctor gave me an HIV test some months back, and said I would be able to get the results by phone. When I called on the appointed day, his nurse insisted that I come in and get the results. That worried me, so I dropped what I was doing and rushed right over. I was negative.

Not so good to be out of town and wanting to be somewhere else. Try to stay on an even keel for the next few days, and, as always feel free to come on by whenever you need to chat.

[Xhost]

Of course, and please do come back and share the (certainly negative) results of your test. And remember, if you need to talk, here we are.