From Old Blog - Wrap It Up!

WRAP IT UP!
A 25 year old female came into clinic to see one of my colleagues because she was "Just not feeling well"...feeling tired, fatigued, and having a bad sore throat for the past few weeks. On physical exam, her mouth and throat had white streaks. She had a low grade fever. Scrapings of the streaks in her mouth and microscopic view revealed yeast. Yeast in the mouth is very uncommon except in babies and in the immunocompromised (i.e. diabeties or...HIV/AIDS). After my colleague talked with her, she agreed to get tested for HIV.
This young, beautiful female, devoted wife, and loving mother, was...that day...diagnosed with HIV - the virus that causes AIDS. She came in thinking she just had a bad cold and now, her life is forever changed.
The circumstances to how or when she got infected is unknown.
Was it from her husband? How then will she confront him? How long has he had it? Did he even know?
Was it acquired before she was married and she just did not know? If so, how would she tell her family...and is her child infected?
Was it from a lover? How will she now break the news to her husband?
How will this affect her family? Her friends? Her life?
People, you cannot tell by looking at someone if they have something. It only takes one time. Don't ever get so caught up in the moment that you gamble your future and your life! It can happen to you, so, two things...
(1) GET TESTED! Better to know early and start treatment as soon as possible to have a better outcome...
and
(2) WRAP IT UP! ALL THE TIME! EVERYTIME! THE WHOLE TIME!