Now and... now
When I arrived in Paris, I immediately visited my parents. But the one other thing I made sure to do as soon as possible was to get tested for the VIH.
I do lead a healthy life, and to have survived the AIDS years in the late 80's and during the 90's, to have seen friends on their deathbed, to have been a volunteer at the LGBT center in Paris, I certainly played it safe. Many of my friends have caught the virus. Young or less young ones. How it happened now longer matters, but what matters is that it can happen to everyone. Fortunately, the current treatments are very effective and one can live with AIDS just as if it were a simple flu.
However, I cannot forget those years, and when Mike went to the ER last November, we thought at first that he had a flu or some infection. He got tested and it took three long months for the hospital to find out that he was VIH positive. 24. So young... How did he get it? I didn't know much about his past life before we met. I'm supposedly his first serious relationship. He told me about some American bloke he used to date before. "A jerk" Mike said of him.
So during the three months, I tried to comfort Mike and make him realise that it was now very easy to live with it. IF ever he had it. "The doctor said it could be VIH", he added.
But three months seem too long when such test can only take days...
What happened?
Could I have been the one? I play it safe, but one can never be totally sure. I comforted myself with the thought that a positive and healthy mind = a healthy body.
One tries.
Last week I went to the hospital to get tested. The result would be given a week later. The seven days were hell. I remember how I went with Chih-Wei to get tested and how the week of wait were terrible. We sighed a big sigh of joy when we knew we were fine.
I sighed a big sigh of relief and utter joy when the doctor announced to me that I was in a terrific condition.
Another sigh of relief from Mike, who felt dreadful at the thought to have possibly 'shared' his virus with me.
Oh life.
However, I cannot forget those years, and when Mike went to the ER last November, we thought at first that he had a flu or some infection. He got tested and it took three long months for the hospital to find out that he was VIH positive. 24. So young... How did he get it? I didn't know much about his past life before we met. I'm supposedly his first serious relationship. He told me about some American bloke he used to date before. "A jerk" Mike said of him.
So during the three months, I tried to comfort Mike and make him realise that it was now very easy to live with it. IF ever he had it. "The doctor said it could be VIH", he added.
But three months seem too long when such test can only take days...
What happened?
Could I have been the one? I play it safe, but one can never be totally sure. I comforted myself with the thought that a positive and healthy mind = a healthy body.
One tries.
Last week I went to the hospital to get tested. The result would be given a week later. The seven days were hell. I remember how I went with Chih-Wei to get tested and how the week of wait were terrible. We sighed a big sigh of joy when we knew we were fine.
I sighed a big sigh of relief and utter joy when the doctor announced to me that I was in a terrific condition.
Another sigh of relief from Mike, who felt dreadful at the thought to have possibly 'shared' his virus with me.
Oh life.
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