A positive life

Friend: Agus, I need to talk to you about something.

Agus: Yeah, go on.

Friend: Be very honest with me, how has your sex life been so far?

Agus: Uhm, not good, really.

Friend: Then you’re okay. I cannot stress this enough; SAFE SEX, ALWAYS. I was recently diagnosed with HIV. My result came out positive. I got the news early June, the first of June, to be exact… I’m only telling you this because, one, from being a 'friend of a friend' I have come to consider you as a close friend, … two, I don’t want you make the same mistakes I did.
… you can never be too sure. Yes, she’ll tell you she loves you and you trust her with all your heart. Of course she’s honest; she honestly has no clue she’s positive. And when you have a lifestyle like mine, the risk is higher. Sometimes you let your guards down and it slips.
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the rest was all blur for a long while. I didn’t expect a routine weekend ‘teh tarik’ session during supper would be shockingly disturbing.

When I snapped back from daze, he was well into the ‘safe sex’ and ‘living positively’ evangelism. It was obvious; he was being mighty brave facing the grim reality. More than that, he is making sure others are well informed and afraid of the infectious disease instead of fearing the infected. He is using internet portals and forums, most of the times under a pseudonym, to allow discussions and outreach. His enthusiasm and dedication could be seen as channels to take his mind off the misery, regret and frustration. Either way, he is doing a good thing.

“This is very disturbing for me. I am disturbed, I am upset. Sorry. You must be getting a lot of this response by now. I am aware of the disease and I make it a point to protect myself. But having someone I know, infected, takes this awareness to another level” I told him.

“From the stories that you two shared just now, I thought you were talking about another friend of yours with HIV” I added.

“I was devastated when he broke the news to me over the phone. I couldn’t say anything for a long while. He was crying and I had nothing to say”, another friend at the table shared.

He understood, and the three of us continued talking; about the abrupt change of lifestyle to cope with the disease and medication, the additional tests to determine the level of infection, the psychological effect the news has to both the infected and the people they love, the shape of things to come, and the commitment and responsibility he is determined to shoulder. Needless to say, he was doing most of the talking.

“So, now you know. If you have any questions, or things you’d like to know, anything at all, just ask” he said.

“I will” I told him. That is for sure.