Glinka Flowers ...
Quite often when making my rounds in other journals in J-Land, I'll run across something that makes me think ... sometimes about really important issues. That's what happened to me yesterday when I was visiting Albert's Artsy World and read his entry about Long-term HIV/AIDS Survivors.
Reading this entry reminded me how easy it is not to think about the early generation of AIDS victims and the extraordinary issues that they've been faced with.
Many were treated and felt like human guinea pigs as experimental medications were beginning to be introduced, the stress of having to deal with the deaths of so many of their friends and loved ones was enough to deplete anyone's immune system and they were also forced to deal with the feeling of being ostracized or hated by the people around them because of ignorance and fear. Thanks Albert for the reminder.
Reading THIS <-- click entry also gave me a unique opportunity to open up the lines of communication on a personal level with Mandy, my 18 year old daughter. As a single woman and also as a mother of 3 kids, ages 18, 20 & 21, I know that it's important to keep in mind that this virus is still a very real threat.
There have been a few people in my life directly affected by HIV/AIDS some are survivors, some were not and some have remained negative against the odds (Thank God). Hmmm ... I'm off to make a few long overdue phone calls and Alb ... I'm so glad you're my friend.
*** Coy ***
16 comments:
Isn't he the best? :)
Beautiful picture! I shall check out the links you have given tomorrow. Off to bed in a moment as it is getting on for 1 a.m. here. Have a great weekend xxxxx
wonderful entry..as always. Hugs. *Barb*
http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HEYLETSTALK
Glad to see you still have flowers in Boca. Ours froze last month. It is scary raising kids in this time and age. There's so much out there that could make a Mom paranoid.
As a mom, I just wanted to wrap my daughter up in Saran Wrap and protect her from everything. It's all so scary. Who know what new thing might be out there now? And yes, Albert is such a sweetie! xoxo
Re: Suzypwr, latex is safer than saran wrap. (a little humor here, as always)
I am so glad for the kind of interactive communication and sharing of lives that we have here in AOL-J, and I'm glad you're my friend too, Coy! Thanks for spreading more awareness about AIDS/HIV to others... hugs, Albert
This was a beautiful entry. Being a 29 year old gay male, it hit home because I have known and do know many people dealing with this disease. But people need to know (still) that this is not a "gay" disease anymore obviously. Thank you for your entry and your openness and I applaud you for educating your children on this topic. If all parents were as open and honest as you are, I think it would finally sink in.
Brian
This is a scary subject to me. I'm sure because of my life style in the 60's and 70's when I was in my younger hippie days when sex drugs and rock and roll was the way of life. The next years all the way to 1999 I was married and being true blue to the man of my dreams being a wife and mother. Nothing to worry about. Here I am a widow now so safe sex is a concern once again. I have just one guy and feel safe but it's all a matter of how safe are any of us from anything ? Not really safe from anything from moment to moment so I think doing as much as you can to be safe and the rest is just left to your faith. I have lived a dangerous life style at one time and now that I have daughters it's even more scary. I read the journal you gave us in this entry. I can't imagine what living with aids would be like. Sense this is Elvis's Birthday today what comes to mind is one of his favorite songs he sang and always said he tried to live by was " Walk a Mile In My Shoes". I know from my own experiences until you do walk that mile in anyones shoes there is no way to really realize or know what their true need is or what they are experiencing. God Bless
You know, I just love your journal because you are so good at pointing us in the right direction to learn about things. Whether it be that you, yourself have an entry about something we all need to think of more, or you point us to someone else's journal for some well-needed education.
Thank you. :-)
Micheyle
http://journals.aol.com/mommysquiettime/RedFlannelPajamas
For many years I worked in hospice and at the time it seemed the majority of my patients were AIDS patients. My children were old enough and curious enough they often asked questions and we were able to keep that open dialog going. To this day they still talk about some of my most memorable patients. They never knew names, they knew the story. Thanks for pointing the way to Albert's entry. I'm off to check it out.
Monica
http://journals.aol.com/sonensmilinmon/SmilinMonsAdventures/
That is a good reminder. I don't have much experience with AIDS. In fact, beyond what I hear on TV, I really know nothing.....
Tracy
http://journals.aol.com/sasonalmah/ARoseByAnyOtherName/
http://journals.aol.com/sasonalmah/Theresnobusinesslike/
I've devoted a lot of journal lines to AIDS, having lost my best friend to AIDS in December 2002. I thanked Albert for his and I'm thanking you for posting one too. Awareness and education is so important (as well as getting tested and being safe!) Thank you for posting this entry. There are many links on my journal to help people find local resources if they're interested. I'm so glad you addressed this with your daughter. Its so important.
muah! thank you
=) kris
http://journals.aol.com/kristeenaelise/thedailypurge.
{{{{{Coy}}}}},
I'll have to head over to Alberts. I tend to escape reality when I'm in my blog world, but even those like me with their heads in the sand need to deal with reality from time to time, so I'm glad you've done this entry. Reading your entreis below...brought back fond memories of the times I spent in St. Thomas from early 1978 through the fall of 1980. I was in love...me and those darn commuter relationships! I wish I could say that I recognize the beach, but if it's one from St. Thomas, I haven't been there in so long, I don't know if I've ever seen that beach or not.
Have a wonderful weekend!!
Vivian
I read Albert's entry on this subject, but failed to make an appropriate comment on it. But I think, like you, I tend to fail in my concern for those who were diagnosed during those first turbulant years. Have you seen Angels in America? Michael is the one who first suggested it to me, and I have to say it was a powerful film. Africa is suffering HUGELY from this disease. It's like a wildfire burning out of control in that country. I'm so sorry for those in your life affected by this disease, Coy. The ods are getting better and people are surviving, but it's still an issue that deserves attention and concern. Thank YOU for the added reminder.
well said....as we all keep seeing the photos of the tragedy in SEAsia....little is ever seen about the tragedy in Africa, the Aids epidemic....Nelson Mandela just lost his son to the disease....more needs to be done....
~JerseyGirl
http://journals.aol.com/cneinhorn/JerseyGirl
It hurts to see so many people robbed of their lives... It's not going to stop anytime soon, either, is it?
M
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