On October 27, 1988, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized that the World Health Organization declare December 1, 1988, to be World AIDS Day.
AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It is caused by the human immune system being depleted of it’s cells by HIV.
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus
The first patient that I cared for, diagnosed with AIDS, was in 1985 while I was still in Regina. The AIDS fear was palpable at that time among the populations and thus among nursing staff. The young man, our patient, was only 21 years old and terrified. He didn’t stay on our unit long as he was transferred out to a hospital in Ontario where this newly discovered disease could be treated. I don’t know what happened to him, however I do remember one of our nurses was so frightened that she would not care for him unless she was completely gowned, gloved, wore a mask and cloth boots over her shoes.
Fast forward to the present. I have had many patients and clients over the years with HIV. Gloves and gowns are no longer required in all instances. Most people are treated with a variety of different anteretroviral drugs. Viral loads and CD4 counts are monitored through blood tests to ensure that the client with HIV is not converting to AIDS. When AIDS develops, the potential for severe and awful infections multiplies and the client ultimately, and very sadly, succumbs horribly to one or several infections. Many, however, live long healthy lives. On CBC yesterday, a news report said that one of these antiretroviral drugs can be used prophylactically as a preventative measure. This research is still in early stages.
The spirit of stigma remains, and the spirit of survival remains despite stigma. The spirit of curiosity also remains and grows because this auto immune condition also remains and continues to grow. Researchers, physicians, nurses, the afflicted and many, many workers and volunteers continue to work to ensure the survival of body, mind and spirit.
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will
survive but those who can best manage change.”
~ Charles Darwin
AIDS Vancouver Island, or AVI, offers those with HIV/AIDS many forms of assistance
http://avi.org
Canada AIDS Society - a coalition of community-based AIDS organizations
http://www.cdnaids.ca
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