December 1st World AIDS Day

In honor of World AIDS Day I have a little story

I have a very good friend who I have known for more that 20 years.

This past month he was able to celebrate a very important anniversary. Twenty years ago last month he was told by his doctor that he had HIV and that he only had maybe two years to live. That was twenty years ago.

So we will never know if it was the great medicines they have come out with for fighting HIV that saved him or he was just one of those people who get the virus but never get AIDS. Who knows

All I know is that my dear friend is still among the living and he and I are still able to enjoy a very wonderful friendship.

Nice story and true but we all must remember that there are not always happy endings like that. I had many good friends who never got past the two year mark, not even the six month mark. Dead and gone so many years ago when the meds weren't quite so good, or they just didn't work.

This world is covered with HIV/AIDS, with many people having it who can't get the medicine to help them or who don't believe in the reality of the disease. Others who have superstitions regarding its cure. Governments that won't help their citizens. It just goes on.

So today is what there is. There will be big meetings and many talks by famous doctors. Yes this has all helped over the years and it has become in some places a manageable disease. This is not so true in other places in the world and it still continues to spread and it still is causing horrible deaths. Even now young people aren't worried about getting HIV any longer so they have stopped having safe sex. They think I'll just take the cocktail and I will be fine.

Who knows what will happen in the future, it is only twenty years since these drugs started. I guess we will have to wait and see what will happen with them. The virus could mutate. You know how those nasty viruses are. Life goes on. People don't even know what the red ribbon means any more and it was the first. I still wear mine. How about you.

Don't ever forget that it still out there, be aware and help when you can by donating to organizations that help with AIDS research or help people living with HIV/AIDS.

Not every one is as lucky as my friend.

Check out the banner I had on by blog yesterday where you can link to information regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS

Susan