English
FrançaisICASA Young Writers Series - Winners
Chinyere Urslar, Nigeria
2nd Runner up - HIV (PREVENTION & PREP)
My Story
As a young girl of 11 years old, I started taking my medication when my mother died and my family nurse conducted a HIV on my father,me and my siblings and we were found positive 3 out or 5 children of my father. At first it wasn't easy for me taking my medication on daily basis and knowing it going to be till life time as I was taught, it wasn't easy as I most times forget or reluctantly don't take it but with series of advises from the health case manager,I pick up never to stop taking it everyday. I was also taught to taking balanced diet to go perfectly with the medication which I find difficult to do because we manage in my family and being it a one parent survivor, we manage what he provides and I never fall to take my medicine Even not having my balance diet as I should. As a young adolescent, I totally wasn't interested in sexual activity because it's not a good idea when I know HIV and other STD are real even if I should, I have to use protections to never contract another stages of the virus which I was taught. I lived with it secretly away from friends and relations for my mental health and others consequences of getting depressed.
As years goes by, I'll keep living knowing it that I'm healthy because I take my medication everyday and even though I have seen and heard people who stopped taking their medication and the messy condition that they got them selves which involves death of one of them, the other been blind and boils all over the body,I keep doing what I have to do because that's the choice everyone who's found positive should do if he/she wills to live a comfortable life among friends and the society without suspect of been infected with such deadly disease.
Seriously till now I don't see it as something i should be bothered again and that it can not take anything from me, the opportunities,my career dreams, my marital future life and everything it cannot unless I stopped my medication which I will never try. In addition to my story, I was taught that certain foods should be avoided, foods like coconut, caffeine drinks, cola nuts, alcohol etc.that I shouldn't take them so the medication can work perfectly, also I should take it with a stipulated duration of time everyday for a good viral suppress.
My advice to the young adolescents out there is to keep moving,keep living, keep believing and keep trusting God for a cure of the virus as we all should never stop our medication so we stay healthy, beautiful/handsome and promising".