The name of this entry sounds like some kind of weird paperback title you’d find in the 99p “romance” section at your local Tesco… Oh well. We can’t all be literary geniuses!
Well, it’s officially been 100 days since my diagnosis. I wanted to write this post as an update of sorts, to show that life doesn’t have to simply stop if you get diagnosed as HIV+
Well… Wow. Just wow.
There aren’t many occasions where I’ve been lost for words, but the last 48 hours has been comprised of nothing but feeling completely overwhelmed and absolutely blessed. There have been messages sent from various corners of the world from both complete strangers and friends alike.
Honestly, I am totally speechless and cannot express my gratitude for the kind words uttered in regards to my diagnosis but also being told that my account of being diagnosed with HIV had changed people’s mindset, prompted them to take their sexual health more seriously and get tested more regularly.
The decision to write this post and publicly disclose this information isn’t one that comes easily. No doubt I’ll be hovering over the post button for a long time before gathering the courage to actually take that leap… But here goes!
The reason I have decided to do this is to raise awareness and to broach a subject that just simply isn’t the usual topic of conversation amongst friends, partners or (for want of better phrasing) Mr/Miss Saturday Night. But maybe if enough people share their stories, attitudes will change and this could become a topic of conversation that doesn’t need to be had in hushed voices.
So this is it, my armour is coming off.
So, where to start?
I made a conscious decision that some things were worth writing down. It helps ease your mind and sometimes, just sometimes, it helps to see exactly what’s going through your head laid out in front of your eyes.
So I started writing. Thing is – noone else reads it. You pour so much into a single piece of writing that YOU understand. Of course you do, it’s your mind. But those thoughts, out of the sheer millions that go through your head each and every day were worth writing, worth remembering… So why shouldn’t they be shared?
This blog is going to be everything that I believe is worth sharing, worth passing on. Because if someone can learn something from my laughter, anger or even tears? Well, that in itself seems worth it.
Happy reading – Tom.
Tom's Ramblings 