Gotcha Day--A Year Ago Today...

I didn't give you the gift of life,

but in my heart I know,

the love I feel is deep and real,

as if it had been so.

For us to have each other

is like a dream come true.

No, I didn't give you the gift of life,

Life gave me the gift of you.

Viktoria Grace Beck
Born:  11.17.2007
Gotcha Day:  12.13.2011
Home:  12.23.2011

World AIDS Day 2012

Given that today is World AIDS Day and that I spent most of the month of September and October advocating for two orphaned girls living in EE, who are HIV+, I have decided I will be running the Project Love One 1/2 marathon, in their honor, as well as all the children living around the world who are HIV positive.  If you are wanting to sponsor me, all proceeds will go towards the adoption of children being adopted, who are HIV+.  It's quick and easy...click on the PayPal button to the right...

 What does life look like for a child who is HIV+:  It means they will most likely live a long and healthy life. It means they will take medication twice a day for the rest of their life. It means health insurance is required by law to cover their condition and resulting medical care. It means they will be seen by an infectious disease pediatrician every 3-4 months. It means parents are not required by law to disclose their child's HIV status to their school, daycare, sports teams, etc. It means parents do not have to worry about themselves or anyone else contracting HIV, as long as standard precautions are followed, if there will be contact with bodily fluids- and since standard precautions should be used anytime anyone comes into contact with bodily fluids, this should not be anything out of the ordinary for schools, daycares or sports teams. It means parents can share eating utensils with the child and wash their laundry together and kiss their little faces without fear. It means their viral load will likely be undetectable as long as they are on the proper combination of medications. It means, quite frankly, that they can grow up to have a normal sex life and even have children who will be HIV negative!

What you need to know about HIV:

• HIV is considered a chronic but manageable disease with proper treatment, even easier to manage than diabetes.
• Children who receive treatment are expected to live a normal lifespan.
• HIV has never been transmitted in normal family living conditions.
• HIV is spread in three main ways: sexual contact, IV drug use through the sharing of needles, mother to infant (pregnancy, birth or breast feeding.)
• All around the world orphans are overlooked for adoption because of their HIV+ status.
• Medications called ARVs (antiretrovirals) can mean the difference between life and death.
• With medications HIV can be effectively managed to the point that the virus is undetectable in laboratory tests.
• You CANNOT contract HIV from casual contact. HIV is not found in tears, sweat, mucus, feces or urine.
• You don’t have to fear catching HIV through day-to-day activities with people who are HIV+. You are free to share plates, cups, utensils, food, toilets, towels, linens and other household items without risk of transmission.
• HIV cannot be spread by shaking hands, hugging, & kissing infected individuals.

In short, HIV means taking medication twice a day and a couple of extra doctor's appointments per year.
It is a part of who they are, but it will NOT define them!