The Best Thing that Ever Happened To Me

In 2006, I was admitted into a hospital for a “mysterious” illness which manifested with symptoms of a fever of 104 degrees for over five days. After being in the hospital for four days with no indication of what was happening to me, a doctor said, “We have tested you for several sexually transmitted diseases and all of them have come back negative. But you did test positive for HIV.”

Moments later he left my bedside leaving me to ponder this diagnosis on my own. A few hours later my infectious disease doctor stopped by and told me he thought this was a false positive and told me to get retested in seven days. After two more weeks of gut-wrenching anticipation, I received the news that I was, indeed, HIV-positive.

Devastated, to say the least, I mustered up the courage to make the trip home to talk to my family. No doubt, that my mother would be supportive as we have been the best of friends as long as I can remember. My father, on the other hand, was a different story. I feared his reaction but was determined not to let my mother deal with this news alone and in secret. I have to say, my father really surprised me. He was as supportive as he was capable of being at that time and the years that have passed have proven to deepen the bond between all of us.

Two short months later I was sitting alone in a hotel room preparing to attend my family reunion when I finally had a breakdown. I could not bring myself to face my entire family knowing the truth that I had just come to realize. I am POSITIVE! I could not leave the hotel. Instead, my entire family rallied around me to support and lift me up. I know I am one of the lucky ones.

I can honestly say being positive is the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

For over twenty years, I have known and lost many friends to AIDS who felt completely alone, being rejected and cast aside by their families, churches, and friends. For this reason, I hope to be able to extend the love and compassion my family has shown me to those in our community still in need of unconditional acceptance.

Positive! Defined, this word means sure-certain and not in doubt, optimistic-focusing on good things rather than bad, beneficial-producing good results because of having an innately beneficial character, and encouraging good behavior, to name a few. This is what my life is today. That’s what my diagnosis has granted me. I can honestly say being positive is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

-Jimmy, 11 years