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AIDS FOCUS
"It's been a positive influence in my life in many ways. I've made a lot of changes since I was
diagnosed with AIDS-Related Complex."
The guy sitting across from me in support group offered his comments with sincerity and
conviction.
"Positive influence?"
I had a rather overwhelming urge to get up from my seat, cross the room and strangle him. The
past few days of my life had been hell and this guy's having a "positive experience."
It had begun a year or so earlier with vague symptoms and a "definitive" diagnosis of Persistent
Generalized Lymphadenopathy, "probably" associated with HTLV-IH infection. I could handle
that, I couldn't see or feel my enlarged lymph nodes so it was easy enough to ignore them. It wasn't
as easy to ignore the white spotting on my tongue or my sore throat caused by the thrush that had
developed the previous week. A couple of days later I awoke to find one side of my face paralyzed.
My previous effective denial mechanism wasn't working this time; this was difficult to ignore.
"Your T-helper count is low, the ratio to T-suppressors is abnormal. You have AIDS-Related
Complex. We will need to do a spinal tap and a CAT scan to rule out a brain infection or tumor."
I wondered whether the "we" meant die physician was also going to partake in a spinal tap and
brain scan. Anger was beginning to work more effectively than my rapidly fading denial. The
afternoon before I journeyed to support group my year-long assignment as a "buddy" ended when
his mother phoned.
"He cared about you a great deal. He died peacefully in his sleep."
I nervously sat in support group, wondering what I was doing in this room of strangers. My
friends and family had always been supportive and they could help me through this. The
discussion shifted to macrobiotics, Isoprinosine and positive imaging. I wanted to suggest crystal
balls and voodoo, feeling particularly skeptical. As my turn approached to speak, I had a strong
urge to run from the room My life was out of control, my coping mechanisms weren't working
this time, and nothing anyone here could say or do could help me tonight More talk about the
"positives", the good things that can develop from a diagnosis and a sinking feeling that I had
made a big mistake by coming to this group.
I stumbled through the words describing the past few days, the impending diagnostic tests and
expertly avoided discussion of the overwhelming emotions of fear and helplessness I was feeling.
As I finished, the guy who had earlier talked about the positive changes in his life looked at me
with the same sense of concern and conviction.
"You must be very afraid and confused and feeling very alone in this. I've been there and I
want to help you."
The gentle voice of the group facilitator assured me that it was okay to be afraid. The person
next to me gently squeezed and held my hand. And I cried for the first time in years.
I learned how to live with ARC in the weeks to follow through their support. The bonds and
friendships that have developed since that night two years ago remain nurturing and strong. The
quality of relationships in my life has taken on greater importance. I find myself more open to
new ideas and innovative treatments, and accept the impact of one's spiritual health on physical
health. The every day stresses in life seem more insignificant and I tend to appreciate each day for
its uniqueness. It's not okay anymore to accept things as they are if it's possible to change and
improve them.
And having ARC has been a positive influence in my life in many ways. Now, when I
encounter the newly-diagnosed, I wonder if they have that same urge to strangle me. Probably so.
Updates
MARTA Gives PWA’s
Free Half-Fare Cards
The Office of Community Affairs
of MARTA, as a public service, is
now making half-fare cards available
through AID Atlanta to clients who
are PWA's with medically certified
disability and, in some cases, also to
PWARC's. The half-fare card is good
for one year. Using it allows bus and
train riders to travel at half of the full
fare for each ride.
New clients at AID Atlanta are
being informed during intake that they
must be medically certified as
disabled to qualify. Those who are
already clients of the agency may
need to be certified in order to qualify,
and should check with their case
worker before applying for the half
fare card.
If you are already qualified, call
Social Services at 874-6517 and ask
for MARTA Care Service.
March Committee &
ACT NOW Plan AIDS
Action ’88
Atlanta - The Atlanta March
Committee will be coordinating
events around the Spring AIDS Action
'88 in cooperation with ACT NOW
(the AIDS Coalition to Network,
Organize and Win). Beginning on
April 29, and continuing through
May 7, AIDS activists from San
Diego to Atlanta will stage nine
consecutive days of events focused on
the following issues:
• Friday, April 29
AIDS and Homophobia
• Saturday, April 30
PWAs - Care and Uncaring
• Sunday, May 1
AIDS in the Ghetto, Barrio and on
the Reservation
• Monday, May 2
AIDS on Campus
• Tuesday, May 3
AIDS behind Bars
• Wednesday, May 4
Women and the AIDS Crisis
• Thursday, May 5
AIDS, a World-wide Crisis
• Friday, May 6
Life Withheld and Held Back
• Saturday, May 7
A National Day of Protest.
If you or an organization that you are
affiliated with would like to work on
one of the day's events, please attend
the next Atlanta March Committee
meeting on March 22 at 7:30 P.M. at
the Highland Branch Library on the
comer of North Highland and St.
Charles Avenues. The Atlanta March
Committee will be coordinating the
May 6 and 7 events and can use help
to make the impact felt around the
state. We are looking at a 24-hour
public demonstration beginning at
noon on Friday, and culminating with
a rally at noon on Saturday. This will
be Atlanta's chance to say "How
long!" (remember Whoopi?) to Joe
Frank Harris.
For more information, call Cathy
Woolard at 377-8312.
New NAPWA Office
Hours and Services
Atlanta NAPWA now has regular
office hours. They are Monday
through Friday, noon to five. We are
now offering an information and
referral service for PWA's and
PWARC's and others involved. If you
have any questions concerning
medical treatments, drug protocols,
legal issues, wills, living wills,
insurance, political concerns- anything
to do with AIDS- give us a call. If we
don't have the information we will
research it for you. Also, let us know
if you are having problems with
discrimination or treatment providers.
We will do what we can to help- but
we can't help unless you let us know.
We will also be doing job referrals.
We often hear from people who are
willing to hire PWA's for part-time
positions. Let us know if you are
looking for work, or are an employer
willing to give a PWA a job.
Australians To Be
Tested Before Surgery
Sidney-Doctors in a major Australian
hospital have voted to test all
emergency surgery patients for the
AIDS vims before performing the
operations.
The surgeons at Sydney's Royal
North Shore Hospital said their
decision was made with the intention
of protecting medical personnel from
infection, and stressed they have no
intention of denying treatment to
anyone, regardless of test results. If a
patient tests positive, they will take
extra precautions such as wearing
glasses and two sets of gloves before
treating them.
The spokesperson for the doctors
admitted the risk of contracting the
disease by performing medical
procedures is not high, but it does
exist, and there is concern among the
surgeons and surgical nurses.
Non-emergency surgery patients
are already tested for the HIV vims.
Since AIDS was first detected
there in 1983, almost 400 people have
died from the vims in Australia.
AIDS Art Action
SAME'S AIDS Art Action Project is
an opportunity for visual and literary
artists from the Atlanta community to
work with PWA's to create a kind of a
personal statement for each PWA.
Volunteer artists work with interested
PWA's on a one-on-one basis to make
something which will serve as a
lasting statement about that person's
life. At the end of the year, an exhibit
and reading of the works produced
will be held to celebrate and affirm
those individuals who have worked
together to produce artworks. This
will also be an opportunity for the
community- at-large to view the
human aspects of AIDS, and to
experience first-hand through the
hearts and minds of those affected by
this disease.
This program will provide an
important opportunity for many
PWA's to make comments to die
world about who they are and where
they have been, giving a sense of
meaning to their own lives. Also, the
therapeutic benefits of utilizing an
individual's creativity have long been
documented and proven.
Ever since SAME came into
existence, we have been striving to
create a networic of artists and writers
throughout Atlanta. We often hear
from these people a strong desire to do
something about the current health
crisis, and a feeling of helplessness
and frustration because they feel that
there is little that they can do. The
AIDS Art Action Project provides an
opportunity for them to get involved
in a way that utilizes their talents and
their caring.
Using existing organizations
such as Aid Atlanta and NAPWA,
SAME hopes to bring together our
network of artists and writers with
those PWA's who are seeking creative
outlets for expression. Working as a
team to develop a project each artist
and PWA will choose a medium that
best expresses that PWA's needs. The
final project may be a poem or a story,
a painting, collage, quilt, sculpture,
or a series of photographs.
This program will begin in
March of 1988 and go through
February of 1989. Some time in mid
January, a showing of all the works
produced will be held in a local art
gallery. At the end of the showing all
works will be returned to the PWA's
or their families.
For more information, please call
Stebbo Hill at SAME, 584-2104.
PWA Dinners at
the Shrine
Each Tuesday night the Shrine is the
place to be. The dinner for PWA's
continues to be a complete success. In
addition to terrific meals provided at no
charge by a cheerful staff of volunteers,
PWA’s enjoy music which frequently takes
the form of live entertainment, and
everyone enjoys the social aspect of these
weekly gatherings.
We want to say thanks to the staff at the
church and to the marvelous group of
volunteers who make this delightful gift to
PWA's possible.
To those AIDS and ARC patients who
have not experienced Tuesdays at the
Shrine, we invite you to join us for a great
meal and good fellowship each Tuesday at
6:00 PM downtown at The Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception, on the comer of
Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. and Central
Ave.
NAPWA MEETING
SCHEDULE
NAPWA General meetings are held on the
second and fourth Thursdays of each
month. Meetings are held at AID Atlanta
from 7:00-9:00 PM. With the variety of
projects and committees there is something
of interest for everyone. The general
meeting schedule is as follows: March 24,
April 14, April 28, May 12, May 26, June
9, and June 23.
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