Today as we embark on this 40 day journey of Lenten season – Today we pray and discuss HIV and AIDS which is a very touchy subject that have plagued our society since the 80’s. I remember when the disease first came out or was introduced to America, everyone was overcautious especially the hospitals. I was working in x-ray at the time where I had no real physical contact with patient’s no other than checking them in for their procedure at the front desk, and handling their x-ray films, reports and sometimes asked to transcribe the results hands on. Later on around 1989, I began multi-tasking in my career now embarking to Cardiology where my real life story began. I was given an opportunity to do EKG’s, Holter hook-up’s assist with Nuclear Medicine and Nuerodiagnostics scheduling and patient’s. I became the best-est of friend’s with the Nuclear Medicine guys where somewhere on my Facebook page I have a picture with us at my 10th year of service in the medical field… What is she saying.. What I’m trying to say is, my very first encounters with people that were HIV positive or had AIDS were when I officially became that darn EKG / Holter Technician, and Medical “Cardiology” Transcriber. I learned that they were people that looked just like you and I. Back then, you were singled out if you carried either the Virus or you had full blown AIDS. I remember having to put on a mask, gloves, etc. to work on these patient’s. There would be a sign on the door saying isolation, and the requisition would state a precaution letting me know that I was getting ready to encounter the unknown. This was the highlight of my career. At the time, we were even offered as minorities, a condominium for living quarters, and a free education to become an RN during this fresh and new period of HIV and AIDS. I turned down the offer because the catch was you had to intern on the 6th floor which was the infectious floor that housed anyone that had was HIV positive, AIDS and any other communicable disease. I began to wonder why was this RN position being offered to minorities? It sounded tempting, being that these condominiums the hospital owned across the street from the facility were really nice and they had a day care across the street that would have been perfect for my daughter at the time. This was an opportunity of a life time for me to advance my career as an RN that now pretty much only push paper due to Managed care, Care Management and Utilization Reviews, Etc. – Trust me, I really do know what I’m talking about being that from 199-2002 I was the assistant to the Medical Director and direct assistant to an RN of Care Management in a large well known establishment downtown Los Angeles across from the Staple Center.. Had I known that the job would only be pushing paper now, I would have taken the opportunity to become an Registered Nurse. Nevertheless, what I’m trying to say was those experimental years were very intense not knowing how the disease was actually transmitted. People were afraid to touch you, kiss you, let you eat from their utensils, etc. As the years went by, and scientist began to study this debilitating disease that have destroyed and taken millions of lives all around the globe.
My next journey in the same hospital would change my life forever and give me a new outlook on HIV/AIDS the patient’s and their families. As a professional in the medical field, I multi-tasked quite a bit. By 1990 I was exposed to quite a few HIV/AIDS patient’s not know where they would send me next on my professional journey would change my life forever. I was asked now to work from Radiology as needed transcribing reports and working at the front desk, EKG’s / Holter’s and Medical Transcription in Cardiology and train the staff on the new computers systems. Yes, I trained and entire staff how to run a computer.. Not a dummy terminal that we were accustom too, but Bill Gates Microsoft products that had just been released. I was innovated and very thrilled about my job at this point. So now, I’m asked to work in RADIATION THERAPY, which most medical professionals know that most patient’s who have full blown aids either have a weakened immuned system which allows Cancer, pnuemonia, etcetra attack their bodies. Not knowing where I was going and my task was to train the radiation therapy staff to become computer literate and get rid of the paper pushing that they once did. Well, I was not like very much by the supervisor being she was a German lady that had served many of years in the miliaty and she was very set in her ways. Now the Onocologist/Radiologist was an angel himself and a few othe staff memebers where with me and for me. The bottom line, I did not know that I would have to work the front desk to check in every patient and their families only to become attached to them. Everyday, or every other day they came in for CA radiation treatment and or CT scan, etc. They are at your mercy and so are their family members not knowing if they were going to live or die. I began to study the disease myself, because now that patient’s that I have fallen in love with are dyeing rapidly. All I can remember is saying God, I cant’ take this no more because I love humanity and people so much until it was way too much to see them eventually die. These were people that were nice and had nice families and you could not discriminate if you had any kind of heart which I do. At this time of my career I was very stressed from all the tasks I had been given and I felt like they were running me to the desert to the sea.
Nevertheless, I saw this process from the beginning when HIV/ AIDS first hit the scenes, and where it is now in the 21st century. They look like us, walk like us, eat in same restaurants as us, etc. All I’m saying is technology and science has come so far with medicine that you probably will never know who has what unless they come down with full blown AIDS, and not even then in today’s society. Take Magic Johnson for instance when he announced he was HIV positive over 20+ years ago, and he is still going strong. If you look at him today you would not even believe has was a carrier of the virus.
Let’s become educated about HIV/AIDS and support research and medicine that is looking to even further advance medicine to prolong life even longer with the disease. There are many of reasons that they say HIV/AIDS made it to america…. As for me, I’m not sure if it’s a man made government disease, all I know that it’s prevalent disease that affect trillions of lives as we live in the New millennium.
Please support the Magic Johnson’s Foundation: http://magicjohnson.com/foundation/
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The Magic Johnson Foundation, founded by Earvin “Magic” Johnson in 1991, works to develop programs and support community-based organizations that address the educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities. It is recognized as a nonprofit public charity under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Founder, Earvin Johnson’s motto is, “we are the communities we serve”, and his charitable activities as well as his business ventures are guided by the power and principle of continually focusing on representing and serving ethnically diverse, socio-economically challenged urban communities.
Since its inception in 1991, the Magic Johnson Foundation has had a significant, impact towards positively changing the face of urban, minority communities. Our programs and services are dedicated to harvesting an affirmative affect on community revitalization by eliminating negative cultural barriers; advancing economic and social equality by engaging minorities in every aspect of their communities; increasing academic and innovative achievement; raising HIV/AIDS awareness, treatment and prevention; the creation of positive emerging leaders; and promoting collaboration and alliance among all sectors of the community (businesses, educational institutions, legislative, community and faith-based organizations, and policymakers).
Our widespread outreach strategies and advocacy efforts are extensive in engaging countless individuals through enduring public address and national media exposure to raise civic awareness and provide solutions to pressing social issues. MJF’s integrated for and non-profit endeavors create unique and comprehensive contributions to our municipal service areas. MJF recognizes that minority leaders face special challenges in bridging the generations economic and education gaps, and traditional political factions that exist within the community. As a minority owned and operated organization, we are in the unique position of understanding these valuable communities, have long-standing relationships with them, and continue to be motivated to serve them in order to increase the quality of life for these vibrant, yet often neglected neighborhoods.
• The Magic Johnson Foundation has improved its rating on Charity Navigator to Three (four star rating)
• In 2011 the Magic Johnson Foundation will celebrate their 20th anniversary
• To date the Taylor Michaels Scholarship program has provided over 300 youth with resources and support
• By year’s end 2010 our Community Empowerment Centers will have impacted over 245,000 disadvantaged youth
• CECs have provided programs and transitioned over 450 families from subsidized housing to home ownership
• CECs have provided over 1,500 youth and young adults with GEDs
• CECs have improved the academic performance of over 6,000 youth
• Through the “I Stand with Magic” campaign over 89,000 people have signed up in the online campaign fight against HIV/AIDS
• Through the “I Stand with Magic” campaign, the Magic Johnson Foundation has provided free HIV/AIDS testing to more than 38,000 Americans in 16 major cities. Additionally, the program has educated nearly 280,000 people about HIV, risk factors associated with the disease and the importance of HIV testing
• Since 2003 our partnership with AIDs Healthcare Clinics has tested over, 3,750 adults and identified positive results for over 1000 testers
• The Magic Johnson Foundation Annual Kid’s Mardi Gras started in 1997 has hosted over 16,500 disadvantaged urban youth
• The Magic Johnson Foundation Annual Holiday Party has hosted over 45,000 youth and distributed over 300,000 toys since 1994
Our 2010 Annual Report reflects our evolution over 20 years, as a Foundation that initially awarded grants to HIV/AIDS organizations to the present, as a Foundation that has grown tremendously in quality and in reputation. While an annual report gives us great perspective in relation to the fruits of our labor from the past year, overall achievement is paramount to the Foundation. In 2010 we achieved several significant milestones and transformative support for which we are deeply gratified and appreciative including:
• A nomination by President William J. Clinton for the prestigious 2011 Conrad Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Award;
• Forged a White House relationship to support its National AIDS HIV/AIDS strategy and HIV/AIDS initiatives;
• Committed $384,000 scholarships to Taylor Michaels scholars;
• Launched, Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program Alumni Association;
• Awarding of $200,000 grant for online learning scholarships to the Grockit Academy; to improve academic performance in the core academic areas of math, literacy and language arts along with a test prep program;
• The empowerment of 16 communities, reaching over 60,000 residents with a virtual classroom and mobile technology to share resources, information and ideas;
• Equipping three Community Empowerment Centers with interactive connected classroom technology; New York, New Orleans, and Bladensburg in partnership with Best Buy.
• A third party evaluation by The Measurement Group, to improve and document the impact of the Foundation’s programs.
We invite you to view our 2010 Annual Report and learn more about our work and achievements over the past year, and those that supported us along the way.
Credit to: http://doctorexclusive.com/category/hiv-aids/
HOW TO SEND THE AIDS VIRUS
March 16th, 2011 | 
Author: 
The virus is transmitted through:
blood;
per-ejaculatory fluid;
semen;
vaginal secretions;
breast milk;
unprotected sex the condom with an infected person or who do not yet know they are.
Through the passage of blood from an infected person to a healthy person (ie the exchange of infected needles). For HIV-positive mother to her son during pregnancy , childbirth el ‘ lactation .
The transfusions , organ transplants and insemination, in European countries, are screened and carefully checked to exclude the presence of HIV. In cases of surgery are recommended auto transfusion (your blood is collected and stored frozen should it serve). Avoid risks and adopt responsible behavior is the best prevention, to protect themselves and others is to act in a conscious way and to express solidarity. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by: Minister Evelyn Diane Thomas, March 8, 2012 06:37 a.m.
Credit / and some reference material from: http://doctorexclusive.com/category/hiv-aids/ – http://magicjohnson.com/
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