My name is HIV
Hey people. So we’ve almost made it through our test-run week here. Thank you for all the feedback and the support. We’ve taken note of them and when things kick into full gear next week, you’ll see more changes. We continue with the wet Friday hiatus today (sorry guys) and because we don’t want to leave you hanging, I have a post (Decades (21-30) featured on the Afrosays blog you can read that here. Also, here, I’ve invited a friend of the house (@LagosHunter) to share some very very useful information. He’ll also be around to take your questions on the flip side. Enjoy.
********
Hi, my name is HIV, I have a mission and my mission is to destroy you.
The world over, I am renowned. And a day has been set aside to provide awareness of my mission and its impact on humanity.
I am very synonymous with AIDS. Sometimes we are confused as one entity.
I enable AIDS, without me AIDS cannot be in business.
The final outcome of my business is death hence I am terribly feared.
But I have never understood what all the fuss is about.
After all, death by its self isn’t new to the world.
Please take a seat and listen.
I am very predominant in some areas of the world than others but that doesn’t matter. As long as I exist there, nobody is safe. As long as people can move from place to place, I am mobile. The funny thing is, my business partners never really know when they promote my mission. Ordinarily, you it is impossible to tell with the naked eye when I am in your business.
My business puts pressure on our health care, educational systems and relationships.
I have been very successful in poor economies, destroying the fabric of the family units, crippling their economies and making orphans of children.
All these years, I have watched my business grow enormously. Unfortunately, the business of sadness, sorrow and death yields no profit.
After all these years, there are no dividends to declare. People shudder at the mention of my name; so much grief. Sorrow. Tears. And gloom.
I quit.
Quitting, I know isn’t going to be easy, the behavior of human society is going to make it very difficult for me to just close shop and just go.
Sexual behaviors, unsafe habits, religious doctrines, unawareness and sheer carelessness continue to promote my mission.
Society must change and you must change.
From today, I must introduce myself like this:
“Hi, I am HIV, put me out of business, protect yourself, and protect others.”
Note: Contrary to popular beliefs, HIV/AIDS is spread through far more ways than just sex. Innocuous activities such as pedicure, manicure, eye brow shaving, rescuing accident victims or a bloodied person. Nigeria is not anywhere near being conscious about HIV/AIDS and the right safe practices…..In some African countries, girls carry condoms in the event of rape and yes rapists have been known to use these condoms. People go as far as keep rubber gloves nearby just in case people with blood on them have to be catered for in an emergency. Knowing one’s HIV status continues to remain the smartest way to manage the infection. When caught early, a person with HIV/AIDS can go on to live a healthy normal life like every other person.
@lagoshunter is a certified HIV/AIDS Peer Educator and he is passionately positive about HIV/AIDS
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Hmmmmm
Me I don't know what positive and Lagoshunter are doing in d same sentence as HIV oh.
Thanks for d education.
Rapists use condoms? Well… I guess I should buy a stack of condoms and lock myself up at home since stepping outside means sure death. :-|
Team abstinence all the way
Rapists using condoms. Dat will make rape easier now. They don't hv to worry bout HIV. :(
The point here highlighted here is that Nigeria hasn't reached a comfortable level of awareness yet.
When both male & female folks carry condoms around, it says everybody knows that anybody can get infected.
For example, in Botsawana where 1 person in every 4 persons is HIV+, people have sex with 2 or 3 condoms.
In South Africa where rape & HIV are very common,rapists do use condoms.
The point again is, when we recognize HIV/AIDS as a clear and present danger to us, we become prepared to do anything to protect ourselves.
"@lagoshunter is a certified HIV/AIDS Peer Educator and he is passionately positive about HIV/AIDS".
As an AIDS/HIV 'EDUCATOR', this fuckery is the best you can come up with in sensitizing ppl? What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? What education is in this post?
This post is woeful & empty for such a topic as sensitive and important as HIV/AIDS.
Wow.. this is an interesting comment from our in-house insect.. will (s)he mind stepping out of the cloak of cowardice.. I mean, invisibility to educate us all seeing as it will be for a very important cause this time?
He didnt say he was an aids educator, he is saying is this the the best lagoshunter who claims to be an hiv/aids educator can come up with? Gotta say im inclined to agree with him. I dunno if lagoshunter made a conscious decision to keep the post as simplistic as possible but this post is as insightful as putting AIDS IS REAL AND CAN BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH OTHER WAYS THAN SEX. If the purpose of this post was to " share some very very useful information" then it hasnt achieved that. My 2 cents. Others might disagree
I edited my initial comment. I'll try not to speak too much for Mr. Hunter. He'll be here to do so himself later. However, what I'll say is, I know this particular post was revised a few times as he searched for the easiest possible way to not just raise awareness, but possibly get people to talk about something that seems to have been quietly swept under the covers lately.
I won't be surprised if this post gets only a handful of views. It's a proven fact that the young people of of this generation, not only find such topics uninteresting, they totally avoid it when presented as a 'lecture'. Sensationalism or controversy are also not the way to go with such a serious topic. So not to agree or disagree with you, I'd just like whoever has more info on the subject or better still, other ways of presenting the subject to please suggest.
This is some hypocritical bullshit. I was under the impression that you thrive on controversy. Remember the gay/abortion issue?
You keep dancing to the gallery Mr. Toolsman.
AIDS IS REAL & CONTROVERSIAL. BARE IT ALL HERE and quit reveling in mediocre intellect.
Tell ppl the consequences of your 'wet friday posts' when protection isn't used alongside other causes of AIDS.
Oh.. I see the insect is in the mood today. I doubt that you read your own comments here. You define hypocrisy; publicly judging others while living behind your so called mask of 'anonymity'.
Anyways, I refuse to dwell on that. It's your cross carry it. As for the gay/abortion posts, I'm sure you would have been the first to comment as to how 'boring' or irrelevant the posts are if the writers had chosen the 'lecture/seminar' style. If you think this site caters only to writers who 'dance to the gallery' I wonder why you love it so much.
mantis and yemmie, i think the point of stating that the hunter is a certified peer educator was to signify that he is MORE than able to answer your questions objectively.
I started visiting this blog 3 weeks ago and I've been able to deduce that thetoolsman aims at creating a platform for conversations and ofcourse questions to be asked and answered, I believe the both of you are not blind to see the website is now "thenakedconvos" so feel free to express your ignorance on the matter and Lagos Hunter "THE CERTIFIED ONE" will answer your questions duly, also if you both are smart enough to notice, on this website, the post is mainly a discussion foundation, the bulk of what i learn is from the comments.
Nice work here toolsman.
I'll say this: You're a dunce. What have you learnt from the post concerning AIDS that you didn't know before? What new info has the post revealed?
don't be silly…i'm smart enough to wait for the comments and learn from answers, or ask questions of my own…really for issues like this ..stupidity is not an option :)
"I believe the both of you are not blind to see the website is now “thenakedconvos” so feel free to express your ignorance on the matter and Lagos Hunter “THE CERTIFIED ONE” will answer your questions duly, also if you both are smart enough to notice, on this website, the post is mainly a discussion foundation, the bulk of what i learn is from the comments"
Congratulations,please inform me when you graduate with first class.I have a contrary opinion, i dont think this post is insightful,neither do i share mr mantis sentiments.
The idea was to keep the communication as simple as possible.
The gist is, HIV/AIDS is like an invincible person walking side by side with us and we need to be aware of this and take all neccesary steps to protect ourselves and our families.
Once you are able to see it this way, it is expected that you will become inquisitive enough to seek more education on the topic.
HIV is indeed different from AIDS.
HIV does not kill but AIDS does.
This information is too important for us to trivialise or debate.
What you do not agree with or do nnot know, kindly google it to become better informed.
HIV is a virus while AIDS is a Disease…
Top 20. And this is my 2nd comment ever her :)
Well said LH.
Simply put….. Avoid HIV/AIDS by:
Abstinence
Be Faithful to an uninfected partner
Careful and consistent use of condoms
Desist from every sharp piercing object….
Desist from sharing every sharp piercing object*
And thou shall read this post over and over again before setting P. Thou shall memorize some of the points and thou shall recite them before inserting thy shaft in that vagina yonder.
That said, I didn't know Lagos Hunter was a Peer Educator. Certified sef. Big ups men.
That should be all.
I remember when I had to work in a lab during my IT, it was one experience that brought me to the true light about HIV.
I remember sitting at the reception, and a very pretty lady walked in. Because of my little experience in the clinic, I'd come to know that if a patient comes into the lab and collects three tubes with purple, green and red covers at the same time, they were most likely HIV patients. And they usually looked tattered and poor.
But this lady was a chic. Clad in a well cut suit, fair in complexion, 6 inch stilletos…real pretty. I watched as she proceeded to collect the tubes for blood withdrawal and lo and behold, she collected these 3 tubes. My jaw dropped instantly. How? Why? No!!!
I became obsessed with this virus. I studied the hell about this virus and its sad becos their replication pattern is like none other. They are like cybogs.. Out of fear I started testing myself every now and then.
HIV is not here for the poor, tattered or miserable…its here for the careless. Let's be smart people!
Wonderful piece lagoshunter…your best yet!
@toolsman: This is what blogging is all about. I shouldn't and will not appease you with my opinions. Owning a blog comes with accepting the good/bad/ugly. Quit running a family support program here where ppl aren't objective for fear of hurting your feelings. Concerning writing a post so that it doesn't seem like a lecture/seminar, this is where your so called 'creativity' comes in.
That is all.
Well I thot there ought to be more to the post but then I saw it had ended!! Truth is there is nt much to discuss cos LH didn't raise any thots that would demand discussions. Most pple may confuse HIV and AIDS and nt knw which is which but the general knowledge that pple are aware of that @ the end of the day,both kill,and they cud transmitted sexually,use of sharp objects n other LH mentioned earlier. So nothing new has been learnt really.
Why are people going on and on about how LH didn't go 'deep' enough about this topic? Who here, currently reading this blog, hasn't heard about what HIV can or cannot do? What more would you like to be added? That if you have unprotected sex you'll get HIV? Camman, yall know these things. I think the purpose of this brief writing is to kinda like create a forum for you to discuss anything at all you know about the topic. Yall, I presume, are graduates with a little knowledge about HIv…now is when you get to share this knowledge not wait for someone to tell you history.
My opinion….
I see comments here about there is nothing new about HIV/AIDS in this post.
Some obviously missed points.
If you're likely to stop to assist an accident victim/friend/relative that is bleeding would you stop tpo think about wearing gloves first?
Had it ever occured to you that in the unlikely even of being raped, telling the would be rapist to wear a condom & lying that U are HIV+ can make a significant difference between an unwanted pregancy/std and an HIV infection or all together save you from being raped?
I work in a top notch multinational company with over 2,500 employees, a number of my colleagues are HIV positive. While I don't know specifically who they are cos this information is confidential, I do know that they there.
My point? Do you know your HIV status?
Have you ever been tested?
Do you know you are supposed to be tested every 6 months?
Do you know that an untreated HIV status is what leads to full blown AIDS?
Do you know that not knowing that by simply knowing that your status is negative, it motivates you to become even more careful?
Do you know that knowing that your are positive early enough & getting the right treatment automatically increases your chances of survival by 70%?
The Nigerian atitude of we already know about HIV/AIDS is what encourages the spread of the disease.
Believe me when I say WE DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH.
I know this because our behaviour does not reflect our knowledge.
Hello,
Interesting read. The series "shuga" on vimeo is a great watch for those interested in the topic.
I almost had a heart attack the first time I went to get tested…
Not sure If this has been mentioned already but I cant read the comments properly on the iPod touch. It wasn't a problem on the other blog.
Please can we go back to wordpress.com? This site is boring and looks like its trying too hard.
I get where preyingmantis is coming from, lagoshunter did not exactly tell us anything new or more about HIV/AIDS that we didn't already know. It was too short for such a broad title.
Its amazing how toolsman always has to try and sit on the fence. Neither here nor there.
As moderator, it serves everybody best for toolsman to sit on the fence, lest the discussion becomes about his opinions and that shouldn't be.
Like you have rightly pointed out, this is a broad issue and it is best tackled in piece meals.
Once again, no matter how educated/enlightened & cosmopolitan your think you are do not think/assume that you know enough. HIV isn't an epidemic in Nigeria,UK or the US yet hence contemporary societal atitude is the perfect breading ground for it's growth and explosion.
I thought I knew enough until I went for my Peer Educator training……
I understand what the others are saying about the post. In my opinion, it gives an insight and should make one more curious to find out more about the virus/disease. HIV/AIDS is well known but there are so many myths/unknowns out there about it. Knowing your status is very important, and checking once is not enough since there is a window period.
That aside, I would like to know more about this Peer Educator training. Learning never ends, as they say. Thanks a lot
-M
*sigh* As usual, very angry pple here.
Moving forward, i thot thetoolsman had retired or something cus i didnt know about the move to this new site until today (yes i know, i too dey carry last). I like what ive seen so far.
Lastly,
AIDS IS REAL!!!
E NO DEY SHOW FOR FACE!!!!
Peace be unto you all.
am hungry :(
Let's not all get ahead of ourselves.
Every1 has said something true. Maybe not nice,but true nonetheless.
As annoying as PreyingMantis can sometimes be,today,he has said the truth…atleast in the way he percieved it. Maybe we don't wanna agree cos its coming from a 'cowardly insect',but how abt Yemmie? She said as much.
Toolsman should sit on the fence,that's his job as the moderator. But,I used to enjoy the way u ignored PM,now I think u'r letting ur disgust of him cloud ur objectivity. And u have to know,it is hard to come on here and criticise cos y'all seem close-knit,who wld wanna mess with that?
LagosHunter,I loved this post. Maybe its bcos I'm a medical student and I'v seen firsthand the way lives are ruined due to the Nigerian attitude of 'I know it alrdy,tell me something new'. I think what u tried to do here is remind us of all those things we know,nd encourage us to do them!!
How many of you practise the things you know would save you from getting infected?
Oh yh,No1chic…I always always love ur comments
I'm eternally sorry for this epistle. Forgive me people. :)
Hey.. thank you so much for leaving this comment…
Most ppl came here in the hope of reading a wet friday post yea… Sorry. In the midst of setting P and other careless activities, LH springs one up on us about HIV which jolts us back to reality. HIV is still very much around and on the increase. This post got me (and am sure, many other ppl too) thinking about a whole lot of stuff, I need to get tested again ASAP.
@ Mr or Miss or Mrs preying mantis, u need a new fragrance, its called 'organophasphate pesticide'! Try it, it really works.
Yes,this article was short,a bit hazy and definitely may not succeed at passing across the vital information contained..
Do email doctor.sexualhealth@gmail.com ïf you need any personal information or risk assesment..
I came here today in anticipation of anoda beautiful wet friday piece…. Could literally feel the anticipation building in me as I navigated to this site but…………………. what a shocker!!! This jolted me back to reality… Thanks @lagoshunter for this piece jare…. We all know about HIV/AIDS but we cant stop hearing about it enough….We need to be reminded about it every now and then… Right now, I b like person wey them use ice water wake up from sleep…. Thanks once again
I can't read all the comments properly cuz they keep shifting to the right side of d page especially replies to comments. Is it just me??
If you're trying to read it on your phone, kindly go to 'Options' on your BB browser and change view to 'column view'
Nice post.I think the message is to get tested and be more careful. Toolsman I think u should do something about the comments.most comments are totally cut in half and we have to guess what is written.
Nice post.I think the message is to get tested and be more careful. Toolsman I think u should do something about the comments.most comments are totally cut in half and we have to guess what is written. More power to your elbows.
What do I think?
This is what I think..
oral sex transmits HIV.
Unprotected sexual intercourse transmits HIV
Sharing Emery boards at the salon
Sharing blades and eyebrow tools
Transmits HIV
Receiving blood and blood products eg cryo precipitate and factor 8
Transmits HIV
Needle pricks esp needles with bores meant for blood
Transmit HIV
Exposing cut surfaces of your skin to that of an infected person transmits HIV
Kissing with open sores in both infected and uninfected will pass the virus
When HIV positive u should still avoid these practices as you may get a resistant strain
Or a new type added to what you already have
Male precum transmits HIV
Female cum transmits HIV
Swallowing and deep throating are risky too
Simple and short,let's get a new HIV post with all the facts outlined
Tests are free in government hospitals and can detect infections as early as 8weeks
Drugs are also free..
It is better to know your status and arrange your life than pretend nothing ever happened.
If you need pictures to believe HIV is real,pls I can oblige you.
Certain schools of thought believe the virus has never been isolated and therefore is unreal
But that is false
Also,AIDS can be caused by severe malnutrition and can occur in people on chemothereapy and prolonged use of steriod drugs..
It existed before HIV was closely tied to it and made it popular
So AIDS is a disease complex while HIV is a virus that can be controlled,not cured.
There is no sweetening of HIV talk..
It is a choice of life and death..adults should face up to their ages..
No point in sugaring anyone up about something that can wreck lives if left to fester.
Sorry those are facts not my thoughts..:)
Please also note that. All vaginal secretions of an infected woman also contain the virus
It is easier to get HIV from a woman on her monthly period than one who is not..
Hello folks..
I see you all got riled up by PM…
Signs of recent HIV infection—
I will do this here although there are lots of sites online that assess risk and all of that
Fever exceeding 37c
Sorethroat
Generalised Rash
Diarrhoea
Weight loss may be rapidly gained
Swelling of the lymph nodes
All these last less than 3weeks but may extend in certain people
They start at about four days post exposure and by the end of this phase most people will read positive on 3rd generation Elisa tests which is now used in our country in most institutions..
A lot of people do a risk assessment to ascertain the likelihood of having contracted the illness..if you are negative 7weeks after you were exposed most likely you won't be but all the same,do a test at 12weeks and 6months..
Signs of recent HIV infection—
I will do this here although there are lots of sites online that assess risk and all of that
Fever exceeding 37c
Sorethroat
Generalised Rash
Diarrhoea
Weight loss may be rapidly gained
Swelling of the lymph nodes
All these last less than 3weeks but may extend in certain people
They start at about four days post exposure and by the end of this phase most people will read positive on 3rd generation Elisa tests which is now used in our country in most institutions..
A lot of people do a risk assessment to ascertain the likelihood of having contracted the illness..if you are negative 7weeks after you were exposed most likely you won't be but all the same,do a test at 12weeks and 6months..
We've gotten carried away with setting P,we've forgotten about STD,among which HiV is prominent.
If my eyes and brain served me well,LH focused more on other causes of HIV which we may have forgotten.Really,how many people carry gloves in their cars?or even buy new manicure or pedicure tools when they forget theirs at home,instead of 'managing' the one at the salon?
How many people carry their own clippers to the barber's?
What if you are giving head to someone who's positive and you have a sore in your mouth?
What if that needle being used to fix your weave is infected?
And most importantly,how many of us really get tested at least 2ce a year?
You people should stop the bickering about what toolsman does or doesn't do and focus on the posts,you make it fucking tiring to read comments!Go open your own blog and PMS or cum all over it.
Great write-up…the Toolsman never fails to bring it to the table…#TeamNakedConvos
Okk dis post is rily insightful and it got me kinda scared plus all d comments,I'm nt sexually active yh (meaning av neva had a dick inside ma coochie)bt m certain av done a lot more dan pple who r sexually active,like av a dick rubbed on ma clit and even around it,anal,I deepthroat and swallow..I jst neva thot I cld get a disease 4rm any of dis,nw m rily scared and m thinking I shld get maself checked as well..but is it nt wat u kno dt kills u????
"@lagoshunter is a certified HIV/AIDS Peer Educator and he is passionately positive about HIV/AIDS" that was written in simple and plain english am not surprise some people have decided to go blind on the meaning of the statement. I guess people get gratification from being controversial everytime.it simply means he has been trained on issues and matters related to hiv/aids and hence he is more enlightened on this issue and can be your guide if u have questions on the issue simple!nobody said the post was going to tell u new ways u can get hiv/aids or the cure of hiv. If he had put in more than the basic details or some medical terms now,it is these same set of people that would say he is showing off or something silly. it just serves as a reminder for everyone and as the youth we should do something about it finish!!!!
NB:it is important to know that we all don't have to comment on this blog.
Also it is his blog he can write whatever he wants to.either u come,read and comment or criticise constructively or u don't bother coming here at all
"@lagoshunter is a certified HIV/AIDS Peer Educator and he is passionately positive about HIV/AIDS" that was written in simple and plain english am not surprise some people have decided to go blind on the meaning of the statement. I guess people get gratification from being controversial everytime.it simply means he has been trained on issues and matters related to hiv/aids and hence he is more enlightened on this issue and can be your guide if u have questions on the issue simple!nobody said the post was going to tell u new ways u can get hiv/aids or the cure of hiv. If he had put in more than the basic details or some medical terms now,it is these same set of people that would say he is showing off or something silly. it just serves as a reminder for everyone and as the youth we should do something about it finish!!!!
NB:it is important to know that we all don't have to comment on this blog.
Also it is his blog he can write whatever he wants to.either u come,read and comment or criticise constructively or u don't bother coming here at all.
All gbagauns and typos are mine commenting here is government work
@preyinmantis i believe dis blog was just presentin a serious issue in a very light manner. If u want to know more, meet Lagos Hunter on twitter and ask him ur questions. Same goes for any other person. If you think its easy to owna blog, go and open one, or better still, give us d address so we can read. And i wld want to correct an impression. HIV has NO symptoms. The symptoms listed above could pass for malaria. The above happens as a result of illnesses that affect the body after the immune resistance has been lowered by the virus. Im also certified in dis ish…