I'm...Terrified....

[BEAR]

I am so glad for you, Sara. Yaaaay!!!

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Um...thanks. I still feel bad about all the drama and stuff that happened with this thread and all.

And when Kev locked it, I guess it made sense. It was just a miscommunication between me and Doc, and it was also late at night when they finally got ahold of her, same for her telling me. So it was just a HUGE misunderstanding.

 

[lowercasegods]

Y'know, I just read this thread for the first time, and I feel like I've just rocketed through a nineteen year old friendship with in in a matter of minutes. Thank god I read this thread to the end. Swear to god, I was starting to tear up. Anyway, I'm happy for any good news you're getting regarding your medical situation. And if laughter's truly the best medicine, check out my Muppet cartoon thread. I dedicated one to you, which is ironic, since I drew and posted it hours ago, waaaayyyy before I found this thread! Jeez! Now people are gonna think it's just a sympathy cartoon, rather than a thank you for you giving me a good idea! Dang!

 

[ReneeLouvier]

It's not a sympathy cartoon. I love it! (Saw it on DA eariler, I think I've commented already)

It's just how I would see my character Sadie, from "Sadie's Stories".

*hugs tightly* Thank you, Jay.

 

[Danny Horn]

Hi, guys! I haven't been on Muppet Central for a long time, but some of you may know me from Tough Pigs and Muppet Wiki.

I've worked for ten years at a non-profit AIDS service organization in Philadelphia. I was an HIV counselor for a while, and I taught classes on HIV for middle and high school students. I also led staff trainings at drug treatment centers and mental health agencies.

Kevin asked me to look at this thread a couple weeks back. Yesterday, I asked him to unlock it so that I could clear up some of the misunderstandings here. Sara and a couple other people posted some misinformation about HIV in this thread, and I want to make sure that the people at MC know the facts about HIV testing and treatment.

Sara must be confused about how HIV testing works, because the situation that she describes couldn't have happened. HIV tests are very serious, and there are laws and procedures that have to be followed.

You can get an HIV test from your doctor, or you can go to a testing site like the Red Cross or Planned Parenthood. Patients always know that an HIV test is being done; they can't be done by surprise. You have to sign a consent form that specifically says that you want them to test your blood for HIV.

There's no such thing as an HIV/HCV test. Those are different viruses, and the tests are different. An HIV test is always done on its own, with the patient's understanding and consent.

Results are always given in person; a doctor will never call you and give you results over the phone. It's illegal for a doctor to do that. The lab sends a copy of the results to your doctor or the test site, and then you go in for a follow-up appointment to learn your results. The reason for this is that if you test positive, they want to make sure that you understand what's happening, and they help you learn about what you can do next. They'll never just tell you, "You have AIDS" and then leave you to deal with it yourself. That's irresponsible, and illegal.

False positives don't happen. If a patient's blood tests positive, then the lab automatically runs another, more sensitive test. HIV tests have been around for twenty years now, and they're very accurate.

Sara also talked about some very old myths about HIV treatment and life expectancy. It's true that in the first 15 years of the AIDS epidemic, the treatments weren't very good, and many people died. In 1996, however, researchers developed a new kind of HIV medication called "protease inhibitors", which are very effective at fighting HIV. The number of deaths dropped dramatically at that point. By 1998, AIDS was no longer in the top ten causes of death in the US.

There have been more advances in HIV treatment in the last ten years, and in the US, HIV is essentially a chronic, manageable disease. It's still very serious, and having HIV is very difficult, but people who get treated for HIV are living normal lives, with normal lifespans. There's no reason why a grandfather would start measuring a healthy 19-year-old for a coffin, even if she had tested positive.

I'm explaining all of this because I'm afraid that Sara may have discouraged people from getting an HIV test. That's a very irresponsible thing to do. If you think that you might be at risk for HIV, please talk to your doctor about it, or make an appointment at a testing site. When someone is infected with HIV, the most important thing is that they get tested and find out their status as soon as possible. Getting tested and getting treated saves lives.

So while I'm here, I'd be happy to answer anybody's questions about HIV. Is there anything that you want to know about HIV transmission, testing or treatment? Are there any weird rumors that you've heard that you want to clear up? Let me know!

-- Danny

PS. You can also get more information at the Center for Disease Control's website: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/brochure/atrisk.htm

 

[Muppet Matt]

And let's please keep Sara in our prayers.

I'm so sorry Reneelouvier! Yes, I will keep you in my prayers too. Please keep us posted.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Hi, guys! I haven't been on Muppet Central for a long time, but some of you may know me from Tough Pigs and Muppet Wiki.

I've worked for ten years at a non-profit AIDS service organization in Philadelphia. I was an HIV counselor for a while, and I taught classes on HIV for middle and high school students. I also led staff trainings at drug treatment centers and mental health agencies.

Kevin asked me to look at this thread a couple weeks back. Yesterday, I asked him to unlock it so that I could clear up some of the misunderstandings here. Sara and a couple other people posted some misinformation about HIV in this thread, and I want to make sure that the people at MC know the facts about HIV testing and treatment.

Sara must be confused about how HIV testing works, because the situation that she describes couldn't have happened. HIV tests are very serious, and there are laws and procedures that have to be followed.

You can get an HIV test from your doctor, or you can go to a testing site like the Red Cross or Planned Parenthood. Patients always know that an HIV test is being done; they can't be done by surprise. You have to sign a consent form that specifically says that you want them to test your blood for HIV.

Yes. I had gone to give blood at first, which the results showed as a HIV/HCV test. We never saw the results as either one or the other. Perhaps we just misread it.

There's no such thing as an HIV/HCV test. Those are different viruses, and the tests are different. An HIV test is always done on its own, with the patient's understanding and consent.

Results are always given in person; a doctor will never call you and give you results over the phone. It's illegal for a doctor to do that. The lab sends a copy of the results to your doctor or the test site, and then you go in for a follow-up appointment to learn your results. The reason for this is that if you test positive, they want to make sure that you understand what's happening, and they help you learn about what you can do next. They'll never just tell you, "You have AIDS" and then leave you to deal with it yourself. That's irresponsible, and illegal.

It may be illegal, yes. But I've known Doc since I was born, literally. And she probably took it from a personal standpoint, as it was nearly 7 in the evening when she called me. I will talk to her about it next time I see her. That's what the trip on Saturday was about, we were going to talk about it, and see what could be done. We also...or I also, went to LabCorp (the place where they do blood drawings for extensive testing) and had another blood draw, just to make sure. I had found out I had HCV through the blood donor process at Red Cross, but it was on my latest blood draw (I had them done every month for HCV, liver functions, and HIV as well. It became routine for me. As for the most part I was working with many people, and one of my co-workers WAS HIV positive. It was for precautions, as with my medicine and treatments I was taking, I had a weakened immune system.)

False positives don't happen. If a patient's blood tests positive, then the lab automatically runs another, more sensitive test. HIV tests have been around for twenty years now, and they're very accurate.

I thought that as well, but I blame Doc for that. She told me she misread the results, and literally freaked. She's like my aunt, so unfortunately she took it REALLY PERSONALLY.

Sara also talked about some very old myths about HIV treatment and life expectancy. It's true that in the first 15 years of the AIDS epidemic, the treatments weren't very good, and many people died. In 1996, however, researchers developed a new kind of HIV medication called "protease inhibitors", which are very effective at fighting HIV. The number of deaths dropped dramatically at that point. By 1998, AIDS was no longer in the top ten causes of death in the US.

Blame me, and my freaked nature. ><

There have been more advances in HIV treatment in the last ten years, and in the US, HIV is essentially a chronic, manageable disease. It's still very serious, and having HIV is very difficult, but people who get treated for HIV are living normal lives, with normal lifespans. There's no reason why a grandfather would start measuring a healthy 19-year-old for a coffin, even if she had tested positive.

It was halfway a joke, guys. My Grandfather is VERY old fashioned. He wasn't literally measuring me for a coffin, but was seriously thinking about it. He had been raised as when you get AIDS or HIV, you're pretty much gonna die within the next few years. So...he makes the worst jokes is all I can really say. X_X

I'm explaining all of this because I'm afraid that Sara may have discouraged people from getting an HIV test. That's a very irresponsible thing to do. If you think that you might be at risk for HIV, please talk to your doctor about it, or make an appointment at a testing site. When someone is infected with HIV, the most important thing is that they get tested and find out their status as soon as possible. Getting tested and getting treated saves lives.

O_O Oh, my god. I am NOT a bad person!! GET TESTED PEOPLE!! PLEASE!!!! I did NOT want that to be an outcome at ALL!!! ...Now I just feel horrible about this whole thing. It was a dang misunderstanding on just about everyone's part in my family and myself. I'M SORRY!!!! I'M SO FREAKIN SORRY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING!!!!

So while I'm here, I'd be happy to answer anybody's questions about HIV. Is there anything that you want to know about HIV transmission, testing or treatment? Are there any weird rumors that you've heard that you want to clear up? Let me know! -- Danny

PS. You can also get more information at the Center for Disease Control's website: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/brochure/atrisk.htm

Thank you for clearing this up for everyone to understand, Danny. I want you all to know this:

I have HCV still, after one year of shots and pills. (my treatments.)

I do not have AIDS, nor do I have HIV.

It was a misunderstanding on Doc's part, she's SUPER close to me, and she took it personally. Normally, Doctor's wouldn't call you with that type of information. I myself wondered why she called me! But, she missaw, and freaked.

I was seeking some meager comfort, I got it, and I thank you all immensely. I just wish it hadn't turned into dramaladen stuff like it did.

Thank you Danny, for setting us all straight on this topic.

And finally.....GET TESTED.

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Muppet Matt]

Wow, that's GREAT news!

 

[Danny Horn]

Yes. I had gone to give blood at first, which the results showed as a HIV/HCV test. We never saw the results as either one or the other. Perhaps we just misread it.

Sara, like I said, there's no such thing as an HIV/HCV test. They're different tests, and the results are completely different. There's no way that a doctor would mix up an HIV result and an HCV result.

You're making up stories, and I think it's very irresponsible.

 

[Daylight]

Yes, there are such things as HIV/HCV tests. Just look it up on Google if you want to see.

Please don't go around calling people liars just because you think you know everything. I think you're being very cruel to Sara who has been through a lot and has done nothing wrong.