My name is Emeka, I am HIV positive – Entry 1

My name is Emeka, I am 21 years old and I am HIV positive. Being a HIV positive gay man has been the most challenging experience of my life, owing to the fact that my family and the country I live in will persecute me when they find out that I am HIV positive and also a gay man.


Anyway, those were my past fears, but I am glad I've conquered them. This is why I am about writing my story for you.

Over the years, I have read a lot of stories about HIV positive people and the life they led after then. But, none of the stories I've read has ever spurred me into writing my own story. Not until I came across a story on this blog — “My HIV Story”, about Israel, an HIV positive man who is also a gay man; I was motivated to write down my own story with the hope that I would also inspire someone out there.

This is my story:


In 2014, I secured a job to work as a Peer Educator with Center for the Rights to Health (CRH) an NGO that operated then in the heart of Enugu, Nigeria. As a peer educator, I conducted peer sessions and publicity outreaches where I educated and sensitized young Gay people, and Men who have Sex with Men about HIV, Hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections. I loved my job because it increased my passion to work for the LGBT community which I proudly identify as a member.

13 months after I started working as a peer educator, I gained recommendations from my State Program Officer (SPO) and other supervisors as an ”Outstanding Peer Educator of the year”; this was because of my grit, integrity and passion for the job. Indeed, I loved the work I did for the  people. These recmmendations and praises made my peers free and open to discuss their personal issues with me. I also gained the interests of other peer cohorts from my colleagues, which made me to always have joint peer sessions because their peers preferred listening to my teachings.

In the morning of June 3rd, 2015: a no session day, I received a random text message from a phone number that wasn't saved in my phone. The message said: “Emeka, please can I call you there's something very important I need to tell you. It's urgent please. Thanks, from one of your peers.

“Sure, you can“. I replied immediately.

The next few seconds, my phone buzzed. I didn't waste any time to pick it up because of how helpless the caller sounded in the text message.

Hello...
Emeka it's me Uche, one of your peers. The caller said almost impulsively.

Ah OK! Uche how are you? I said, trying to decipher whose voice it really was.

I'm fine, thank you. Please there's something I need to talk to you about....
I just found out that my boyfriend of 5 years has been cheating on me. I caught him making out with one of his hook ups last night.

Okay!... I said maintaining a tactful listening.

I am not worried the fact that he's cheating, he continued.
I am worried because all these while, I have been having unprotected sex with my supposed “faithful” boyfriend; little did I know that he was seeing another person because he made me to believe that there's no other person in his life. [he paused momentarily]

...Now, not only that I am angry with him, I am scared because I am sure he has infected me.

Ah! Why do you say so? I asked, curiously.

I found out of late that there's this pill he is taking, the pill looked exactly like the description of ARV that you showed us during one of our peer sessions. When I confronted him about it, he told me that it's just an immune booster drug.

I had my doubts but I decided to believe what he said, because he is my boyfriend and he claimed he loves me very much to hurt me.
I wasn't doubtful all these while, Not, until I discovered that he's promiscuous. That's when it dawned on me that I might also be positive.

Emmy, you're the first person I am telling this, because I don't have any other trustworthy friend to confide in. Please help me.

Hmmmmmmmmmm..... I heaved a deep sigh. My dear friend, it's quite a pity that you experienced such a wicked and an unfair relationship, honestly you deserved someone better. I have experienced something more worse than this, I call it worse because my best friend was the side chick, not just a random hookup.

Be that as it may, what has happened, has already happened. I think you should be strong and very optimistic because you're going to be needing them very soon.

OK Emeka dear, I have heard you. But, what am I going to do now? Uche asked slowly.

The first thing you need to do now is to screen for HIV, so that we will be sure that you are safe first.. Your results will determine the type of counseling and support services that would be beneficial to you.

But Emeka... He interrupted. You and I know that I am a very shy person and that I can't stand the shame and the sadness I will be in, if the result eventually turns out to be positive.

Uche, I am your friend and care provider. I am not the type of friend that will leave you halfway in between the devil and the deep blue sea. Your problem is my problem, so we will solve it together.

I promise to take you to the clinic anytime, so that you will not tell me that you were shy and that was why you didn't go.

Oh! thank you so much Emeka, so when are we going? He asked.

I think Friday would be ideal.

Yes, Friday! I don't have any lectures on Friday. Uche replied.

Okay then,  I will call you first thing Friday morning.
Please make sure you prepare very early please.

OK sir! He said, assuredly.

One more thing, please be strong, don't go about thinking too much. Just don't worry, all will be fine.

OK my dear, thank you very much. Bye

Goodbye!

****

Yes, at this point I want to tell you that we are going to be taking this story in bits, so that we can get interactive. 

So, I want you to use the comment section below to tell us what you think about this entry and what do you think would happen in the next entry, after we go to the hospital to test. It's your response that will encourage me to write more. 

If you want to share your own story, you can use the contact form at the footer page of this blog.

I'm yours truly, 

Emeka, 

The HIV+ Gay Man.

See you next week...