Day 7.5 kbw goes for HIV test

For World Aids Day, I encouraged my students and colleagues at SIUC to go and take a free HIV test c/o the local county health department. Much shifting, hemming and hawing among the undergraduates, and I even offered extra credit for end of term motivation. After lunch, I went for my test, but they had lines and I got a safe sex kit to keep me occupied until I could return.



After office hours and more motivational chats with students, I went for my test, which used an OraSure mouth scraping instead of blood work. This test does not involve blood or needles and is very accurate. My test took place in a private screened area, my long-time friend "Chris" took down my personal information, brief discussion list of any recent-if ever risky behaviors (injectable drugs, sex in exchange for money, drugs, goods, intoxicated sex, and anonymous sex among others), as well as the last time I had unprotected sex.






Then then we opened the test kit...which consisted of a blue plastic scraper with a coated white end for the mouth and a tube for the collected skin cells.

I scraped on the inside of both cheeks and gums and then kept the white end in my mouth for four or so minutes while Chris gave me counseling on what I and family might do if I had a positive result, how I would react (first thought "damn" ) and then seek medical treatment, and that I would have access to local health department facilities around the USA. If negative, I learned what I could do in the future to protect myself and partners, including condoms, dams, and non-microwaveable plastic wrap.



I took the scraper out of my mouth and put it into a small white tube containing preservative, reattached the lid and handed it over to Chris ( no photos of this process). My tube has only an identification number and I am to go and get my results on 10 December with my number and in a private session with a nurse. The entire session took around 25 minutes with some discussion of how to use my Blackberry camera.

I got another safe sex kit....for educational purposes, of course....

one small packet holds eight condoms, two lube packets, instructions, local card for information

So there-- stop worrying and take advantage of the free and anonymous HIV testing, which is also held on alternative 1st and 3rd Thursdays , 2-6pm at Newman Center and 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Longbranch Coffee House from 2-6pm in Carbondale, IL

I did it...and I encourage others to be brave and check on their status as well...instead of the head in the sand approach that I heard from some of my students today. I will report on my results next week.

Balinese cat Madhu inspects contents of the safe sex kit

Meanwhile, I am locating some music for my next post...for Day 8....and will include some Ms. Aretha Franklin, among others.....

P.S. I got my "negative" HIV status results on 10 December and based on my counseling I can keep my status that way, too.

Day 7: World Aids Day-Mob Against Stigma

On Day 7, the TBBT women have some wonderful actions for mass emails sent out about HIV-AIDS.

Take Back The Tech! Take part in a text mob against HIV/AIDS related stigma!

• At 12.00 noon, wherever you are, send a message to 10 people about HIV/AIDS.
• You can use twitter, SMS, email, IRC channel, forums, blog comment, call in to a radio programme or any communication channels you have access to.
• We've come up with a few messages to help you get started:
• Marriage does not mean automatic consent to sex. Stop HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec - www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)
• No condom no sex. It's about respect, not about shame. Stop HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec - www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)
• Poverty + violence spreads HIV/AIDS. End women's discrimination. Stop HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec - www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)
• Get tested. Get treatment. Get control. Stop HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec - www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)
• Ignorance + fear = stigma. Get facts. Stop HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec - www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)
• Publicise this call on your blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, myspace, instant messenger status etc, and grow this text mob.

Organise with your friends, networks and community. Spread the word & amplify the buzz.

This is a really simple action, and yet really powerful if lots of people take part in it. So join the text mob & take action on World AIDS Day!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Last night and earlier today, I posted info about Take Back the Tech on several blogs, linked up some friends on Facebook, and then I sent the following message to my students and friends at SIUC (and omitted the testing info for others outside the area):

Poverty + violence spreads HIV/AIDS. End women's discrimination. Stop
HIV/AIDS! 1 Dec – www.takebackthetech.net (pass this on)

Then I continued:

Free HIV/AIDS testing dec 1-3 testing SIUC student center...

The Jackson County Health Department will provide free and anonymous HIV testing in Student Center Ballroom B each day, Dec. 1-3, from 1 to 5 p.m. Those tested can get their results in the Mackinaw and Iroquois Rooms at the Student Center from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily Dec. 9-10. Anyone can participate in the free testing, but at-risk individuals are particularly encouraged to do so.

take care and be safe & tested,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

On 2 December, I will go and get tested...and encourage my students and near and dear ones to do likewise.

If you still need more to read on World Aids Day and Violence Against Women, check out Juliana Rincón Parra's excellent post and videos on eliminating violence against women and her AIDS awareness videos and blogsite in general. David Sasaki updates us on his latest adventures in South Africa and his visits with some Rising Voices bloggers living with AIDS and their activism.

Enough for one day (including some snow-borof) ...and I still have to prepare a final exam among other things....

¡Hola desde Honduras!

Greetings from Honduras. I´ve left the kittens with a capable cat sitter, tried to work on my BangSpanglish, y have fled the snow-ice of Illinois to go south to Honduras to visit my friend y world traveler, Sandra Erika Gómez Osorio (M.S. SIUC 1992).

She is La Directora, OYE Adelante Jóvenes in El Progreso, which provides scholarships to high risk youth and with volunteers from around the world, OYE conducts arts-sports-communication programs. This week I will meet with Las Panchas, a group of young female video-makers. I will post more pictures-videos of El Progreso (a large suburb outside of San Pedro Sula) as they become available.