I am Lucky to Have Strep Throat

Current mood:grateful

Boo hoo. Poor me. A sore throat that I will suffer through for a week or two, but will go away, thanks to antibiotics. I have a job where I can take time off to go to the doctor, I have insurance, so I can afford a full course of antibiotics, not just enough to make symptoms go away, but leave the stronger germs left over to become drug resistant, and why am I really lucky? My immune system can attack invaders in my body.

Today is world AIDS day. How could I possibly complain last night? The pain I am feeling is no more than a short inconvenience, after which I will return to my normal charmed life.

My dear friend M lost his father to AIDS and will need to take care of his mother when he loses her, even though he hardly has the money to look after himself. He not only takes on this responsibiliy, he spends his spare time looking after the vulnerable in his community, most of them "CHHs" Child-Headed-Households. Children who have lost their parents to AIDS

My young friend, and hero H, lost both his parents to AIDS, but embraces school & embraces being happy.

I am lucky, and in spite of their circumstances you could even call M & H lucky, they don't have HIV. But think of those with it, especially in countries without as much access to ARVs as we have.

Today I cant help wish better things for A, whos HIV was being managed, undetectable in her body, and her HIV negative son J, yet they, and a child in her body, were murdered due to ignorance of the disease.

I am embarrassed to have complained last night. I will survive this, with little lost but a few days and a few dollars.