Steven-
A True Story
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Thirty years ago HIV was first reported in the medical literature. It came to Kansas City in the eighties.
Family Health Care has led the way for providing care for people with HIV in Kansas City. Currently more than 800 individuals
with HIV are served through Family Health Care. This is one of their stories.
The young man lay on the crisp white sheets with ragged breathing. His expression was peaceful, but the skin was taut
across his cheek bones with no padding of fat. A month earlier, eyes bright with hope, Steven had said he wanted to live and
would take the medicines to control his HIV. After resuming his medications and planning for life, in two weeks he had gained
7 pounds, had more spring in his walk and appeared stronger.
.
Then something disastrous happened. His family, upon learning the cause of his illness, had turned away. He needed support;
support to keep his appointments, support to stay up on his meds. Yes, and he needed their acceptance, their love. Love for
him, despite their dislike of some of his behaviors.
.
When Steven understood the feelings of his family, he felt he had no place to turn. He believed he had no one with whom
he could share his terrible secrets. His despair became too great, he no longer cared.
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He didn’t care to take his medicines, and he didn’t
care to see his doctor. His will to live faded and
almost as quickly, his life force faded. Steven’s family took him again to the hospital that had earlier ignored his
need for treatment of HIV and simply placed him in hospice. Yes, hospice is a good thing, it is a place of solace when nothing
else can work.
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Many HIV patients who have no more options for treatment,
continue to receive care and comfort through hospice. But most are those who have run through all their treatment options,
who have viral infections with significant resistance to the medicines which are used to corral the virus. In this case, Steven’s
virus had no such resistance. More than twenty medicines would still work for him. He was given the medicines; he had only
to take them. But, he did not. Steven chose to die.
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His dying was of HIV, but from despair. Despair, that resulted from a vastly different infection.
This infection is bred from ignorance and prejudice. Ignorance about HIV, prejudice about homosexuality. This infection
spreads from one person to another and it destroys love, it literally kills. No, this young man did not die from his HIV,
he died from an infection of hate.
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Family Health Care’s HIV patient
information and support groups encourage patients and families who may otherwise succumb to ignorance and despair that may
be associated with this disease. Our efforts include outreach and engagement of individuals and communities through HIV University,
the MENS Group, HIV Wisdom for Older Women, and AIDS Info KC. Support from our community helps FHC provide these programs.
