When ever I hear the acronym HIV, a surge of knowledge flows through my head. It surprises me when I stumble upon a conversation about the disease. Fortunately I have yet to have any experiences (that I know off) where I personally come into contact with an HIV disease. I'm curious to see how I will actually react to the situation knowing what I currently know about the virus. I'm not saying that I'm going out to look for it, but it would be interesting to converse with someone with the virus. I think that such a conversation would be a fruitful learning experience. This week hasn't been very eventful when it comes to the HIV learning experience, although my other classes have sure been keeping me busy. I'm new to the whole 500 kids in a class idea, and I'm finding it hard to get the useful one on one teacher-student help. I guess this is something I'll just have to get use too, just like how a person with HIV must learn to manage the life changes that result from having the virus. I am unable to get the images of those three movies I watched out of my head. Some of the scenes have completely changed the way I see HIV.
The question of the week this week was very strait forward in my eyes. At first the answer seemed apparent, but after thinking a bit longer about the situation I realized that the decision I made would be a rather difficult one to follow through with. I decided that I would tell the other parent about my child's condition due to moral reasons. However after thinking about the scenario and the facts, it makes me think that there would be no harm in not telling the family about my child's HIV condition. No harm no foul right? After all the bite didn't break the skin of the child, and it is unlikely to transmit HIV through untainted saliva. These thoughts did run through my mind, but were overcome by ideals of right and wrong. If I were the parent of the bitten child, I would want to know. This is why I know I would tell them everything about the situation.
Did you know...
Research toward finding a cure for HIV continues. Another experimental study is available for testing and needs volunteers to continue its research. Newly diagnosed people 18 years or older are asked to participate in a study that tests an investigational drug in the class HIV integrase inhibitors. The drug is called Efavirenz, and will be combined with other drugs (called NRTI, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) to test the effectiveness of the combination. The study is going to last about 2 years at no cost to the volunteers. (HIV)
Web: HIV. (NA) Retrieved October 28, 2009, from http://www.spring1study.com/howdoiqualify.html
Hi Austin. I really liked the picture you posted this week. The color is great. I know what you mean by actually interacting with someone who has the virus. We all blog, write, and post but we may react a little differently once we are in the actual situation. Getting use to new situations can be unnerving and stressful so your getting use to 500 student classes can equate somewhat with the new experiences of the HIV positive person. Both of you will most likely go through a whole array of emotions. I also understand your concern about wanting to tell the other parents since if it were your child you would want to know, but I, personally, would make the opposite decision. This was a tough question to answer.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the lull that we are experiencing is somewhat like what an HIV positive person would experience. Times that the person finds they feel healthy and not much to think about with the disease...and then other times that you get hit full force experiencing symptoms or other issues come straight to the forefront that make you striken with fear. Are you doing HIV research as your topic? I was wondering if there is any link with stem cell research and HIV research?
ReplyDeleteI haven't come into contact with HIV on a personal face to face basis yet, either, Austin. I know that my reaction will be different after learning the information in this class. I believed all the stigmas that the common public believes.
ReplyDeleteWhat scene from what movie struck you the most? The scene that stands out the most for me is the picture of Tom lying dead in his bed while Mark filmed him with shaking hands.
The movie "Silverlake: the view from here" was definitely tough to watch and I have some of the scenes stuck in my head too! I think the movie helped me get a better visual of the long term effects of the disease and it scared me enough to help me view HIV a little more seriously.
ReplyDeleteI think studies like these are very interesting and I am curious to know where exactly they find volunteers for such things...