Getting Tested for HIV/AIDS

I got tested for HIV/AIDS simply because I'd never been tested before. I don't have nor have I ever had unprotected sex, and I don't have sex outside of a relationship. I don't believe in one night stands or sex buddies because I feel that my body and my mind are way too important to bypass for some minutes of possible pleasure. After researching statistics on HIV/AIDS for my second novel, Round Trip, and finding out that approximately 69% of all newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients are African American women, the percentage for African American males is steadily rising, and married women were getting the disease in record numbers because they trusted that their mate was not cheating, it made me wonder about my own status. I'm not married, but I'd like to believe that the sexual relationships I've been in have been monogamous. However, there's no way I can prove that my partners were as conscientious as I am.

I had no idea how much it would cost to get tested, but I was pleasantly surprised to find various places in Chicago that would test for free. On my way to BEHIV (Better Existence with HIV) at 1244 W. Thorndale, I passed by a lady on the corner who was giving out wads of condoms from grocery bags and was a representative of BEHIV. She filled up my purse to capacity with them, and when I entered the church a few feet from her where BEHIV is located, my eyes immediately saw the dishes on every table. Everything from flavored condoms, fc female condoms, aloe vera lubricants, and various LifeStyle® condoms (non-lubricated, assorted colors, King XL, lubricated, and ribbed pleasure). The condoms come in many shades inside of these glass dishes, and from afar, they look like candy.

A volunteer greeted me at the door, called for someone downstairs, guided me down to a couch, and I sat with two very nervous looking ladies who appeared to be waiting on their results. BEHIV is such a casual environment, with the employees wearing jeans and earrings in various spots of their bodies. When the tester came out with jeans on and a doorag, I was a little concerned though. I wondered how official this place was until the tester started talking. However, I remember a time when one of the supervisors at a previous job said that he didn't feel people like me, receptionists with tattoos, looked professional. I told the Operations Manager above him that having a tattoo does not stop me from creating an Excel spreadsheet or answering the phone. After my rant, they let me continue to show my tattoo complimenting my corporate attire. With that said, I opened my mind and walked into the lab area.

I'm a pretty outspoken person, but when it comes to details of my sexual history and anything related to family, friends, relationships, and so forth, there's a very select group of people who know this information, and some information nobody will know but me and that particular person. Sitting in front of a guy asking me have I ever had oral sex, anal sex, and when was the last time I had sex was something I was ready for though. There's no way around these questions and if a testee wants answers, their privacy goes out the window because the tester needs to know. I found out interesting facts like people who participate in oral sex can get HIV/AIDS the same way that people can get the deadly disease from anal or vaginal intercourse. However, the cool thing about BEHIV is that they give you permission to test under an alias in case you are worried about your business being shared.

After the Q&A discussion, I was given the option of Orasure (oral swab) and OraQuick (finger stick that detects HIV1 and HIV2). I'm not a fan of anybody sticking me with anything that'll make me bleed, so I chose the Orasure exam after finding out that it no longer takes 7­-14 days for the results. He gave me specific instructions as to how to wipe my gums with the plus-sized swab, and a minute later, I returned to the couch outside of the lab area. Before I could get good into the book I was reading, the tester called me back into the lab to tell me my results: negative. The tester smiled at me and told me I didn't have anything to worry about, especially after he and I discussed my history. Staff, at their discretion, were allowed to decline HIV testing to any individual who didn't present a significant history of high risk behavior within the last 30-90 days, and I had done nothing within that time period.

According to Kidshealth.org, high risk behavior includes:

• unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sexual intercourse ("unprotected" means not using a condom);
• sharing needles, such as needles used to inject drugs (including needles used for injecting steroids) and those used for tattooing;
• people who have another sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis are at greater risk for getting HIV during sex with infected partners; and
• HIV positive pregnant women whose newborn baby can catch the virus from her before birth, during the birthing process, or from breastfeeding. If doctors know an expectant mother has HIV, they can usually prevent the spread of the virus from mother to baby. All pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV so they can begin treatment if necessary.

The closest I came to fitting this criteria was with my tattoo, but I'd had the same tattoo since I was 17 and the tattoo artist made sure to show me him unwrapping everything from the plastic and sterilizing anything he used when creating my tattoo. However, even though I didn't fit into these groups, I looked at him oddly and repeated something that he said to me about how condoms are not 100%. He nodded at me and said he was happy I understood sexual responsibility. Some women don't find out for years that they have it and by the time they find out, it's too late and has gone from HIV to AIDS.

After finding out so much more new information in regards to HIV/AIDS, I now refuse to have any form of sex without knowing my partner's status. I'm even more adamant about protection than I already was, and I make sure to tell my family and friends to beware as well. When I have book events, I make sure to inform the readers and anyone who talks to me about the risks. HIV/AIDS has no cure. Get tested today.