I am going to get tested next Monday. The only thing is I can't bring myself to tell my mother. I'm alone on this, I feel.

Hey, I know it's stressful when you're going to get tested (I guess you may have already gotten tested by the time I'm writing this; don't know if you meant this past Monday or the coming one). I guess the first thing is are you worried to tell your mother about the results or that you're going to get tested? I know I've withheld medical information from my family until I was absolutely certain what was happening, and whether or not that's right, I understand what you're feeling. Touching on sensitive subjects with family or just anyone you're close to can be rough, but I think the question of to tell or not to tell is one that a great majority of us go through in one form or another. Are you and your mother very close? Why are you going to get tested? I'm here to listen if you want to talk more. All my best, -TL

I am negative,still, I feel bad. Why are positive people seperated from us? It's like all that weekend, I felt seperated from everyone else. This is not fair, this is not right.

Well, that's good news that you're negative :)

Still, being HIV-positive is not as stigmatic as it used to be, thankfully, and progress is being made scientifically and socially. I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "separated," though. What has your experience been? The most I see in my day-to-day is people don't want to date people who are HIV-positive for fear of contracting it, but I know there are far worse attitudes out there. The best that most of us can do, as far as I can tell (and if anyone has other ideas, please let us know!), is to try to help people change their attitudes and to be there for each other and empathize with each others' suffering. After all, to quote Jimmy Cliff, we all are one. -TL
[This Message was Edited on 01/15/2008]

That is what I will do then.