In South Africa I have dealt with hundreds of HIV positive patients throughout my career. I was one of the pharmacists who initiated the HIV clinic at Leratong hospital. But somehow meeting a Saudi couple that were both HIV positive was quite different.And the reason it felt so different was because they were open and honest about their medical condition.They spoke about HIV as though they had the common cold or a flu.The man contracted HIV through a blood transfusion during his childhood after being involved in a motor vehicle accident and the young woman contracted HIV at birth after both her parents were infected with the virus.She said that she had never anticipated getting married and leading a normal married life with the exception that they both have unanimously agreed not to bring a child into this world. They both oozed with so much of positive energy, laughing, joking and just being themselves.They apparently met at an HIV workshop that both their families attended."It was love at first sight", he said after seeing her beautiful emerald green eyes."That was all he could see of course", she interrupted whilst laughing.
The mind definitely has the power to conquer any disease.What usually seems to happen though when a patient is told that they have cancer or HIV, they immediately go into a phase of denial and with denial comes depression and anxiety that by the time the patient has in fact made peace with themselves and accepted their medical condition much time has already elapsed and the patient is far too weak physically to combat the disease.Negative thinking has the power to eat your body away.If the patient is positive from the beginning, going through life's daily activities in a somewhat normal manner miracles do happen. I certainly seen that last night. As the saying goes, "the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven".The couple I met last night certainly made me realize that has a society we are quick to judge people,create stigmas and may be even look down at people with HIV. It is about time that society embraces people that are HIV positive.We need to change peoples mindsets.Some people believe that if a patient is HIV positive it is due to their own risky promiscuous sexual life and so this is a punishment from God. Whilst that is true, the mistake is done. We can not turn back the clock and change whats already done and over with. Instead of letting these patients waste away through regret and depression, through feeling sad and useless, we need to accept these individuals and start treating them as normal human beings. We need to fill their lives with happiness so that they can adopt a positive outlook to life and sometimes just changing a persons attitude is enough to pave their way to better health and full cure in some cases.
As I walked home last night, making my way down the long deserted corridor, stopping halfway to have a cup of Arabic coffee (Qahwa) with my friend Sultan, I couldn't help but think about the happy couple I had encountered earlier.They were an inspiration to me. Images of their bright beaming faces just kept on appearing in front of me and so there was only one thought that came to mind and that was, they are truly a match made in heaven!!!! May the Almighty always keep them happy and shower His choicest blessings upon them wherever they are.........
