Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day. Yahoo! News asked members of our Yahoo! Contributor Network to tell us about their experiences dealing with HIV and AIDS. Submissions have been touching, heartfelt, hopeful, encouraging ? and most of all, personal.
[Your Voice: Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to share your first-person stories and experiences.]
My interest in traditional Chinese medicine -- and acupuncture in particular -- began when I had suffered a health crisis. Due to a severe personal event, I had begun to exhibit symptoms of depression, fatigue, and hair loss. A network of friends, coupled with the inability of Western medicine to diagnosis and treat my ailments, led me to acupuncturist, Mary Helen Lee, and her White Moon Healing Clinic.
Ms. Lee is by far the most amazing healer I have yet to meet. Through a series of acupuncture treatments, herbal remedies, and bodywork, my health began to improve and my symptoms subsided within 30 days. During this process, I became friends with Ms. Lee and ended up working at the White Moon Healing Clinic as an assistant. In this capacity, I did everything from welcoming patients to the clinic, to doing the laundry, to ordering herbs and stock, to mixing formulas and processing payment for patients.
In my role as clinic assistant, I was also privileged to meet and work with two long terms AIDS survivors, Joe and Gene. This was back in the '80s and '90s when the phrase "long-term AIDS survivor" was still a dream.
I use the word "privileged" not in a cheesy, insincere way or as a clich?, but to describe the lasting effect these long-term AIDS survivors have had on my life.
Every week, Joe and Gene came to their standing appointment to do battle with an immune system fighting Kaposi sarcoma. Black-and-blue bruises dotted their face, back and arms. Both were quiet and soft spoken, yet never lost their sense of engagement to life. Very often, they told funny stories about their beloved dog, bragged about a delicious new recipe, or recapped the politics of their workweek.
It wasn't unusual for patients at White Moon Healing Clinic to become friends and Joe and Gene were no different. Typically, we shared dinner or a potluck with patients. At one summer barbeque, Joe and Gene brought their dog, a side dish, and two comfortable lawn chairs. We spent a breezy afternoon eating, talking, laughing, and sharing stories.
These two guys came to personify AIDS patients for me. The hoopla over contagion and religious values aside, I saw two men for whom the struggle to beat this lethal disease dominated their lives. And yet at the same time, they did not collapse under the weight of their burden nor did they give up on the everyday joy of life.
Years later, a very good friend and renowned artist, began to fail when his HIV developed into full-blown AIDS. My friend went from 180 pounds of muscle to 108 pounds of sagging flesh in a less than two weeks. During this period, friends -- including myself -- cleaned, bathed, and watched over him.
In the same way that Joe and Gene fought to stay alive, my skin-and-bones friend fought for every breath, every step, and every moment to remain alive.
As it turned out, my friend was one of the fortunate ones. The antiretroviral cocktail had just been introduced, and it literally saved his life. Six months later, he had gained back his muscle and was back to working on his art.
Like Joe and Gene, my friend is still a survivor, still contributing, and still reminds me what true courage looks like. Truly, it was a privilege.
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