jayt@drbear.COM (Jay Tyson) (01/29/91)
As not only a HIV+ person but a person with full blown AIDS, I
think that the comment of AIDS-shades is is offensive. I would
never think of delibertly passing HIV to any person. This means
that I would inform anyone who might come in contact with any
of my bodly fluids of my HIV status. I would expect them to take
and AND ALL prrcautions when comming into contact with my blood,
urine, etc. However, to use that phrase in the presence of a
patient is inexcusable.
I want to tell a story that happened to me about 9 years ago.
I was working as an operating room tech at Crawford W. Long
hospital in Atlanta, GA. Living in Atlanta, we had very close
ties with the Center for Disease Controal. I was a gay man
working in the health care industry and therefore became very
"AIDS aware" at a very early point of the disease. So much
that I remember that they used to call it GRIDs Disease (Gay
Related Immune Deficiency. In 1981 we were seeing a lot of
lymph node biopsy performed on young, mostly white males.
There was frequently a representative from CDC waiting to
take the specimen back to CDC.
One afternoon, after we (being the medical profession) started
call GRIDs, AIDS, one of the RN's that I was working with at
that time made the comment "I have one of 'our GRID boys' this
afternoon." I became angry at her and told her (in not the
nicest tone of voice) "If you were half the nerse that you profess
to be, you would be up on your reading and know that it is now
called AIDS. You would also show a little bit more compassion
toward your fellow man." and I left the room. This was in a
room of other technicians and RN's.
This little episode cost me my job. I am now living in the
San Francisco Bay Area. The best thing that ever happned
to me. Thanks administrators of Crawford Long!!
Jay Tyson
--
John "Jay" Tyson \ Drummer Bear Systems
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