AIDS Awareness Week.

For me everyday I am aware of AIDS.  I live with it, my friends live with it, the world lives with it, and this year the awareness was heightened on  Monday the 24th of November, 2014, when I gave my speech at the Belfry theatre among my peers, you did awesome pieces.  It was called, "We are here...".  We were a panel of 5 very courageous people.  I cried throughout my piece.

It said,
21.11.2014 BY ME.

THANK YOU CANADA. 

Dear Canada, 

Let me remind you a little bit about myself. My name used to be .... I was born in Kenya. It is a beautiful land that saw me called names, beaten and raped severally. The first time I ever spoke out about these issues, I was 17 years old. I was sharing with a peer. I did not get another chance to speak until I was released from the immigration detention. I was accused of cleaning houses without a permit, as well as having HIV. In actual fact, I was presenting as a person living with AIDS. Canada, you know that from the time I applied for a visitor visa, the whole process to my citizenship, took 18 years. I could not vote until after citizenship. I was busy with the immigration process. Giving me a place to work and wait in safety. These are the things I want to thank Canada for. I have been able to make decisions in the municipal level, by voting this year. Who would have thought? 

Thank you Canada that you undid all the wrong that happened in Kenya and gave me a new slate in Canada. You paid for my health care, you clothed me, you fed me. You made sure that my basic human rights were met. Thank you for making sure that I had legal aid all throughout my immigration case here in BC. I thank you so much Canada for caring for me. A black female doing her best. Canada, thank you that while I was waiting for my file to close, you kept me busy. I teach about HIV/AIDS so that I educate as many people as I can. Thank you Canada for giving me a platform in which to speak. Even this platform here today. 

It has been said that respect be-gets respect. Let us do this simple act for one another. Let us work together to spread education about HIV/AIDS and stop the stigma that fuels the stem of ignorance. Thank you Canada for showing me that I am working with a team of people who are going to make things happen. Thank you Canada that since release from detention in 1998, I have done many HIV/AIDS presentations and in all sorts of places including the Wilkinson jail...I have fully told my life story. Thank you Canada for all of the wonderful times...I do miss the old days that got me speaking year in, year out for a good ten years. I believe some of that work saw the AIDS ward in Vancouver close. Do you want it to reopen in another ten years because people went without education of the virus? Canada, you have been so awesome to me and though I may have been disenchanted, I believe we can do something better, together. 

For saving my life Canada, let us be friends. 

As the song goes, I will serve you, because I love you, you have given life to me. Your touch, is all a long for, you have given life to me.

Thank you, Merci, Danka, asante, nithengiu. 

My name is ... and I am a proud Canadian citizen.

That is the end of my piece that left me light, that night.

In the last three days, (Nov 27, 27, 28, 2014) I was training as a volunteer peer support worker and I am glad to say that I was helped a lot in my issues by the women at the training and I am inspired to help my peers, whoever those may be.  Knowledge is power.  I graduated.  Thank you Yahweh.

I like this one.

Psychiatry

I had a routine appointment to see the psychiatrist, last week, and he was not in.  Nobody bothered to tell me beforehand.  Anyway, another appointment was booked for today.

I told the doctor and a medical student that I wanted to get off the zyprexa, olanzopine, which is an anti psychotic.  I don't like the sound of it and I also gain weight on it and sleep a lot.

My argument was that now I have Canadian citizenship and my problems are solved.  He told me problems come and go and I said, never with the intensity that they came before.  I showed the doctor my daily exercise logs, just to show him that I am doing something to keep the body going.  He told me that I should exercise anyway, regardless of gaining weight from medication or not.

The doctor reminded me that when I get ill and I am admitted to the mental hospital, it takes a long time to get me well and he also reminded me that I had got unwell while on 2.5 milligrams of olanzopine, before, which is what I was fighting for today.

He said if a relapsed, then the only other place he will see me is at the hospital.  My doctor Shrikhande is awesome because he finally agreed to give me 2.5 milligrams instead of 5 milligrams.  I see him again in three months.  I think I can handle this prescription even though I hate the pill.

Lord, have mercy.

Yesterday I did a presentation at the Victoria Refugee and Immigrant Centre.  The organizer of the men's group was a young man who I helped years ago to get ID and library card.  It was years back and I was very touched when he spoke of how I helped him.  Another friend was also there, who talked of my kindness.  It was very touching.  The things we do for people and we forget, while the people helped, never forget.  I was very inspired.

Then I found this oo my email from a young girl I met while we were in Kenya, 2011.  "Hello mum ...?? I dont know if u can still recall me,,,Mary Njeri, the girl u met in Nyamweru Sec Sch...Just wanted to thank you for u changed my life ever since that time...ua memories r  still engraved in my heart n i cn never 4get them..u r my r/model mum...keep the spirit burning n change as many people lives as u can...i miss you so much..make sure when you come to Kenya you inform me at least nikusalimie..GOD BLESS YOU SO MUCH" ~Gachugi Njeri November 12, 2014.