I am Innocent Bitandema, a 41-year-old peasant. I am married to Gloria Ahimbisibwe, a housewife aged 35 with four children.In 2004, I started coughing and I had on and off fever. When the cough became profuse, I went to the health centre where I was diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB).
It’s said that whenever someone has TB, there are high chances that they have HIV. So when they told me that I had TB, I also asked for an HIV test and indeed I was positive.
At first, I was afraid of telling my wife about my status. But after a number of counselling sessions, I opened up to her in 2005.Ahimbisibwe
When he told me that he was positive, I was very scared. At first, I thought I was going to die right there and then.
When he told me that he was positive, I was very scared. At first, I thought I was going to die right there and then.
However, when I went for the test and it turned out positive, the doctors encouraged and counselled me. With their help, I was able to calm down.
Bitandema
I am to blame for this illness because at times I would sleep with other women without taking any precaution.
However, when we learnt of our status, we decided to live positively.
I am to blame for this illness because at times I would sleep with other women without taking any precaution.
However, when we learnt of our status, we decided to live positively.
In 2009, we were blessed with a healthy baby girl. At birth, she was negative and for the next six months she always tested negative.
Ahimbisibwe
However, when she made seven months, I brought her for another test and this time round she tested positive. I think she contracted the disease through breastfeeding.
However, when she made seven months, I brought her for another test and this time round she tested positive. I think she contracted the disease through breastfeeding.
When I learnt that she had HIV, I felt very bad and for some time, I blamed myself because I breastfed her for longer than I had been advised. At some point, I wished I could turn back time and undo what had happened. But unfortunately that was impossible.
Bitandema
My greatest worry was how we were going to take care of her. Being a person living with HIV, I knew how much care is required. So my biggest worry was how I was going to feed the three of us on a balanced diet.
During that time of confusion, I needed a lot of solace. So I decided to join the peer team at Rugazi health centre iv to educate people about HIV, how they can prevent it and how to live a healthy life even when you have it.
My greatest worry was how we were going to take care of her. Being a person living with HIV, I knew how much care is required. So my biggest worry was how I was going to feed the three of us on a balanced diet.
During that time of confusion, I needed a lot of solace. So I decided to join the peer team at Rugazi health centre iv to educate people about HIV, how they can prevent it and how to live a healthy life even when you have it.
However, it took me a lot of courage to start doing this work because people would laugh at us. They would say, “The whole of Bitandema’s family is HIV positive.”
At first, I would try to hide away from the public but now that I am on the peer team and I know that HIV is not a death sentence, I can now ignore the stigma. Our baby has scabies around her neck.
Thus for her safety and to keep people from picking on her, we cover her with a scarf so that no one sees the scabies. She has not yet tested for the CD4 count, so she is still on septrin. I think it is because she is not on ARVs that she has red lips, eyes and her body is swollen.
She is always falling sick with malaria and cough. The major challenge is that when she gets any of these two, they take long to heal. Another challenge is that I do not have enough money to buy milk which is needed for us to keep healthy. On occasions when I am really hard up, we all go without milk. http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/-/691232/1273598/-/68uj1z/-/index.html
0 Comments