Day 36: Butterflies & Oprah

There are 20 butterflies in my stomach playing roller derby.  Next they are going to play rugby and then finish the day off with wrestling and Ultimate Fighting.

I am nervous about telling my parents.  I don't know how I will do it or when.  It's not that I am scared to tell them, it's just that I, well let's talk about Oprah.

Last night I came home and decided to eat dinner and watch Oprah.  BAD Idea!  I haven't watched Oprah for months.  I usually watch the first 2 seconds and if it's about some wife abuse or depressing situation that doesn't really concern me, then I turn it off.  If it's about making over your room - I am there!

Yesterday's episode of Oprah involved a few women.  All of them were out of marriages and all of them were dating the same guy roughly around the same time, without knowing of each other.  Yeah I know women who trust a stupid guy.  Well it gets juicier.  The guy had HIV and infected countless women.  He was sentenced to prison and these group of women on Oprah have been searching the countless women that may not know they are infected.

For most of the episode Oprah discussed the guy.  For brief moments we caught glimpses into the lives of these women who are living with HIV.  I looked at these women who have told their families and are so crushed by that "One stupid mistake." 

I told my sister about this and she burst into tears, as did I.

The profiling of this disease has increased to housewives, the African-American community and retirement communities.  Yes - old people are contracting HIV and not realizing it.  Once it enters into a small communities, it spreads through the loins.

I don't feel anxious to tell my parents, I just know it's going to be a challenge that will take a lot of energy.

I hope I don't barf. (pause) Too late!!

I was a little disappointed because I really wanted to know what happens after HIV for these women.  One of the women has been dating a negative man for a while and Oprah asked if you could kiss him.  WHAT?! Oprah!  NO!  I wrote into Oprah and said will you please do a show about how it is possible for an HIV neg and HIV positive person to have a healthy relationship in and out of the bedroom?  If Oprah doesn't know about the boundaries, I wonder how many other people are not informed?  I was.