Abraham: I was 18, a freshman in college – I didn’t understand how I would live with HIV. I remember my dad just giving me a big hug and he was really supportive of me and my mom – at the time that she didn’t know about HIV, but she never judged me. When I was newly diagnosed and really trying to navigate HIV, I really didn’t talk a lot about it and I really kept a lot of things in, so when I had those moments when I wanted to just talk about it, my mom was always a listening ear.
Abraham’s mom: Hello.
Abraham: Hey mama.
Abraham’s mom: How was your day?
Abraham: It was good.
Abraham: She would be right there along my side – she would go to the doctor’s with me – she would go in the back with me – she would have a notepad and she would ask questions and we taught each other. So she would go to different websites and read about HIV and the importance of taking my medication and there were times that she would ask me, did you take your medications today? She would remind me to take my medication. When I talk to people who don’t have that support, it saddens me because I know how vital that was for me. I’m currently a student at Savannah State University, majoring in biology. I always wanted to go into the medical field. Maybe medical doctor, Dr. Abraham Johnson – and that’s the – she would say – “That’s my baby.”
I love you!
From going to doctor’s appointments with him to calling to remind him to stay on top of his HIV meds, Abraham’s mom makes sure he has everything he needs to stay healthy.
Stay Healthy, Prevent HIV
A person with HIV who is in ongoing care can live a normal lifespan. In addition to improving health, HIV treatment also prevents the spread of the virus to others.
Click here to find out more about the health and preventative benefits of HIV treatment.
