…which also happens to be World AIDS Day, I remember all those who were laid low by the disease, including the millions of children who were born with the virus and lived only long enough to suffer unbearable pain.
Most personally, I remember my dad, the late S., one of the best lawyers I have ever met.
Dad, you were most loved.
I apologise for being a little distant when your condition was diagnosed; I was simply scared.
Believe me dad, I made up to beat down the stigma and discrimination a few years down the road.
(House-keeping note: Dad had separated with mum years before, so the old lady is as good as a brand new fourth hand!)
PS: Uwesmakei, keep strong. Though I cannot see your posts, I am with you in spirit as you go through this journey.
Discrimination is everywhere, even in this village. There’s a guy (can’t remember his name) who was hounded out of this place as soon as he declared he had come from testing and that’s when he clearly needed help, yet no one here, me included can say they have never lost a loved one to this disease.
Also remember talkers do not catch such peasant diseases even after DFHKMBLBHNKD.
@karema-hitI, I don’t know why hmans like stigmatising others for all manner of reasons - colour, height, disease, disability, whatever. And ALL of us are guilty by the way. Like me I am a tribalist and I don’t even know why…just sad.
Because when you engage your brain kapsa you realise we are all just the same!
I have a cousin who is in form 2 she was born positive… because the father fucked up and was not man enough to own up to his fuck up. now mum and daughter have to live with the stigma of bn positive.
By the way mzee I am not being arrogant. School girls have given me nasty stuff before and are still doing it because I thought they are little clean angels. I dont consider this thing too alien to affect me, but I am doing a lot to keep it away from me.
The messed up thing is…i remember i was primo when we for went his burial and his eulogy was written he died of meningitis… when joined college is when my mum called and told what real cause of his death. you can only imagine shock I got…
RIP to my paternal uncle too. He died a few years ago. There was a time in the mid 2000’s I saw first hand the devastating effects of the disease in some parts of Nyanza. So many children were orphaned and they were being cared for by their grandparents.