I ran away from home and landed in Nashville May 5, 1988. I knew I had to stop doing drugs or I might not survive the next overdose. I continued to use off and on but by 1992 I had actually stopped using for about two years. Knowledge of HIV and AIDS was becoming better known and testing more widely available. Towards the end of October, 1992 I went over to the health department in East Nashville. My past IV drug use and prostitution was enough to get me there. On November 7, 1992 I went back to the health department for my results. My panel was negative, including HIV. I get home and turn on the TV and they're talking to Magic Johnson and he is telling the world he is HIV positive. What???? I breathe a sigh of relief, switch the channel and started to make dinner. The phone rings and it's my friend Theresa. I hadn't heard from her in three years. Theresa and I had been lovers and we had shared needles. We had also turned tricks together, money on that was good. We talk for a minute when she says "you need to get tested for HIV." I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing for a bit. I asked why (although I already knew). She admitted she had tested positive. I told her that I had JUST gotten my results and was fine. We talked about Magic and how weird that was and I hung up. I continued to get tested every three months because I was sure it would show up. It never has. In the past year I did test positive for Hepatitis C which I'm sure was a result of my IV drug usage. I've finished the anti-virals and next week will be going back to the doctor for my three month follow up to check if I am undetectable and to see if I have liver damage. So if you are getting tested for STIs make sure they test for everything. Don't think they've tested and come to find out years later they didn't. I still test regularly for HIV. I really don't know why I never got it. Or why I am the only one in my crowd still alive. So I am going to school and hopefully I can help someone that is where I used to be. I am still here for a reason. jmt
