Well this week for question of the week I was torn between two decisions. I was asked what I would do if I was a witness of a car accident and one of the victims whispered “HIV positive” to me right before she became unconscious. Even thought a part of me wanted to just say that I would try to help the woman’s bleeding womb no matter what she said, I had to be honest. I would automatically assume that she was warning me about herself and not the other passenger and I would have to take precautions. Of course I would look for anything to use a barrier between her blood and my skin, such as a towel or other piece of clothing, but if I ran out of options I would just have to wait for help. I would feel horrible about the condition of the victim but at the same time, if something happened to me, I can only imagine how I would feel, as well as my family and friend’s feelings.
I also had to watch a few movies this week and review them. The movie that touched me the most was Common Threads. The reason this movie stood out was because of the story of David Mandell, a boy who died at the age of 12 from AIDS. I guess it was because I was so shocked when I saw at the beginning of the movie 1976-1988, and I was like “what!” I was well aware that anyone could get HIV and die from AIDS but I guess it’s because I rarely hear about young children dying that I was so upset to hear that story. I felt the pain of David’s parents as they told his story and how he loved life despite his condition. In an interview with David he talked about how he wishes people would treat AIDS patients like normal human beings. I loved that he had a good spirit during his battle.
I also had to watch a few movies this week and review them. The movie that touched me the most was Common Threads. The reason this movie stood out was because of the story of David Mandell, a boy who died at the age of 12 from AIDS. I guess it was because I was so shocked when I saw at the beginning of the movie 1976-1988, and I was like “what!” I was well aware that anyone could get HIV and die from AIDS but I guess it’s because I rarely hear about young children dying that I was so upset to hear that story. I felt the pain of David’s parents as they told his story and how he loved life despite his condition. In an interview with David he talked about how he wishes people would treat AIDS patients like normal human beings. I loved that he had a good spirit during his battle.
I still have one more movie to watch before I write my reviews, and I plan on watching it tonight at the library after work. The movies have been graphic and honest, but definitely eye openers. I wish these kinds of films aired on television regularly because they are educational. I still believe a lot of people are in denial about HIV/AIDS and some of these movies can be wake up call.
Did You Know?
As you might have already known, the amount of African American young adults that are infected with HIV is rapidly growing. L.I.F.E. AIDS is an organization formed by several black college students around the country. This organization started a “Got AIDS?” t-shirt campaign that was aimed to bring awareness to black college students and other young adults about HIV/AIDS.
http://www.cafepress.com/+got_aids_dark_tshirt,188913286
WOW the "Got AIDS?" t-shirt should be worn everywhere to bring out awareness on HIV and AIDS. If college students were wearing this at my school it would cause me to stop and think, even if it is just for a minute, about what I am doing to protect myself.
ReplyDeleteThe QOTW's are getting more interesting every week.. I try to wait until the last day so that I can gather research together, and also ask my parents for their opinion. Before I make any major decisions in my life, I always consult my dad because it will ultimately be him taking care of me if I become injured or sick.
I have found the movies and books required in this class to be very interesting as well. While this class may be work intensive, atleast what we are learning and writing about is a valuable topic.
ReplyDeleteI also found the QOTW to be very thought provoking. Ultimately, the way Teach worded the situation gave me my answer. She explained that we had already stopped at the accident and we were well versed in first aid. Therefore, I felt I had an obligation to the young woman. However, in reality I would have never even pulled over to the accident. I would have called for help immediately instead. I honestly think I would cause more harm than good in a situation like that as I am not a medical professional.
That "Got AIDS" shirt probably would raise a lot of eyebrows around campus, but definitely a good awareness tool. I skipped over your movie watching section because I haven't finished mine yet, so I didn't want to be spoiled! Haha.
ReplyDeleteWhile it's good that you knew to use barriers when finding out the driver in our QOTW was possibly HIV positive, it is always important to use Universal Precautions whenever you are in an emergent situation such as the example. You never know if the receiver of services is infected and doesn't know it, or might not tell you. Good post.
Cindy
Great T-shirt. I have one I want to get made one day that I hope will start conversations. I just need to find someone to bankroll the T-shirts and then I'll give them out to the students in my classes. They will certainly get people talking.
ReplyDelete