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Pleasure Is A Human Right
April 14, 2016
Freedome-G-Photography - Life and Love with HIV
Can Older People Get Some Satisfaction?
June 4, 2016
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Dealing With Your Looks

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Soul - Life and Love with HIV

Drawing by Frances Cannon

By Nade'ge

All women want to look nice and feel proud of their bodies but when you are on ARVs, it’s a different story!

Looks are referred to as one’s appearance or attractiveness, this goes hand in hand with the style, smartness and beauty.

The worst happened for me when I first started treatment. I was born with HIV but I only got to learn about my status when I was 16 years old, this was after I had a serious cough that the doctors doubted was TB. Sometimes I regret having gone to the clinic that day but again I thank God for giving me the power to go for that test. It wasn’t an easy decision to make at my age.

After commencing treatment, I suddenly had a feeling that something was wrong with my entire body; my eyes and skin turned, my weight rapidly getting out of my control and I was just getting ready for the worst. At first my body weight was around 58-60 kgs then after commencing treatment, it increased to 82kgs!

 

"I had suddenly realized that this wasn’t about how I look but loving how I look and getting over the whole situation."

 

It felt like a total makeover and as if someone was pumping a tank full of air into my body. My beautiful dresses that I loved were no longer my fit; I just couldn’t bear to see them in my wardrobe so I just gave them away. This was a very testing time for me but I had to embrace the changes and move on with my life.

As years passed, I started gaining control of this burdened weight; I guess it’s the fact that I had got used to the medicine or maybe I had just stated to love the new me. I had suddenly realized that this wasn’t about how I look but loving how I look and getting over the whole situation. After six years now, I weigh 68 Kgs; I have lost a couple of pounds and refilled my wardrobe again. Even though sometimes this weight is not consistent, I do plan to keep it this way to feel better again, I deeply love this new me!

This article was originally featured on The International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW)'s Blog on May 26th, 2016, here.

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