Georgiana Coffman
Daily Egyptian
May 15, 2000 was the day that changed 24-year-old Sasha's life forever.
Early that morning, Sasha woke up to hear her nephew's laughter and pattering bare feet on the hardwood floor at her sister's home right outside of Carbondale.
Following the daily routine, Sasha showered, ate breakfast and headed off to work at a local grocery store. When she returned home that evening, she received a phone call from a doctor in a St. Louis hospital.
The doctor spoke loudly, but all Sasha could hear was whispers as the doctor said, "We would like to schedule an appointment to see you as soon as possible." Sasha insisted that he tell her what the problem was right then. The doctor asked Sasha to find someone she trusted, and he would call back.
Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang as Sasha and her sister sat in quiet anxiety. Sasha answered, and tears gathered in her eyes as the doctor told her, "You tested positive for AIDS."
"I could have killed myself right then," Sasha said as she remembered the tragic turning point in her life. "I wanted nothing more than to die right there." For months after, Sasha attempted to isolate herself from the rest of the world.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there is an estimated 28 million people with AIDS and another 40 million people with HIV worldwide. African-American females are contracting the disease at higher rate than all other groups of people. Even with knowing the facts, Sasha still strived to understand that she was not the only one.
"I lost all hope. I gave up my job, my friends and my will to live," Sasha said. "Because of my attitude, my health went down as well. There were days when I had pain so bad I could not walk; there were days when I had fever so high I could not breathe. At times my T-cell count was so low, the doctors told me that it is a miracle that I lived to see the next day."
Sasha's health continued to plummet until November of last year, when she decided to join local AIDS support groups and counseling. Organizations like S.I.R.E.A (Southern Illinois Regional Effort Against AIDS), the Wellness Center and the Jackson County Health Department all have AIDS and HIV programs and facilities to help survivors deal with their emotional and medical conditions. These organizations also help survivors receive state funding to cover medical expenses.
Just last year alone, Sasha said she needed an estimated amount of $27,000 in medical expenses, but she only made approximately $20,000 income. According to studies conducted through the University of Alabama in Birmingham, the average yearly expense for AIDS medical costs is about $34,000. The medical costs for HIV treatment varies between $1,800 and $14,000.
Locally, African-American women like Sasha make up 64 percent of the reported AIDS cases. There are approximately 120 people being treated for AIDS in Jackson County, but according to Paula Clark, public health educator for the Jackson County Health Department, there are most likely many more than that who are infected.
"Researchers from the CDC say that if we multiply the population known to have AIDS by nine, that it would be a more accurate representation of how frequently AIDS is occurring," Clark said. "Knowing that, there is a good chance that there are over 500 women, one-thousand people total, who may not be aware that they have the disease."
Between January 1998 and January 2002, researchers from the Center for Disease Contol and Prevention noted a decline in the number of AIDS deaths. Ron Valdiserri, CDC director of research, said the downward trend was a result of better treatment options and increased education. However, this year, the number of reported cases and deaths has stabilized and put a halt on what seemed to be an improvement.
"When the studies say the numbers of AIDS deaths are down, the part that people hear is deaths; that does not mean transmission is down," Clark said. "People cannot get comfortable with these so-called downward trends. Everyone needs to know their status."
Half of all the newly reported cases nationwide are African-American women. Sasha, who was diagnosed at age 22, said she could have been carrying the disease since she was as young as 17 years old. According to the American AIDS Association, AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women ages 18-35.
"The only reason why I decided to get tested was because I was trying to win tickets to a concert," Sasha said. The record label that houses LL Cool J, DMX and Jay-Z held a drawing, and everyone who tested for HIV was entered into it. "I thought the worst thing that could happen was that I would have wasted my time standing in line."
Marie Wilkins, AIDS specialist for the Public Health Department, said getting people in for testing is a big problem for Jackson County. As a result, many organizations offer incentives like concert tickets and prizes.
"Young people are either naïve or scared to get tested," Wilkins said. "Even with all of the education, people seem to still believe they are immune, especially youth."
There are several places in the Carbondale area for people to be tested for HIV and AIDS. The Wellness Center, The Newman Center and the health department all house testing facilities.
"We offer anonymous testing as opposed to confidential testing," Clark said. "This way no one, not parents, not insurance agencies - no one has a record that you were tested except you."
Sasha said for the last six months her health has been stable, but there are still some days when she wishes that she did not have to deal with the burdens of the disease.
"Taking eight different pills four times a day is enough to drive anyone up the wall, but if that is what I have to do to stay alive, so be it," Sasha said. "Prevention is the best thing, but if that fails, knowing is the only other option if you want to live. If you don't want to suffer or die in curiosity, people need to get tested - especially the young black women."
The Newman Center holds walk-in AIDS testing from 2 to 6 p.m. every first and third Thursday of each month. The Jackson County Health Department and The Wellness Center hold walk-ins as well as scheduled appointments. People seeking more information about AIDS and AIDS testing can call the AIDS hotline at 1-800-AID-AIDS or Anonymous HIV testing at 1-800-243-2437.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
