Sexual Health Buzz

Hi. I first and far most want to say that your site is such a blessing! I was diagnosed with HPV in early 2004. I went through treatments alone because I felt so ashamed. I thank God for your site because it helped me through some of the darkest days and nights that I have ever known. It also showed me that I was not alone. Keep up the great work, and God bless you.

Below is my story:

I was diagnosed with HPV in early 2004. I felt so alone and ashamed of this virus, I couldn’t and didn’t tell anyone!!! I went through Pap Smears, Cryo’s, Biopsies and Surgery without anyone knowing the “real” story. I had a boyfriend that I loved so much, and I knew he gave it to me. It took me over a year to finally confront him about it. The tests that came back from the doctor were terrifying; the first results were stage 2… close to cancer. I was only 22 years old when I was diagnosed.

As time went by, my boyfriend and I broke up. I thought that no one would want to date a person with an STD, let alone marry them. By this time, I became Born Again, by the grace an mercy of Jesus Christ. As I continued to surrender my life over to the Lord, he changed me and helped me deal with my depression and loneliness because of this STD.

Then, by the love of God, he sent someone into my life. After feeling unworthy for so long, this man accepted me. After a few months of dating, I told him what I had… I cried as I told him my situation. Yet, he said that he would be there for me, go to the doctors with me and stay by my side through it all.

We are now engaged and I love him more than anything! I thank God for not only changing my heart, forgiving me and helping me, but for also giving me a wonderful man who will love me regardless.

So, for those who feel inadequate or unloved…..FIRST and far most, know that there is a God who loves you with or with out an STD!!! Give your life over to him and surrender! SECOND, know that there are real men out there who will love you and take care of you regardless, just trust God. Don’t go looking for love, rather, let God bring your mate to you.

P.S. To you guys out there, know that there are real women who will love you regardless also!!!

May God Bless all of you… You are NOT alone.

In Love,
Dee

Would you like to share your story? We would love for you to share your courage with others. Here are the rest of the stories.

Join us in our forum of friends: Keeping Your Faith in God When You’re Sick

If you need to know about Herpes OR you just want to connect with others I hope you will check out our Herpes Online Support forum via Shut Up and Post!

What a great example of family members chipping in to help support Bristol and her son Tripp. This is a positive of example of what you do when life takes you by surprise. You come together and support each other even if the situation is not the most ideal one.

I agree with Sarah Palin in this situation, that it’s not the Government’s responsibility to take care of pregnant single women. It’s time for families to step up to the plate and start taking some time to help pitch in, as Sarah mentions in the video.

This is another example of how “abstinence only” education can not work without the rest of the package. I think it’s important to introduce “birth control” into the education of our young people while teaching them that it is not 100% even though it is better than nothing.

Sarah Palin says, “Life happens and you deal with it.” I agree.

There is no way to tell on your own when you are shedding.

For those that don’t know what “shedding” is… it’s mostly to do with asymptomatic shedding.

You see, folks that have herpes don’t always have the signs OR symptoms that you can see OR feel. In fact, there are many people out there that have herpes and do not know it because they don’t get signs OR symptoms.

But… just because those folks don’t get signs or symptoms doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to pass herpes on to a sexual partner.

People that don’t get those classic signs or symptoms still go through what is called: asymptomatic shedding. That means that the virus has traveled the nerve pathways inside the body, has made it to the surface of the skin, and you can’t see or feel it. So no, we don’t always know when we are shedding. Especially if we don’t typically get those classic signs or symptoms.

But for those folks that do get outbreaks that they can see or feel… the asymptomatic shedding can happen before, during and after an outbreak. The asymptomatic shedding usually occurs at the typical area of the body where you might have an outbreak.

That’s what I know about Asymptomatic Shedding OR just plain old Shedding. Remember, people with herpes are not contagious all the time. And those that don’t get outbreaks that they can not see or feel do not shed all that often.

I hope that helped to answer your question. Feel free to ask more questions if you want to OR just post them on our message board.

If you are a regular of yoshi2me.com, our message board, and even picking up the pieces.. we want you to show us your happy face!?

Now we have a place where you can show us who you are and share your good times with the rest of us.

Check out our private photo forum.

If you are a participant of the sites mentioned above, you can now share photos with one another and begin to put a face with a name.

How cool is that?

Here’s how it works

glitter-graphics.com

Think STDs aren’t your issue? Think again. If you have had sex, or plan to, you could get an STD. You owe it to yourself and others to contact your Senator now.

The Senate will begin debate this week on the Economic Recovery Bill, which includes $400 million in funding for HIV and STD screening and prevention.

As the debate swirls around the stimulus package it is imperative that the final package keep the $400 million that will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and then on to the states with the highest levels of HIV and STDs. States are in desperate need of resources for their public health programs.

19 million. Number of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the U.S. each year (no, that’s not a typo). 15 billion. Cost in dollars each year to treat the 19 million new cases of STDs.

This epidemic is getting worse. The poor, especially in communities of color, are being ravaged by these infections:

1.) The rate of new HIV infections among African American women is 15 times higher than that of white women. African-Americans are only 13% of the population yet account for more than half of all HIV cases.

2.) According to figures from CDC, from 2002 to 2006, chlamydia rates increased by 17.2% among African Americans; 23.7% among American Indian/Alaska Natives; 12.7% among Hispanics.

Years of neglect. The politics of the last eight years have left our nation’s STD prevention programs in sad shape, a fact made only worse by the current economic crisis.

The news is not all bleak, though, as the economic stimulus package currently before the U.S. Senate gives us a rare opportunity to repair our STD prevention and treatment infrastructure AND help the economy at the same time.

In the package, $400 million dollars is marked to go directly to HIV/AIDS and STD screening and prevention. Most of the funds marked would be used to retain and hire thousands of health workers, so public health and local economies are served by keeping more nurses, lab technicians, and support staff working, paying taxes, and off of unemployment rolls.

Please, take five minutes today to get in touch with your state’s Senators. Call or e-mail today (or, if you’re as annoyed by all this as I am, you’ll do both!). Click here to find out how to contact your Senators, or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Consider mentioning these talking points:

I oppose any amendments that would remove any funding for HIV/AIDS and STD prevention.

Because:

1.) The STD burden in the U.S. is the highest in the industrialized world and we have no excuse for it.

2.) These funds will pay for themselves many times over by reducing the number of costly STDs that must be treated every year.

3.) This is a necessary step to protect the health of all Americans, especially vulnerable populations such as young people and the poor.

4.) Finally, this is a one-time investment that is an effective way to create thousands of jobs.

Please, contact your Senators today. We must not miss this chance to do not only the right thing, but also the smart thing for America and our economy. Change starts with action. Above all, change starts with you! Please act now.

Warmly and with great respect,

Lynn Barclay
ASHA President our CEO
LynnBarclay@ASHAstd.org
ASHASTD.org