I reached Dr. Bustamante's office and sat there, waiting. When he walked into the room, I could tell by the look on his face that the results in his hand weren't good. He looked me in the eye and said, "Sherkila you're HIV positive. What are you going to do about it. I froze. The words didn't seem real, but they echoed in my head over and over: HIV positive. HIV positive. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
"I'm not going to let it beat me , " I said, my voice trembling. "I'm going to beat it." He gave a quick nod, then turned and walked out of the room. No suggestion, no treatment plans, no comfort-nothing. Just silence. I was alone in my thoughts and the walls seemed to close in around me.
I reached Dr. Bustamante's office and sat there, waiting. When he walked into the room, I could tell by the look on his face that the results in his hand weren't good. He looked me in the eye and said, "Sherkila you're HIV positive. What are you going to do about it. I froze. The words didn't seem real, but they echoed in my head over and over: HIV positive. HIV positive. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
"I'm not going to let it beat me , " I said, my voice trembling. "I'm going to beat it." He gave a quick nod, then turned and walked out of the room. No suggestion, no treatment plans, no comfort-nothing. Just silence. I was alone in my thoughts and the walls seemed to close in around me.