My name is Molik and I was diagnosed approximately 22 years ago. I think the advice I would give to someone who was newly diagnosed would be one, it's ok to feel whatever you are feeling. It's ok. Find somebody else who has a diagnosis too. And it helps, because, you know why? It validates what it is that you're feeling. It's ok to be angry. It's ok to be afraid. It's ok, on some days, to try and pretend that it's not really happening to you. All that's ok and all that's a process.
As far as family members, I leaned on my mother. I had my counselors in the drug program because I was so adamant about getting clean, staying clean. Not just getting clean, but changing my life�about living differently. Even then, I would say on my worst day, I still feel more optimistic about life and I'm probably overall happier�living happier on a general level�than most people I know.
Having AIDS taught me to look around and see the world. For the first time, I looked up at the sky one day and I realized everyday that you walk outside, there's a, like, a portrait that nature has painted for you, and it's changing all day. So, every time you want to see a new portrait, you just look up at the sky. Look at the clouds. Look at the trees. It's the most fantastically beautiful thing. For the first time in my life I was totally impressed by something.
Find one person that you can share this with. Just one person that it's ok to cry around; just one person that it's ok to act like a total idiot and be upset about it around. One person that it's ok to laugh with. Because it's not always sad.
When you have so many things going on in your life you'd be surprised how sometimes how you judge whether something is serious enough to worry about, is all relative�relative to what else is going on. And right now, my gender transition is kind of, in the forefront. And I've got to tell you I have to remind myself now in the evenings to take my HIV meds.