our HIV/AIDS success story

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Original version as written on October 1st, 2011:

I was fired as the President of ESCINETV because of the events described below. I still hold 40% of the company's shares, thus I still should be able to use veto power if the current management's decisions explode out of control. My new, more rewarding and more exciting career as a LED display saleman for all Latin American countries is just being born. 

VP Harold Cooper spent 5 weeks hospitalized during July and August 2011, fighting for his life and he succeeded. Several cancer patients at the same floor died. Both of our mothers seem uncomfortable with his survival. My faith of a calm recovery prevailed in contradiction with everyone else's expectation of stressful death. His mom complains that we chose to be infected by HIV and to let it become AIDS; my mom complains that the clinic expenses were too high and that he should have been transferred to a public hospital with no nurses on guard at night. 

Instead, these months I have used the full extent of my creativity so that money never became an issue. My relatives and my company still have plenty to share in spite of the attitudes from the squalidest, most penny-pinching family members. It remains to be seen if they will continue safeguarding their wealth for themselves or if they will actually do some real social work in accordance with Venezuelan laws. No wonder our Bolivarian Government keeps an eye open on possible expropriations. Next step is to ensure antiretroviral medication for all patients and to build further viral load laboratory testing facilities nationwide.

While my partner was recovering from AIDS, his mother brought a "friend" from church and she started telling the patient that the third sex does not exist and that I, the person responsible for the major decisions, was Satan. The woman from church started shaking the hospital bed and brought depression to my partner, whose recovery was delayed for a few extra days because of the hate and harassment incident. The doctor had to prohibit non pre-approved visits from then on.

Unfortunately I am now dealing with discrimination issues from my mother, who acts under other relatives’ instruction, against my AIDS-recovering, black & broke family gay partner. I am being forced to mass produce, on the spot, lots of pastel artworks to pay back clinical expenses on the instructions of other family members who hijacked my mom's previous understanding of our otherwise varied, multidisciplinary contribution to society. 

My mother is thus incurring in discrimination by racism, classism and homophobia. All of these obstacles could have led to the death of her son-in-law by common-law. Fortunately my errands and dealings with the clinic along with Harold’s strength to heal allowed him to recover. My mother is legally and financially supported by the uttermost Venezuelan oligarchy dating back from Colonial times centuries ago. 

A possible trial my mother wishes to open against me could derive to my favor, at least partially. This would hopefully generate fresh jurisprudence for future similar discrimination cases against family members traditionally labeled as black sheep.

Comments

“I am so sorry and hope peoples` attitude toward HIV positive people change and they become an advocate for them!” Azadeh Bahramji, Iran

“I can relate to your story. I am in touch with a group of people lliving with HIV here in the Philippines. Most of them have gone through the same story as that of Harold Cooper. Some can still recover and continue living, but most especially those stricken with combination of oppotunistic infection and do not have the means to pay for their medical needs do not surpass. One thing good is that many are now on ARV as provided through the Global Fund support. But this will last only till 2012. There is slow improvement in the way how HIV/AIDS cases are ebing managed, but there is hope through the advocacy to governments to put in more resources to make ARV, treatment for OIs be made sustainable, accessibile and affordable for those who need it most. These are life saving drugs and it just right that governments make sure that these are always available. Most importantly is the presence of a peer support group that will be able to conenct with, share what you are going through, for both the HIV positive individual and the family. One can get strehnght from a peer group. Just continue living, get in touch with a local peer support group in your area. I am pretty sure that there are. They may be able to help out in accessing other available support aside from families, there may be community based groups doing treatment, care and support. Cheer up!” Nenet Ortega, Philippines

“I wish you both many blessings and continued health. Life is difficult enough for any being without being encarcerated by the mindset of others. You are two incredible people to shine through such a mis-interpretation of help.” Renate Andrasevits, California USA

“Discrimination such as you are describing -- for many health issues -- and age issues -- are rampant throughout the business/labor sectors throughout the world unfortunately. I see it as a sad reality in all that we do. And, it seems to me that it also runs so opposite what we believe within our various faiths. Since it's your own family and mother that is making things difficult maybe you should remind her of what her faith says to do in this regard, Ruben. And, good luck!” Frank Sowa, Pennsylvania USA

“My prayers are with you and your partner. I pray for his recovery and that you both have the patience to sustain the idiots.” Michelle Howard, California USA

“Dios mío, Rubén! Un abrazo enorme y mucha fuerza!!!” Ana Lis Señorena, Argentina

“Muy sabias tus palabras primo. El dinero es efímero así como te llega se va, hay que darle un buen uso y tú lo has hecho muy bien. Sigue así y no mires hacia atrás solo sigan un buen camino que Dios está con ustedes y con nosotros.” Karina Vizcaíno, Venezuela / Mexico

“KBO my friend, intense, heart moving story. Your fighting against the current and I have nothing but admiration for you.” Bennett Adams Reiss Ibérico, NY USA / Perú / China 

Rubén Rivero Capriles on behalf of Harold Macquintoush Cooper Cogollo at Caracas, Venezuela, July 18 thru October 1st, 2011