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AIDS
has not ended; we are simply in Phase II and are only now
beginning to understand the terrain and to chart a course. For
long-term survivors, accepting and facing a future we thought
would be denied us is both devastating and challenging. As we face
re-entry issues, we may be asking ourselves:
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Now
that I’m not dying, what can I do with my life?
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After
the struggle to survive, can I go at life one more time?
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How
will I deal with depression and survivor’s guilt?
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How
can I work and continue to get the assistance I need?
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What
if the effectiveness of the medications doesn’t last? |
The reality we are now
facing asks us to examine our life and it's direction, to expand
our self-concept beyond being centered or defined as a person
living with HIV and to embrace a broader range of life's
possibilities.
Living
with HIV disease can have devastating effects on our self-image
and self-esteem, particularly when it strikes early in our adult
lives and careers. Re-entry is an opportunity to renew self-worth
and self-confidence through feeling productive and engaged. While
the process of re-entry is different for each person, it is an
opportunity to create a new life, possibly the life you always
wanted to have. |
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