Thread by @froglet80

This time last year, leokopenic, 112 lbs at 5'8, hair falling out, sores frm various OIs all over my body, laying in bed and trying not to cough so I wouldn't shit my pants - it was a fairly recognizeaboe image. That you call one "ghastly" likely speaks to how you view the virus

https://twitter.com/johanne_speaks/status/1721194055223456087

AIDS was scary, people went to read ridiculous irrational lengths to avoid percieved exposure. It was something that happened to other people, people not like them. they thought themselves better than that. The remnants of this stigma remain today in so many ways. often subtle

But covid? Folks don't fear it. They know they coupd get it, arent worried. they arent scared because it mild, its over, we have the tools. You do you, its your fault you're vulnerable, don't live your life in fear. Stigma meets cognitive bias.

Folks are fully invested in believing that covid is harmless, so they make excuses when they see such familiar examples of what it can do to them. Deny the similarity, or look the other way. But deep down, its a response to that old stigma. "not me, not that"

To be clear, I'm not picking on @Johanne_speaks a r directing this at them. Their post raised a great point, that I feel needs to be addressed, and starting a new thread seemed better than interjecting this in someone else's.

@Johanne_speaks At tue end of the day I am here to tell everyone - SARS-coV-2 can look a helluva lot like untreated advanced HIV/AIDS. It is our perception that is flawed. If folks feared covid the way they still fear hiv, we could end the pandemic for real.

@Johanne_speaks But that involves realizing that no one's suffering should be repulsive to us - 'cause it frankly makes me real uncomfortable the way this comparison is framed. No one deserves this from either virus - and all deserve compassion and recognition.

@Johanne_speaks Food for thought. In January 2022 I had a cd4 count of 84, reactivated vzv and cmv, candidiasis, and p jirovecii pneumonia. Toxoplasmosis and bartonella later entered the chat.

Sound familiar? Check out these case reports from 1981.

cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/m…

@Johanne_speaks But ok I get it. SARS-coV-2 is different, right?

except it infects t cells too


and can cause an acquired immune deficiency (they said it not me)


And given what I'm living? Yeah, makes sense. tinyurl.com/sars2cd4
tinyurl.com/sars2aids

@Johanne_speaks I don't mind being compared - people need to be aware this is what SARS-coV-2 can do to you. But I think in making that comparison we need to be very careful with our language, and not continue to unintentionally perpetrate stigma against people living with HIV.

@Johanne_speaks If you found this thread helpful, tips are appreciated. I am homeless due to my illness since 2020, barely making ends meet for meds & food.
paypal/venmo [e-mail]; other details in bio

@Johanne_speaks @UnrollHelper unroll