I read the post on the young lady who passed away from pneumonia, and like most of your bloggers i am very saddened by the loss of someone so young.
A few folks were commenting on how quickly she died and I wanted to share some info on that issue. (BTW-I dont know her and am not associated with her case in any way. I’m just speaking from professional experience and available data).
The HIV virus affects everyone differently.For persons who do not receive treatment it will take, on average, 5-7 yrs to progress to AIDS after infection. In women it takes an average of 12 yrs to progress to death from time of infection.While in men, it takes an average 10 yrs to death. These are averages, so it can be much shorter or much longer.
Once treatment is initiated, and taken as prescribed, the lifespan can be extended significantly and approaches normal – of course this will depend on one’s age at diagnosis, stage of illness at time of diagnosis, and the sub- type of virus you have.

This young lady Ashley, and others who become infected with HIV and then quickly progress to AIDS, are called “rapid progressors”. That means they have a virus that has mutated and is very virulent (aggressive). This subtype will wreak havoc on the immune system in short order. Someone with this mutation can move from new infection to full blown AIDS in under 2yrs. Most recently, I saw someone who based on testing history was negative a year earlier, but their CD4(t-test) came back at 155!!!! And let me tell you, this person looks good. i mean good! beautiful skin, body size, etc etc. But this person has AIDS and will die sooner than a counterpart with a ‘normal’ HIV strain.
On the other hand I’ve seen folks who have been positive for over 10yrs (one for almost 30yrs) and don’t even need medication! They are called “long term non-progressors”. And they too look great. no spots, weight loss, hair changes etc., but they do have other medical issues, just none of the AIDS signs people looking to see.
Unfortunately, there is evidence suggesting HIV is getting more virulent (aggressive) over time. So expect to hear of more people who get infected and drop out in no time.

Met, it’s also important to let folks know about treatment resistant virus. What’s that? that is a virus strain from someone who is HIV positive but not taking the medication properly and so the drugs are no longer working for them – they have developed resistance. This resistance can be to an individual drugs or entire classes (groups). If you get infected by this person, they pass on a treatment resistant HIV subtype to you
ou get infected by this person, they pass on a treatment resistant HIV subtype to you and it means that you cant take those drugs that they are resistant to, because they wont work for you either. Here in the States that’s bad news but not really because we have access to a wide range of treatment options. In Jamaica and the other islands (and Africa), this is a huge problem.
For example, there are only two cocktails available (each includes several drugs) in Jamaica, so if you acquire a virus that’s resistant to one of the key medications in the first cocktail, it means you have to start with the second cocktail. Which effectively means you will have a shorter time on treatment, which could mean shorter survival.

mi dun talk now. Just please spread the word MET. It’s out there! Anyone can get it, but unfortunately it affects the poor (ghetto people) and Black people more. We can blame this on history, conspiracy, the system, monkeys (lol). Whatever we want. But at the end of the day, it is spread by the behaviors we engage in on an individual basis, so we need to just wise up and wrap it up.
(OH, and if you can get the word out to our MSM friends that they are at incredibly high risk. In jamaica, it is 1 in every three men who have sex with men that is HIV positive. So, these chicks who love to go down to jamaica and own up the lickle dancer yout dem…and other questionable characters…need to be careful ).
Bless up
Me1

Death from AIDS
Experiencing death from AIDS can be hard, especially from the family who is looking on. Consider this real-life story from Brenda who knows death from AIDS all too well.

Death from AIDS – Man Dying with AIDS has Hope for Eternity
By Brenda Blakely

The call came early in the morning. “If you want to see your brother alive you better get here.” Right after noon we were able to “roll out” driving hard to cover the 700 or so miles between my home and the hospital bed where he laid. My task was clear, make sure he knows Jesus as his Savior. I asked Lord, “Please don’t take him until I know that he knows You.”

My sister had said my brother Bert was hospitalized and they didn’t expect him to live but a few days. We arrived late in the night expecting to be able to go to the hospital and see him.

However the decision to allow us to bend the rules in this life and death occasion had been rescinded. We were told to get a night’s sleep and come to the hospital during the morning visiting hours. As I prayed, God’s still quiet voice spoke peace, it was ok; rest and he will still be there.

Finally my turn came to go into his intensive care room. I had no real expectations except that God was going to allow me to speak to him.

The man I saw lying there connected to tubes and all kinds of medical equipment was the brother I had prayed for as a little child. He looked so uncomfortable; the oxygen mask hindered his being able to talk much. Word became valuable, their scarcity made each one precious. “I love you. . .I love you.”

I had to ask, “Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?” He spoke the words I had prayed to hear, “Yes.”

Discussions with family and the inevitable talks with the doctor jerked us into a drama that I felt could hardly be real. Bert was dying of AIDS. A long story was about to unfold but it had to be put aside for an even more important agenda. We had to give Bert the best last moment on earth with his family that we could and let him know he was loved.

They moved him to a hospice bed just before lunch. When we returned from lunch he was moved and settled. The nurses said he had opened his eyes to look outside for a moment. God’s creation was at its peak of beauty — flowers blooming, the azure blue sky so soft and beautiful. As he lay on the bed gasping for breath we tried to make it like a family gathering. We laughed and shared memories and stories taking time to remember the good times that had blessed us. The pastor came and we prayed holding Bert’s hands to include him in the circle.

Bert’s boss came by to visit and as he began to leave he looked at Bert and said, “You know Jesus don’t you Bert?” Bert’s slight nod of the head and slight smile told the story. This man had given Bert the greatest gift of all; we hoped to learn the rest of the story later.

There was no one by his bedside for a moment and I didn’t want him to go through this alone so I stepped up next to his bedside. I noticed Bert stirring and struggling to come to the surface of his deep, drug-induced sleep. His eyelids barely cracked to reveal the hurting mirror of his soul beneath them, words surfaced on his lips, a weak breath carried them to my ears, “Help me.”

As he settled back into his rest, my heart cried quiet sobs covered my helplessness. Oh son, there is nothing I can do now. If only you had cried out for help sooner.

When the family was finally able to leave the hospital that night, Mother kept saying how hard it was to leave his body lying on the hospice bed even though we knew he was no longer there. It was over, he was gone. No more chances to say I love you, no more chances to share his grief and fear at having the dread disease.

The church was filled with people whose lives Bert had touched. People to whom Bert had listened when they shared their pain and maybe some with whom Bert had shared his pain. Yet, Bert had been unable to share his pain with his family.

People at the service spoke of a man who loved life, brought those special surprise moments to life for others and loved to share. Bert had left this earth so peacefully and I believe had such joy at being free of the body that had been destroyed by AIDS.

But those of us who are left behind today have so much to work through.

Occasionally I cry gut-wrenching sobs from the depths of my soul. A friend of Bert’s has told me that Bert really wanted to call and tell me but just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

How would I have responded? Bert had sought solace for the pain in his life in the wrong places and carried the results of that encounter to his deathbed. God had allowed the truth to be brought to him, quickened him to accept it and strengthened him to make the turn from his old life to the new life God had created him to live. Would I have recognized this when confronted with the reality of his life situation?

I have worked many years in ministry with other people in crisis but this was too close to home. This time it was my family; my brother, the one I had prayed for who had lived with us for long stretches of time. The one my daughter called her Brouncle (brother-uncle). The one who cared about other people and went into action when someone had a need, who took care of wounded animals, loved pretty things, and collected vintage toys often to be given to needy kids. He celebrated Christmas any day of the year and the one with whom I had shared experiences and memories.

I can still hear his words, “Help me” coming from his deathbed. But the only thing I can do now is stand on whatever platform God gives me and repeat the truth. God is still available to help and will forgive and heal the vilest sin.

There is hope.

Jesus has given us the commission, Bert’s boss accepted. He took the time in a busy work world to notice someone who needed Jesus and gave my brother the greatest gift of all — hope for eternity. Has God put someone in your pathway who needs to know the Savior? Will you accept the commission? It can make all the difference in a life.

THIS IS THE FACE OF DANCEHALL NEW JERSEY SO YOUNG GONE TOO SOON FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WARNING PEOPLE ABOUT ON HERE.. SO SO SAD THIS GIRL HAD HER BIRTHDAY PARTY LAST…FELL ILL A FEW MONTHS LATER AND NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER EVERYTHING SHE HAS DIED… I HAVE NO WORDS TONIGHT MAY HER FAMILY FIND COMFORT IN THE ARMS OF GOD..ASHLEY DIED FROM PNEUMONIA WHICH IS A COMPLICATION OF THAT ILLNESS.
PLEASE SAY YOUR GOODBYES AND DO NOT CALL NAMES OF WHO OR WHAT SLEPT WITH WHO THANK YOU!!! IF IT HAPPENS ONE TIME I WILL BE FORCED TO BAN THAT INDIVIDUAL

YUH KNOW MI A WONDER IF A REALLY STONE OR STEAL MEK DEM…

Look out Harford, Springfield and all surrounding areas a party time agen. Andre aka Audio , Springfield fus example fi bring up Sample….yeah Sample Six a him did bring him suh right now a him seh ORIGINAL / TREND kaw him nuh badmine like some a dem!
April 23, 2011 right ina Panache Ballroom right ina SPRINGFIELD!
If unno come before 12 a $15 after 12 a $20
Kum floss wid class kaws all some a dem a gwaan dem cyaa pass. Audio wi seh…HYPE STR8

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Fans of Ragashanti hold up their placards in front of the BCJ office yesterday during a protest to get him back on air. – Laranzo Dacres

Supporters of Dr Kingsley ‘Ragashanti’ Stewart and his talk show, Ragashanti Live, staged a peaceful protest in front of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica’s (BCJ) office yesterday.

The loyalists congregated in the vicinity of a central bus stop on Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, clad in white T-shirts and jeans, which they said was the planned dress code for the protest. The mostly female protesters were armed with tambourines and placards as they voiced their disapproval of the recent decision made by the BCJ.

“Raga mek people can enjoy dem poverty,” one infuriated protester told THESTAR.

The protest came on the heels of an order issued by the BCJ on Monday to have ‘Ragashanti Live’ removed from Nationwide 90 FM with immediate effect, based on what was said to be numerous public complaints over a two-month period, coupled with 18 breaches of the Broadcasting Diffusion Act that the commission said the radio station had committed.

“From mi hear seh dem a guh tek Raga off a di radio, all now mi nuh eat nuh more food,” said one protester, known as Jennifer Goodas.

Two police vehicles loaded with officers were parked close to the feet of the protesters to ensure that the protest remained orderly.

“Raga stand for the upliftment of poor ghetto people,” was what one of the placards held by an elderly lady read.

“Never in the history of radio has the BCJ requested a host off air, I don’t think it’s in their portfolio. Because if it were so, other radio station personnel have done stuff worst than Raga on air and got suspended and are now back on radio,” Michel Le’ a member of Ragashanti’s radio talk-show team said fervently.

She continued: “And if Raga was doing something wrong then he should have been off radio a long time ago. So, I would say Cordell Green and Hopeton Dunn have not been doing their jobs, so if Raga get booted off radio that mean they should be booted from the BCJ because they were not doing their jobs!”

When THESTAR left, the protest was still ongoing as the protesters beat their tambourines while engaging in chants of “We want Raga!”

THESTAR has also learnt that the protesters are planning on being in the same area at the same time today with much more support as well as on Thursday. On Friday, they also plan to stage an islandwide protest for the reinstating of ‘Ragashanti Live’ on radio.