Twenty-seven years ago my doctor told me, “You have AIDS, and have five to seven years to live, may God bless you”, and just left me alone in his office. I walked up and down Lexington Avenue before going home to East 9th Street, this was February 17th, 1985. Shocked, but accepting, I said to myself, bitch you deserve it (though no one deserves this) and within two months I was accepted as a postulant in the Order of Camoldolese Hermits of Monte Corona, to get right with God. Up till then I lived solely for William Anthony. I stayed with the Hermits for a minute and in 1991 left and went to Albuquerque, New Mexico to die where I was dying for the next 12 years or so. I spent 18 years dying and still I am not dead, so in 2002 a very dear friend said “I am sick of watching you do nothing, why don’t you go to work” she even had a job lined up for me. This started my journey in Social Service.
Ten years ago if you had asked me what do you see yourself doing in five years? I would have straight up told you to kiss my ass, because I don’t have five years! But now I have a five year plan. My CD4 are 712 and viral load is UD undetectable. I am back in University finally getting my degree, doing fabulously in Brooklyn, New York *though going back to LA* as now, I do have a five year plan. I am painting and my plan is to have a solo Gallery Show of my work. I love Fashion and am now a full time Fashion Blogger, I got married, LIFE IS GOOD!
So lift a flute of Champagne and toast to life and the living of it.
You should right a book on your life, truly. You're an inspiration. I had no idea you'd gone through all of that pain and struggle. I'm so glad you're doing your fashion blog, I am a hopeless case and it's so great to have ideas and inspiration - not to mention someone I can ask for advice. A toast to life indeed <3
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