Getting Tested

Until this past week I had never really given much consideration to whether or not I was HIV positive.  If someone had asked me if I thought there was a chance that I had the disease I would have replied definitely not.  However, when we started working with BCAP I thought it would be interesting to blog about getting tested.                
It is extremely scary to hear that it is estimated that 21% of the HIV-positive people in the United States are completely unaware of their status.  That means that over 200,000 people are walking around without receiving treatment and potentially passing on the disease (AIDSmeds.com).  So even if you are pretty sure that you don’t have the disease, I think it is a good idea to get tested.                           
This past week I set up an appointment with Jenna Borys, BCAP’s Community Outreach Coordinator, to get tested for HIV free of charge at BCAP.   Before showing up I didn’t really put much thought into what the experience would be like.  So when I showed up at BCAP I really had no expectations as to what the procedure would be like or how I should feel.

Jenna in the testing room

Jenna came and got me for the appointment from the waiting area and took me upstairs to the testing room at BCAP.  The atmosphere in the room is very calm. BCAP makes sure that the door is closed, and that everything is strictly confidential and private.  There is even a nature noise machine that is placed right outside the door to make sure that no one can overhear you within the testing room.                 

 The test is really simple and relatively painless.  It is just a tiny little prick that they use to get a drop of blood for the test.  Moreover, everything is completely sanitary and safe.  Jenna wore latex gloves made sure everything was disinfected.  Additionally, everything used for the test is only used once and then disposed of.   Additionally, the HIV virus is very weak when it is exposed to air and is killed off within a matter of seconds after its exposure.

The finger prick

The test takes about ten minutes and during that time Jenna or whoever is testing you will ask some basic questions and discuss ways to remain safe while having sex.   For example, one thing that I learned during my visit is that there is a low risk of contracting HIV through kissing, unless you have some sort of cut in your mouth.

During the ten minutes that I waited for my test results to show up I began to wonder about my status.  I asked a lot of “what if” questions and really considered how different my life would be if I had HIV.  While I was still fairly certain that I was HIV negative, I began to get a little nervous and I was very anxious to get the test result back.  Thus it was a huge relief when the test came back HIV negative!

The Good News, A Negative Test!

There is definitely no experience that can stimulate the same emotions as actually getting tested for HIV.  It makes you gain a new sense of empathy and respect for what people that are HIV positive deal with everyday.  For the ten minutes that you wait to see if you have the disease, you can’t help but imagine what life would be like in the shoes of somebody that is HIV positive.  

Ultimately, I see only positive things coming out of getting tested.  If you find out that you are HIV negative you can walk out of the test with a sense of confidence and relief.  If you find out that you are HIV positive you can begin to take the steps to get proper treatment and stop the continued spread of the disease.   

By Taylor Petersen