Omg! I'm Negative! *throws party*

[shbaz]

You still haven't addressed whether or not this party is a gay orgy. If it is a gay orgy, I still might attend, but I don't know if I can come.

[Peter Thomas]

Shabz, the worst thing about all of that was the fact I had to read it three times before I got it :/

Well I've decided I'll just go out to the clubs tomorrow night. I would've anyway, but now I'm not gonna refuse when people offer to buy me drinks. No. They can offer all night and I'll never say no.

If you're interested, it's called "The Beat", in Fortitude Valley, somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Be on the lookout for the happiest guy in the whole damn place. I'll be wearing a scarf. I don't know why. I just decided then that I will...

And I'm serious. Anyone visiting Australia for a couple of cross-continental hours for St Pat's day tomorrow should come out with me. Yes, it's a gay club. But as shabz said: you don't have to come...

[Sluggo]

I don't understand the purpose of so much excitement. Am I wrong in assuming that ANY person who is sexually active should get tested for HIV and STDs and such?

Congratulations for not having sex with someone who is diseased...

[Ozwalled]

[nevermind]

[Kinoko]

Sluggo: I'm gonna do you a favour and let you know that you missed the first thread about this matter. Just trust me on this one.

[Peter Thomas]

Heh, um... Sluggo... I'm gonna have to assume that you didn't get around to reading my other thread. Otherwise things would be pretty self explanatory.

In any event - there was a very very real chance that I had HIV. There still is a possibility, I'll have to get tested in another 3 months. I was just happy that my initial fears were somewhat squashed.

[Blackthorne]

Peter,

Again, I want to say how relieved and happy I am for your negative test results.  I'm going to ask for forgiveness on this post, as I am quite drunk at the time of it's writing, and it may be rambling and over emotional.

Living with a "death sentence" delivered from a doctor via a disease isn't the end of the world.  Two years ago, when I was 24, I went from being a mal-adjusted, yet carefree young man to a person diagnosed with End Stage Renal Failure (ESRD) or kidney failure.  Basically the doctor told me, as I was hooked up to IV's and various other equipment, that if I didn't undergo an emergency operation to put a cather in my chest and endure dialysis starting the next day, I would die.

Needless to say, I didn't take it well.  My first choice was to say "Let me die" and refuse treatment.  It turned around when my older brother came in and said to me "Tell that to my daughter (1 year old at the time); tell your neice you're not going to be there to see her grow up."  I decided I didn't want to be just a memory in her mind, or in my family and friends mind.  I haven't lived the perfect life, but since that day, I've endured shit that no young person should ever have to.  In addition to all the foibles that being a young adult offers (live, love, careeer, direction, acceptance) I've had to deal with the fact that death breathes down my neck.   Not many people know much about kidney failure, but it kills more people than you would think.  It's not as PR sensitive as cancer or AIDS, but it is just as deadly.  However, there are more treatment options available.  I was lucky enough to have a father with the compassion, courage and ability to donate to me - extending my life.  So I live, with the same bitter pessimistic-optimism I always have, yet I remember each day is a gift.  By all rights, I should be here.  Yet I am - and I get to still be with the people I love, and do the things I love.

Take it as a gift.  Always fo what you love, but never forget the responsibility you have to yourself: To live the best you can.  I wish you the best of luck in life.

Bt

[Peter Thomas]

Wow - thanks Bt, that hit home...

And you are most definitely forgiven for that flagrant emotional outburst I just hope it hasn't seemed like I've been trying to rub any of this in your face.

But yes, you are right. During the awkward 'waiting period', I'd come to realise that it wouldn't render me useless to society, and wouldn't inhibit my capabilities to love, care and support others. Although I'd always remained hopeful, I had come to accept that - should worst come to worst - I would still be the same person, and I still had a life to live, no matter how it ended.

And believe me - this is the best gift I could ever have been given. Let's hope I'm not speaking too soon...

[Sluggo]

Oh, I apologize. I was thinking there might be more to this story, but I guess I just wasn't thinking. Plus I was in kind of a smart-ass mood. So I hope I didn't insult you.

So where exactly is this other thread?

[Peter Thomas]

No offence taken, Sluggo What you said was true enough anyway

The other thread:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=18750.0

Although I don't mention the AIDS and so forth until about... um... page 18/19/20, I think?

[Snarky]

For several days, I've been seeing this thread and thinking "People always tell me that I'm too negative, too, but I'm not going to throw a party about it." Then it finally clicked.

I'm very happy for you, PT!

[Peter Thomas]

Okay, assuming you weren't joking, you mean you saw the thread but didn't read it?

[/look of horror]

*Peter_Thomas changes topic to something unbelievably cool like "I just stir-fried my colon!"*

[Snarky]

I only selectively follow threads in gen-gen. I'm trying to convince myself that I have a life.

[Peter Thomas]

Don't bother. Trust me.

People will judge you all the more.

It's just easier to say you live on the forums, anyway. It stops all the follow-up questions.