Would you tell if one of your close relative dies of AIDS? / myLot

Malta

March 19, 2010 3:10am CST

I know that Aids is still feared and has a lot of stigma about it. Aids victims suffer by being left out from their communities and society. Let's say one of your close relatives dies of AIDS! Would you tell? If someone asks you what was the cause of his death, would you invent another cause? Would you tell the truth? I do not mean announcing it to the whole wide world, but would you tell your closest relatives the truth? Last week I discovered that my cousin did not die of muscular dystrophy. My wife mentioned AIDS as a possible cause of his death. To be honest I don't know and it puzzles me why his parents kept his real cause of his death hidden. God bless his soul! Would you tell the truth if one of your close relative dies of AIDS?

8 people like this

9 responses

cyberfluf

@cyberfluf (4996)

• Netherlands

19 Mar 10

I agree with previous responses that it depends on who is asking. If we are talking people that are close to me, that would most likely know that the other close relative in question was allready suffering from Aids. The only way to get rid of stigma en taboo is to break through it, talk openly about it and educate people. There are still so many false stories that people believe which makes people believe all sorts of things that are not true about Aids. It doesn't make Aids itsself any better, it's still horrible for anyone who gets it, but taking away the stigma and understand peoples suffering would help easing the pain.

1 person likes this

aids

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

Hi cyberfluf Your postings makes a lot of sense. it depends whether they are close relatives and whether they need to know or not. Stigma about Aids is still high and prevalent in most societies. Thanks for your reply

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dreamsharmin

@dreamsharmin (2281)

• China

19 Mar 10

Of course i will tell the truth. Aids occur not because for doing something wrong also because of some accident. Like when a person use the same injection what used before or for taking blood from Aids patients. Not every Aids patients are wrong. So i would like to tell the truth to everyone.

1 person likes this

truth

MysD

@mysdianait (66009)

• Italy

19 Mar 10

My thoughts too! Not always does someone infected with Aids admits to this when they enter into a relationship. Then there are victims of rape too

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

Hi dreamsharmin / ysdianait or blood transfusion or whatever... I do believe that aids victims should be treated with respect whether it was their fault or not. Thanks for your reply!

Thoroughrob

@Thoroughrob (11742)

• United States

19 Mar 10

I don't think I would, if the person asked me not too. Then again you had said the doctor said it was rare, maybe they just didn't want to have to go into details of the disease with everyone and that MD was the closest thing to the symptoms that he had. I would respect their privacy.

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ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

HI Thoroughrob Yes privacy is very important to maintain and respect the victims decision but I don't think that lying would do any good either. Thanks for your reply!

kun2349

@kun2349 (23381)

• Singapore

22 Mar 10

Dying of Aids is something to be proud of.. YOur relatives chose not to say the truth, becasue they dun wanna be ridiculed, if the whole things starts to spread!! PLus, majority or rather almost all the people around the world, have a misconception about AIDS.. Thus, why they wanna put themselves thru that kind of humiliation when their child is already gone?? and for those really ignorant ple, they will be avoiding the family like a plague, leaving them really helpless too..

relative

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

22 Mar 10

Hi Kun I guess you wanted to say not something to be proud of right? I do share your views, but we are living in 2010 and things must change. Ignorance about this disease still exist, so I don;t blame them in a way for their decision. Thanks for your reply

1 person likes this

kun2349

@kun2349 (23381)

• Singapore

23 Mar 10

haha =D YEAH!! So sorry, my typo error up there!! hehe

MysD

@mysdianait (66009)

• Italy

19 Mar 10

Yes I would tell the truth. My feelings would be hurt by having to live a lie and not tell the truth. If the other person who I am informing has a pre-concieved opinion on what Aids is all about and how it can be contracted then they have a problem. We are in 2010 and there is enough information nowadays to make people aware that it is no longer the terrible, scandalous thing that it was a few decades ago. There are many ways that we can be infected by it and just telling a lie is not going to help anyone at all.

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ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

HI mysdianait It is true that we are in the year 2010 but people still have pre conceived ideas about Aids. The stigma still exists despite several educational campaigns. Perhaps not as it was up to a few years ago but the stigma is still there. I don't agree with lying and I do believe that honesty is always the best policy! Thanks for your reply!

1 person likes this

dragon54u

@dragon54u (31634)

• United States

19 Mar 10

I would tell my family but I don't know if I would tell anyone else. AIDS doesn't mean any specific cause anymore--it used to be a behavior based disease but now it's in blood that is transfused, even possibly in health clinics where blood may have spilled and not been cleaned properly. The AIDS virus has survived even when placed in the sun for long periods of time. There should not be a stigma attached to the disease but unfortunately, there is. I hope your cousin was not a victim, it's a horrible and miserable way to go.

1 person likes this

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

HI dragon I don't think it is everybody's business but at the same time I would not lie to my close relatives. Up till this date I don't know the whole truth about my cousin but I have the intention to have a chat with my father about this. He might know more than he said! Thanks for your reply!

pastorkayte

@pastorkayte (2255)

• United States

19 Mar 10

I have learned it is better in every case to tell the truth, if you lie others who know will eventually tell that person and they will be upset that you did not tell them the truth. However I would not divulge the information if my opinion is not asked for. I would leave it as privacy and respect to the deceased person. And I would not talk about it to strangers, it is none of their business.

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

HI pastorkayte I would leave it as privacy and respect to the deceased person. I do agree 100% on this point but inventing another illness does not make sense to me. I have been worried for three years that I might carry the muscular dystrophy gene for nothign. Thanks for your reply

kl_blueknight

@kl_blueknight (381)

• Malaysia

20 Mar 10

People still have this fobia about aids. They still don't get it and thinks its some kind of transmitable disease. Patients of AIDS suffer both physically and mentally and they must not be frowned upon or shunned away. It's dreadful enough to acquire some thing you didn't ask for but to be looked upon as "untouchables" is beyond me.

aids

ronaldinu

@ronaldinu (12422)

• Malta

20 Mar 10

Hi kl_blueknight Your posting makes a lot of sense. Victims of aids still suffer a lot due to social stigma. Thanks for your reply

saphrina

@saphrina (31551)

• South Africa

19 Mar 10

Yes, i would. I keep nothing from my family and friends. And if such a thing should happen, i know they will be there to support me. TATA.

saphrina