{"id":6726,"date":"2006-04-27T21:24:00","date_gmt":"2006-04-27T21:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/aids-lifecycle-cyclist-care2connect-and-barbara-speak-out-about-aids\/"},"modified":"2015-03-21T03:33:18","modified_gmt":"2015-03-21T03:33:18","slug":"aids-lifecycle-cyclist-care2connect-and-barbara-speak-out-about-aids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ynottony.com\/ynot\/aids-lifecycle-cyclist-care2connect-and-barbara-speak-out-about-aids\/","title":{"rendered":"AIDS LifeCycle Cyclist – Care2Connect – and Barbara speak out about AIDS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Click<\/a><\/p>\n

By Kelly Lake
News Staff Writer<\/p>\n

October is HIV and AIDS Awareness Month and one local woman wants to share her story so that other lives can be saved and so that myths surrounding HIV\/AIDS can be dispelled. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to put an end to the ignorance surrounding the disease\u201d said Barbara Dominguez of Kenly, Secretary of The Johnston County HIV\/AIDS Task Force. <\/p>\n

Barbara learned that she was HIV positive in June 1999 she\u2019d been infected in 1993 while separated from her husband John. \u201cI dated four or five men during that year\u201d, Barbara said. \u201cI just never thought this could happen to me.\u201d She and her husband resolved their differences and gave the marriage another try. By the time Barbara was diagnosed, she and her family, including the couple\u2019s two sons Justin and Luke were attending church regularly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I found out I was HIV positive, I went to my Pastor and asked should I tell the people at church,\u201d said Barbara. \u201cHe told me not to because they may turn against me. I even went to a healing at the church, but I couldn\u2019t tell people what I had. I told them I had breast cancer, which my doctor originally thought I had. I can\u2019t help but thinking if I had prayed for the right thing I may have been healed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBarbara said the pastor of the church eventually told other people in the church about her illness, some thing she says he shouldn\u2019t have done.\u201d \u201cI would have told them in my time\u201d Barbara said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t his place to tell, especially after he told me not to.\u201d
His actions hurt her, but the family has been invited to attend another church in town and they all look forward to going. Barbara takes about $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 of medicines a month in effort to stay some what well. She had a bout with some thing similar to Tuberculosis. I had to take medication for it and by the time I finished the treatment for the TB, I had full-blown AIDS, because I was off the other medications to long.
Her latest illness was toxoplasmosis, which caused fluid to collect on her brain. \u201cIt can come from fresh fruits and vegetables, undercooked meat, and kitty litter boxes, said Barbara. \u201cMany people have it won\u2019t even know they have it unless their immune system is altered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barbara said her husband want people to know how they can the get the disease and how to protect themselves. They also want people to understand how hard it would be for Barbara to infect anyone else. \u201cOther people are more dangerous to me than I\u2019 am to them,\u201d A cold to you is just a cold, but a cold to me could be very serious, put me in the hospital or even kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Dominguez Family has to insist no one come into their home with a cold or any other illness. If Barbara goes out into a crowded place she has to wear a surgical mask.
\u201cYou can\u2019t get AIDS by touching me, hugging me, being in same room with me, or even from my toilet seat\u201d. Barbara said. You can\u2019t get it from a glass I used. It would take five gallons of salvia to infect a person with HIV, so kissing is fine. Sexual contact with a person with HIV\/AIDS is the most common way the disease is spread. \u201cNot having sex is the best way to protect your self\u201d said John. John has not been infected by his wife. He has an AIDS test every three months, so that he if he is infected he will know as soon as possible. \u201cEarly diagnosis and treatment is the best way to ensure as long a life as possible\u201d said Barbara. \u201cI hide from the world for about six months after I was diagnosed. Then I found C-BLAC, Inc. in Smithfield where began volunteering with Dr. Janet Wise, Executive Director. We bring agencies and advocates and individuals together as Advocates for people with AIDS. Dr. Wise saved my life. My body may be failing me, but Thank you Jesus, I still have my mind. C-BLAC, Inc. promotes National HIV Testing Day and offers free testing. Barbara also believes good relationships with doctors can lead to a longer life. <\/p>\n

\u201cI see Dr. Michael Woodbridge at Johnston Family Care Center here in Kenly\u201d, said Barbara. He is wonderful. He\u2019s concerned with not just my health, but with the whole picture. He always want\u2019s to know how the family is doing, not just how I\u2019m doing. That\u2019s important. \u201cAnd I see doctors in Chapel Hill, every two or three months. They are also wonderful\u201d. Barbara is taking a training to become a Peer Educator, so that she can help others who are newly diagnosed.
\u201cWe can help them make the right decisions about doctors and treatments\u201d, said Barbara. <\/p>\n

\u201cI may be dying but it\u2019s not going to happen any time soon, because I listen to my doctors and do what they tell me. That\u2019s important\u201d. Around home Barbara takes extra precautions around home to protect her family, who has stood beside her through her illness. \u201cI thank Jesus for my family\u201d, said Barbara. \u201cA lot of HIV people loose their family and friends. I\u2019m blessed to have such a wonderful husband and children who love me. I\u2019ve lost some but I still have some really good friends. I have an awesome husband. He has such a big responsibility. He takes care of me the house and children.\u201d
Barbara said she uses a lot of Lysol in her home to kill germs anyone might bring in. Although she is not able to stand periods of time and cook for her family, she can prepare dishes while sitting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI make meat loaf some times\u201d, said Barbara. I always wear surgical gloves when I make it. Barbara uses universal precautions her home by choice. Barbara said her son\u2019s has lost some friends because she has AIDS, but that doesn\u2019t keep her home being filled with children after school and week ends. \u201cWe moved in first of September\u201d, said Barbara. \u201cWe love children and would have had five if we could.\u201d John said their son\u2019s friends know Barbara is sick and they don\u2019t seem bothered by it. \u201cThey are so loving and compassionate,\u201d said John. \u201cThey love it here and we love having them\u201d. Where more patient with children than a lot of people are.
\u201cWhen asked if sharing their story would bring unwanted attention to the family, both Mr. and Mrs. Dominguez agreed if their story helps just one person it was worth telling. \u201cPeople should be tested
For HIV and those who test positive need to stop hiding and come forward and get the help they need\u201d, said Barbara.<\/p>\n

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If there is anyone out there who needs help linking up to the proper help, I will be glad to help you.<\/p>\n

Contact Barbara at:
www.soshivaids.bravehost.com<\/a>
Email Barbara<\/a><\/p>\n

Barbara’s Past Titles:
HIV\/AIDS Case Manger
PATS Certified, Parents As Teachers, birth \u2013 3 years old
Hispanic Outreach
Volunteer Coordinator<\/p>\n

UPDATE:
HIV\/AIDS Peer Educator
The Johnston County HIV\/AIDS Task Force, President
Waiting on AIDS Instructor class in 2006<\/p>\n

Thank you Barbara,
Iyengar Yoga teacher,<\/a>
9th Year, AIDS LifeCycle Participant<\/a>
tony eason<\/p>\n

An invitation to Harpo Production, Oprah Winfrey & The Oprah Winfrey Show<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Kelly LakeNews Staff Writer October is HIV and AIDS Awareness Month and one local woman wants to share her story so that other lives can be saved and so that myths surrounding HIV\/AIDS can be dispelled. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to put an end to the ignorance surrounding the disease\u201d said Barbara Dominguez of Kenly, Secretary… Continue reading AIDS LifeCycle Cyclist – Care2Connect – and Barbara speak out about AIDS<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","with-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t