2016. január 4., hétfő

Boyfriend was diagnosed with HIV. Wanting to be supportive but it's so hard.....(X-post from r/LGBT)

So, hey guys. I made a throwaway account to ask y'all about this. I already posted in r/LGBT but I'd love to hear any thoughts from you guys as well.My boyfriend (31) and I (25) have been together for about a year. I love him more than any other guy I've ever been with. No one has ever "got" me the way he gets me.I've had to become his only support system after he has essentially closed himself off from his abusive and manipulative family members. He lives with me, I helped him get a job at the place I work, and we both share my car for driving to work. None of this I really have an issue with, because I want him to succeed and do well.For the first year of our relationship, we have always used condoms.I have asked him to get tested a few times.About 6 months ago, he moved in with me and my roommate. Our sex life sort of dwindled for the next few months. We talked about it several times but it never really got back to the way it was at first. Which is normal I guess.About 3 months ago, he started having really bad headaches. Ended up going to the hospital about 3 weeks ago when his vision was affected. Was diagnosed with not just HIV, but full on AIDS. The headaches were caused by a brain infection (toxoplasmosis) as a result of his lowered immune system.I was tested that night and it came back negative. The last time we had sex was about a month before the test and it was protected. I'm pretty sure I've dodged the bullet but they want me to get tested once more just to be sure.Even before his diagnosis, we had talked about what we would do. I decided I would be okay with going on PrEP and staying by his side.Well, the diagnosis has happened, and we're still wading through the post-diagnosis stage. My boyfriend doesn't have insurance so he hasn't been able to get on a stable medication regimen yet.Also, we share a car (my car) and work separate shifts at the same company, where I got him a job. So in the morning, he drives me to work, takes the car, comes back at 3 to start his shift, I leave at 5 and take the car, then I come back at midnight to pick him up. Imagine doing that--it's very exhausting. Especially because we work 6 days a week.I'm just starting to feel like I've compromised and given and given all I can. I've had to put my dreams on the back burner to care for him, look out for him, be his savior in all these situations. It's just getting frustrating because though I know he appreciates it, I'm not sure if he's aware JUST how unhappy I am right now. I'm not sure how to talk about it because I'm a very accommodating person who has the instinct to hide my feelings.I'm having all sorts of ugly thoughts that I don't want to share with him. I'm 25, do I need the burden and stress of caring for an HIV+ boyfriend? Should I be with someone who lifts me up instead of someone I'm constantly having to lift up? Am I being selfish? I feel like all this pressure is on me, to train him at our job and deal with our boss to make sure he keeps his job and does well, to stay by his side through this HIV thing and be a good boyfriend, etc.If anyone has any thoughts or words of wisdom please let me know.TL; DR: I'm 25, he's 31, together for a little over a year now. I've had to become my boyfriend's only family and support system since he and his family have ceased contact. He's had a hard life and I love him. But it turns out he's had not just HIV, but full AIDS since before we started dating. I begged him to at least get an at-home test a few months after we started dating. We were protected throughout our relationship and I tested negative the night he tested positive. Now I'm wondering why I'm even still in this relationship after all the compromising and giving I've had to do.EDIT: I forgot to mention that he is essentially my first long-term boyfriend. All I've had before him was hookups and a short 2-month fling.

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