Client Stories
Client stories are told with the full approval of the client. Client names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Rural Minnesota Mother Faces Life with HIV
Barbara, age 39, acquired the HIV virus from a blood transfusion many years ago during surgery in the state of Virginia.
Diasnosed in 2002, Barbara grew so ill that her medical complications included major heart damage and pulmonary disease. Barbara and her two daughters moved to Minnesota to be closer to her family, in a less stressful environment. She accepted a job and found a fixer-upper house for the family, and then returned to Virginia to bring her husband and the family’s belongings back to Minnesota.
Then, the family faced a new reality. Barbara's cardiologist informed her that she should not be working due to the seriousness of her condition.
Thankfully, Barbara had discovered the Rural AIDS Action Network when she first moved to Minnesota. RAAN Medical Case Manager Tammi Hoard began to mentor Barbara, offering a listening ear, emotional support and a path to services the family needed. “She had hit many roadblocks with social services so I was able to help her maneuver that maze,” Tammi explains. “It is very difficult and frustrating to be sick and also living on the edge like she was,” Tammi adds.
Tammi helped the family apply for medical coverage and – after Barbara was admitted to the hospital with chest pains – helped her apply for Social Security disability. “Barbara was very resistant to the idea of receiving disability,” Tammi explains, “because she wanted to work. But she simply could not hold down a job due to her illness.”
RAAN also supported Barbara's decision to change to a great nurse practictioner and infectious disease physician who fully understand HIV. Together, they offer effective care, even if it does require periodic drives to Minneapolis for medical treatment.
In time, Barbara’s health improved. She got involved by volunteering at a local nonprofit organization, and she decided to attend RAAN meetings and presentations, learning even more about her illness.
Barbara is thankful for the strong support shown by RAAN, her husband, daughters, and other family members.
“Acceptance of her disease has enriched Barbara’s life,” Tammi explains. “Rather than isolating herself, she’s stepping out into the community, being equipped with information, and that’s very healthy.”
Today, Barbara’s HIV status is stable. Her heart condition is under control thanks to an implanted defibrillator and quality care provided by the cardiac specialists at the University of Minnesota.
“Barbara is always expressing gratitude and thanks,” Tammi says. “She’s really grown in her knowledge of the disease. And despite her challenges, she’s helping other people who have less than she does. She’s really come a very long way."
Barbara says RAAN has helped empower her. "Working with RAAN has given me an opportunity to reach out to others to educate them about the disease, and to help them take charge of their own needs, including medical and support needs,” she says
“There is much work to do, and I plan on being here and being a part of it,” Barbara adds. “My dream is that people living with HIV will be able to talk openly about this disease, instead of hiding behind the stigma that is often incorrectly associated with it."
A Dose of Care, Compassion, and Hope
On a cold, snowy day, RAAN case manager Cheryl Yarnott, RN, who is based in northern Minnesota, remembers the telephone call from Tom, a person living with HIV and in desperate need of medical and social support.
“Tom was living in his car,” Cheryl explains, “and had bone-deep ulcers on both lower legs. His two sons, ages two and four, were living with their mother in a challenging situation and wanted to live up here with Tom. But where? They couldn’t all live in a car. It was just a very troubling situation for everyone.”
First, Cheryl responded to the medical crisis. She quickly helped Tom get to a hospital emergency room for long-needed care. He would spend more than a month hospitalized, undergoing several surgeries. During the hospitalization, Tom’s wife, Diane, and the boys moved to the area and set up residence in a small hotel room.
Even though Tom was slowly getting better, the future still seemed pretty hopeless.
But Cheryl never gives up on a client family. She coordinated a care plan, collaborating with area social service agencies and nonprofits to help Tom, Diane, and the boys find a way out of this darkness. And things began to happen. The family was thankfully able to live together again in a donated mobile home. They finally had a home, but aside from being filled with busy, playful children and abundant gratitude, it was devoid of furnishings.
Cheryl and her team stayed on task. Pleas went out and were answered. The family’s new home was completely furnished with donated items from generous individuals and organizations. The family received important food assistance and nutritional support, and the boys received necessary immunizations.
Christmas was a special time, capping a difficult year. The family enjoyed the holiday together in their new home. They were surrounded by an abundance of food, furnishings, and toys, all reminders of the expert and compassionate outreach that Cheryl, RAAN, and a host of other organizations had provided. Together, they turned a painful, difficult situation in a more promising and hopeful direction for this young family touched by HIV.
“More than half of our clients are living at the poverty level. Many of them cannot work. If any of us faced what they face, we would do no better coping with the challenges,” Cheryl says. “They need our care and our support.”
HIV affects men, women, and children. The virus can be passed on by high risk behaviors, often by infected individuals who have no idea they are HIV-positive.
Has your life been touched by HIV/AIDS? You’re not alone. HIV/AIDS is a significant public health hazard in Greater Minnesota. For more information on free, confidential testing and other RAAN support services, visit www.raan.org or call toll-free 1-800-966-9735. All inquiries are confidential.