Hi everyone; I hope you're all doing alright. Well I haven't really been on Gamespot lately with another reason that has been affecting my life as well as my family's. While it's probably rather noticeable that a trend seems to be developing which leads to fluctuating activitiy on Gamespot, the current situation which has instigated my most recent absence is more personal and emotional than what has been happening to me in the past.

My family and I found out that my older brother Aaron, who is ninteen, has contracted the HIV virus. My brother found this out about himself the same day as well.

This unfortunate incident is something that has unexpectedly caused a series of hurt and hardships for my family. Knowing my older brother my whole life (of course), it's rather difficult knowing that something like this has happened to him. I do not personally know anyone with the HIV virus and it just comes as a great shock to my family and I that this would happen to him. My brother and I are different on a number of levels in our lives, but despite that, he is not one who was expected to contract the virus. Of course, I'm not stereotyping those who have received it; but my family and I, including my older brother have no idea how he received. We have narrowed it down to about one possiblity which seems the most likely (involved a past partner of his whom he dated and was almost engaged to for a year, but she ended up having a shady history). Details aside, it's not something that we expected to happen and the last week has been incredibly long and difficult for everyone living at home, and those close to him and my family. My family and I are hoping that the situation does not get worse. My father and I are going to get tested for the virus. He works in a hopsital and I'm an aspiring medical student, so we're not uneducated and paranoid about receiving the virus from him through common interaction. Although, my father and I DO use the same electric razor that my older brother does, and none of us knew about the virus. So we're going to get tested just in case that one of us cut ourselves while shaving, or if my brother has. Hopefully, the virus hasn't spread to either him or myself. It's something that I wouldn't do well to help the emotional well being of my family.

Quite honestly, I believe that I have taken the unfortunate news in the most positive fashion in comparison to my other family members (most notably, my mother and father), excluding my older brother, Aaron. I guess it's something that is a little more expected considering that my parents have a more intimate relationship with him and that they are now faced with the difficulty of losing their son before they lose their own lives. This has been particularly hard on my father and I have honestly not seen him as depressed as I have before. Through all the tears and difficulties that have been occuring, I've been trying my best to sport a positive attitude about the situation. While I know HIV and AIDS is nothing that makes others happy, I'm just doing my best to have a positive attitude to support my brother and myself, and hopefully set an example to others to not spend time in sorrow. Of course, being negative, while not exactly the easiest situation to control, is something that will continually weaken the immune system which is something that my older brother clearly does not need.

With that, my brother has came away with a rather positive attitude about this all. He has his own realizations about what is ahead of him and I do believe that his appreciation for life has increased drastically, but amongst that, he is going to make every moment of his life count and it's something that I'm very proud of him for doing. He has spoken with our family doctor and he will be prescribed a prescription (for free thankfully) that he will need to take the rest of his life which will slow down the progression of the HIV virus. When my parents heard these news, they were much more relievied considering that my brother will have an almost normal life for however long it may last, and they're becoming more positive about the situation. Being the aspiring medical scientist that I am, I've been educating others about the HIV virus in my family and I was expecting my brother to receive a prescription that would slow down the progression of the virus.

Notably, I've been speaking with his girlfriend a lot lately, Jordan about the disease. She's gotten herself tested and luckily her results have came out as negative, but it's recommended to wait six months before she is tested again, as it takes that long for the virus to appear in one's system. Though very inspiring to me, is the love that she has for him. She has stated time and time again that she will not leave him and that her love for him completely undermines any though she would have of leaving him, and she still has intentions to give birth to his child if that was a possiblity (possibly through artificial insemination). I'm very grateful that he has such a strong young woman by his side who delivers him the love and support that he needs.

Thank you all for listening or reading, if you have. I really appreciate all the company and support that you guys deliver on Gamespot. You're all so much fun. :P Well, I'll be going to Nashville this week for HOSA competition for my school (wish me luck!) so I probably won't be on for a week unless my hotel has the courtesy to provide me a free internet connection. Hope all is well.