Personal Impact
Patient with chronic disease HIV is a 58 years old female that due to an emergency surgery performed in 2001 was diagnosed with the disease. In 1992 the patient was undergoing a DNC to terminated an unplanned pregnancy, there was some bleeding involved in the procedure for what she needed some replacement products, two units of RBC were administered, blood was contaminated and patient came into contact with the virus. Patient is a widow with three adult children and work as a secretary in a law firm. Patient not sexually active, her husband passed away 15 years ago, is not overweight, is careful with her diet, was smoker but quit 30 years ago, do not drink alcohol.
HIV
According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (2011) “ estimates that approximately 50, 000 people in the United States are newly infected with HIV each year. Black/ African men and women were highly affected and were estimated to have HIV incidence rate almost 8 times as high as the incidence rate among whites. At the end 0f 2010, an estimated 872,990 persons in the United States were living with diagnosed HIV. It includes persons with diagnosis regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis. DCD collect HIV and AIDS data using six common transmissions categories: male-to-male sexual contact, injection drug use, male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, heterosexual contact, mother-to-child (perinatal) transmission, and other (includes blood transfusions and unknown cause). HIV is most commonly diagnosed by testing the blood or the saliva for the presence of antibodies to the virus. Unfortunately this tests are not accurately immediately after the infection, it can take up to 12 weeks to for the body to develop the antibodies. The prognosis of the disease has improved since its discovery. A patient diagnosed with HIV can go on and manage the disease to continue with their normal routine. There is not cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are medications that can dramatically slow the progression of the disease. These new drugs have reduced AIDS death in many developed nations, they allow patients to prolong life expectancy, and enjoy quality time. There is an ongoing effort raising awareness on prevention worldwide, numerous organizations throughout the country offer reliable education materials and information as well as free testing for an early diagnosis to have a more positive respond to treatment”.

Symptoms:
They vary, depending of the phase of infection. The majority of the people infected by HIV develop flu-like symptoms within a month or two after the virus enters the body, they could experience but not limited to sore throat, fever, joint pain, night sweats, diarrhea. As the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune ells, you may develop mild infections or chronic symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, which often the first sign of HIV infection, weight loss, and cough or shortness of breath among others. If you receive no treatment for your HIV infection, the disease will typically progress to AIDS in about 10 years, at that time the immune system is severely damage, making you susceptible to opportunistic infections-diseases that would not trouble a person with a healthy immune system, the signs and symptoms of some of these infections may include but not be limited t, soaking night sweats, shaking chills or fever higher than 100F for several weeks, persistent white spots or unusual lesions on your tongue or in your mouth, skin rashes or bumps among others.

Receiving a diagnosis of any life-threatening illness is devastating. P.T. explains: you enter in a roller coaster of emotions and you do not know where to go, or even how to breathe. That is difficult but, the emotional, social and financial consequences of it can make the coping more difficult. Once a diagnosed was made the repercussions l affected not only the person but my family also. P. T at the time of the diagnosed describe how devastating was when she was told about it. She was beyond comprehension, personally she isolated from friends and everyone else except her children. She entered a depression that lasted 6 months. During this time she followed all doctor instructions and appointments but refused to see anyone else. Her children were helping her at home and her only contact, she lost her job and with it the insurance cover she had. She admitted to be in complete denial and refused to talk about any topic related to the disease process, until she realized the burden she was putting in her children due to the situation. They were taking over her expenses and medical bills.
P.T. decided to take over her care .She came to terms with her illness, “the toughest thing she ever done”, as she recalls it. Seek support and talked to her doctor who was always offering her help and guidance. During the learning process she was taught about the importance of drug therapy to achieve control, also the importance in its continuity. What side effects could be experiencing and for which ones should be seeking immediately medical attention. She joined a support group and through it she learned that she was not alone, her faith and the support she has with her group meetings made her change her perception, to center her attention to those who value her for what she is, to take control over the disease, stopped blaming herself and accepted the changes to be implemented in her life to move forward. She went back to work and resumed her social life. P.T. describes the learning process as a challenge one, with a variable learning curve, at first all the information was overwhelming, she was ready to take small amounts at a time, and there were days nothing make sense. Her children never gave up and supported and respected her decisions, often going over materials showing her facts and data, which encourage her to look for more. With her support group she has been part of different activities raising awareness, and teaching the public there is no face to this illness and anyone can be a victim if the necessary changes are not implemented to prevent it. Also to reach out those affect by the virus to reinstate the importance of following the treatment even though therapy will not cure it, will offer control the disease.
Through the interview of P.T there is clear evidence that after her own period of mourning with her disease process she was able to find her way out of it. Her learning process was defined by her and through her motivation, which at the same time was driven by her awareness of the situation. She has learned to satisfy her needs and how to implement her new knowledge towards prevention. P.T. was eager to take control over her condition.
Some of the recommended theories for management to implement with patients like P.T. First we have to allow them the proper time to accept the condition. Once that bridge is cross, we could let them know how to assume responsibility to become active when they are ready and motivated to embrace the process of learning. Teaching the benefits in the adherence to the treatment plan, as it’s the most important guideline to follow in the prevention of future complications. Learning how to manage stressors, and their capabilities to control or regulate events in their lives affects their motivation in a positive way. Setting goals and achieving resolutions will help reaching milestones and that anything that needs to be accomplish will be one day at a time. As negative beliefs about illness may contribute to depression they will learn to relinquish thinking about them. Participation in support groups as they provide different points of view and through personal experiences helps building critical reflection to increase confidence, also develops positive response to ideas or feelings associated with the experiences. Through the participation within the group the patients can learn new thinking strategies, new attitudes that will empower them in their new role, and in coping with this life threating illness (Redman, 2011).

References

Aids.gov. (2012). Retrieved from http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/

Redman, B. K. (2011). The Practice of Patient Education: A case Study Approach (10 ed.). St Louis: Mosby Elsevier.