HIV vs AIDS. And Michele.

I met Michele today. I'll tell you about that later.
But first...
HIV vs AIDS. You should know the difference.
HIV is a virus, and AIDS is a condition. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
HIV compromises your immune system and makes it very difficult to fight off disease.
AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection.
It is not guaranteed that is you have HIV you will contract AIDS. Once a person has AIDS, if they do not take their medication they will likely live only about three years. If they do take medication it is possible to have a nearly normal lifespan.
There you go, I hope that helps.
So this morning I was sitting in the courtyard at CHOAIDS when I saw someone walking out of the house. I'd never seen her before, and I knew this immediately because she is one of the thinnest people I have ever met. This is Michele. She has AIDS. She is fifteen.
Nancy, a woman who works at CHOIADS, was helping her walk down the steps into the courtyard. She was having a hard time balancing and kept bracing herself on the wall. Nancy sat her down in a chair near me (we have four chairs now) and I didn't know whether to stare, or avert my eyes. Both seemed equally conspicuous. So I smiled at her and said "Bon Jour." She murmured something in reply.
So we sat there, sneaking glances at each other for about ten minutes. Then she started to try to stand up. I paused, and then rushed over to her and asked if I could help. Of course she didn't know what I said, but she reached out and grasped my hand. I helped her to another chair that was more in the shade. Careful step after careful step, inching our way along. She sat down, and I pulled a chair over to her, and we just sat together.
I had all of these thoughts running through my mind. Like how she is at least six inches shorter than me, and how prominent her cheekbones are, and how incredibly vane it is that my society focuses so heavily on being thin.
We would smile at each other. I told her my name and she nodded.
I later found out that she had been at the orphanage for several years, but had spent the last three months in the hospital. I don't know why she has been released.
She was too tired to speak, but she would gesture at me if she needed something, like water.
At one point she needed to use the bathroom. It's a ways away from where we were sitting. I Wrapped my arm around her ribs, and wrapped my other hand around hers. We walked there together. It took a long time. She would stumble and looked panicked. And I just kept repeating "I won't let you fall." As if she could understand, but a part of me thinks she could.
This is how I spent my morning. After awhile Michele went to bed.
I bought the kids a soccer ball today. They were ecstatic.