We are continuing to raise awareness about Hepatitis B with today’s article. The last time, Pink Lips told us his story. Today, Olamide is opening up to us about how she found out she had the virus while in secondary school. You see, this hepatitis business has been on for a really long while. It is very shocking that a lot of people still don’t know or haven’t heard about it. Worse, those who are infected never really get to find out about it till the infection has eaten deep. So, congrats to you if you already know about this infection. The next step is to actually confirm what your status is. You can easily do so at the comfort of your home with our Sunstone pack. Meanwhile, my name is Lady P, your buddy in case you’re new around these streets.
Olamide’s Story…
I was in the boarding house back then in Secondary School. Life of a boarder in a Federal school was hard enough, especially as an SS1 student. Imagine how harder it became for me, when I found out I had an infection. Not just any infection, but the one that would restrict me to diets. Me that like food.
One Monday morning, the principal announced on the assembly ground that classes will end at 12noon that day. Some health workers were coming to run Hepatitis B test on every student.
Like a plague…
At 12noon, the bell rang. Classes ended. The school securities had to chase us to the school clinic because most of us hated hospitals. We were made to line up according to our classes. We did the test. It was a very memorable day. That same day, we got our test results and mine read;
“ Olamide Hepatitis B positive.”
It’s funny to me now, but it really wasn’t funny then. The health workers enlightened us more and gave strict instructions on what to do and what not to do. The school had to start cooking separate meals for those of us that tested positive. It was a really difficult time. I cried a lot ‘cos I was never ill, no symptoms, it felt like I had HIV, I was stigmatised. My close friends deserted me, I had to make friends with students like me that tested positive to hepatitis. It felt like a plague.
But anyway, I followed the instructions, took my medications, and before I got to SS2 I was totally clean.
Regrets…
My only regret is ignorance. If I had gotten proper information earlier, I would have been more conscious of my environment, and personal hygiene. I really don’t know how I contracted the infection. It definitely wasn’t through sexual intercourse. Maybe through congested environment.
It feels really good that there is a platform now that people can read and get enlightened, that is why I was excited to really share my story because I know people would learn from it. Hepatitis is not a joke. It is beginning to infect more people than HIV.
Trust…
As regards trust, personally, I trust my partner because he is very transparent. I know his status of all STDs including hepatitis. Even though I am now immune to hepatitis, I still do regular check up for other infections. No need to wait for symptoms. No matter how good looking a person is, you have to be sure if their insides is as fine as their face. You can only be sure of this by testing to know their status.
Ignorance is not an excuse
My advice is that ignorance is not an excuse, be conscious of your environment and personal hygiene. Whether or not you are sexually active, get tested. And if you’re sexually active, then make sure your partner get tested as well, so that they don’t compromise your status. Also hepatitis is not age specific, anybody can contract it. So parents and guardians should get tested and test their wards as well.
Back to Lady P
Hepatitis B is no joke. It can be transmitted through any form of sexual intercourse or contact with the fluid of an infected person. So please trust with your head and not your heart, so that you don’t compromise your safety.
Now you know, stop blaming ignorance, get tested today. Even if you hate hospitals, Slide Safe Sunstone pack has got you covered. I will drop my mic with my usual saying “You gotta trust him enough to allow him slide in.”
