Day 28 – Marta and baby Zayne

 

I was so excited when I found out I was pregnant! Especially because my doctor had reassured me that it was very unlikely that my baby would be born with HIV.

Not long before my baby was due I had to go to hospital in Sydney to get ready for a caesarean operation. I was put in a private room and I was feeling very nervous, but also so excited!

My friend Ellen was coming to visit me.  When Ellen arrived, she said

“why is there a big ‘Infection Control Notice’ on the door of your room?”

I was so shocked. All the doctors and nurses of course knew I had HIV, but I didn’t expect to be treated like an outcast. Ellen told the doctors and they removed the sign straight away and told me that it had been put there by mistake.

I was so shocked that I would get treated like this, in a big hospital in Australia.

After my baby was born, things got even worse…

Part II of Marta’s story will be published tomorrow.

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[all names and information that might identify any individual have been changed for confidentiality purposes]

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