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I had COVID-19. The @LALGBTCenter helped.
In March, I got sick. I was hesitant to share my own experience when folks around me were losing their loved ones. But mostly, I was afraid. I was experiencing labored breathing and a great deal of chest pain and it was really scary.
In March, I got sick. I was hesitant to share my own experience when folks around me were losing their loved ones. But mostly, I was afraid. I was experiencing labored breathing and a great deal of chest pain and it was really scary.
I raise money annually for the Los Angeles LGBT Center through @AIDSLifeCycle. All those Christmas songs and pride shirt donations help fund life-saving services for the LGBTQ+ community. What you may not know is their clinic also serves as my primary care.
When I got sick, the LA LGBT Center treated me with compassion. Thanks to Kristie, my calls were quickly returned and concerns taken seriously. I am grateful to their team; especially Rachel Sakai, NP, who followed up with me through every roller-coaster symptom as I recovered.
After six weeks, I was well enough to visit in person. Dr. Vagic listened to my lungs and told me they sounded healthy and the feeling was so overwhelming I cried. Then she updated me on the latest about PrEP so I could continue to make informed decisions about HIV prevention.
When you’re queer, medical care can be tricky. It’s hard to feel safe with a doctor who isn’t educated on, or - in some cases - feels uncomfortable with queer patients. I am grateful to live in a city where I can access a trained staff dedicated to LGBTQ+ health concerns.
I roadie for @AIDSLifeCycle because I believe everyone deserves access to this kind of care & those donations directly support the LA LGBT Center. Last year, ALC raised $16.7 million. This year, with COVID cancelling the ride, we’ve barely scraped 7.5. That effect will be felt.
That’s why I’m setting a goal: $20k by the end of the weekend. Thanks to last year’s @FANGORIA / @frightrags Pride Shirt ($12.5k) plus the $2,185 you all chipped in for the holiday music drive, we’re already at $14,685. If you're able to contribute something, now’s your chance.
Los Angeles is bearing the brunt of California’s COVID infections and the LGBT Center has been working tirelessly to keep us safe, myself included. Let’s make sure that on the other side of this, there are resources available to continue the fight against AIDS.
Thank you to everyone whose donations (photo on the left) make LifeCycle (photo on the right) a possibility.
If you donate and share the URL, be sure to tag me in it so I can retweet! http://tofighthiv.org/goto/samwineman
If you donate and share the URL, be sure to tag me in it so I can retweet! http://tofighthiv.org/goto/samwineman
