A Husband's Betrayal: How His Wife Contracted HIV
PAGE 6
Bridget has been living with HIV for 10 years now. Though she looks healthy, Bridget reminds Oprah that every day is a struggle.
Oprah: You look at people like Magic Johnson, and you realize that you can live a healthy, happy, long life.
Bridget: Let me stop you here. Magic Johnson does not have the same life that an average person [with] the disease. ... Magic Johnson can buy any doctor, any medication in the world. He has people who cook for him. He has people who clean for him.
Oprah: Okay, well, let's look at somebody other than Magic Johnson. Look at the thousands and thousands and thousands of people around the world who have been diagnosed with this disease who don't have chefs to cook for them, who don't have access to the finest doctors, but who have created a life that has allowed them to live well, live happy, live functioning lives.
Bridget: But let's really look at them. Let's look at the fact that the medication that they have to take has not been tested for long-term use. ... I can't go to the doctor once a year like everybody else. I go way more than I want to be there. But, yes, people can live with it, but it's not simple like everybody says.
Oprah: I think this is really good what you're saying there because I think that the feeling in the public from people who don't have it or don't have relatives or friends who have it is that you just take your little cocktail, you take your antiretrovirals. So how are you feeling today?
Bridget: Right now you got me hot. Pissed off. But I'm doing well. It's a new normal. I can't do nearly the things that I used to be able to do. I don't have the energy and the endurance that I used to have.
Oprah: I stand corrected, and I honor the correction because I think that I and so many other people look at Magic Johnson as the poster child for survival, and I think that what you've said is absolutely spot-on correct. The fact that he has access to the best of everything does make a world of difference. I really appreciate you bringing that to our attention.
Oprah: You look at people like Magic Johnson, and you realize that you can live a healthy, happy, long life.
Bridget: Let me stop you here. Magic Johnson does not have the same life that an average person [with] the disease. ... Magic Johnson can buy any doctor, any medication in the world. He has people who cook for him. He has people who clean for him.
Oprah: Okay, well, let's look at somebody other than Magic Johnson. Look at the thousands and thousands and thousands of people around the world who have been diagnosed with this disease who don't have chefs to cook for them, who don't have access to the finest doctors, but who have created a life that has allowed them to live well, live happy, live functioning lives.
Bridget: But let's really look at them. Let's look at the fact that the medication that they have to take has not been tested for long-term use. ... I can't go to the doctor once a year like everybody else. I go way more than I want to be there. But, yes, people can live with it, but it's not simple like everybody says.
Oprah: I think this is really good what you're saying there because I think that the feeling in the public from people who don't have it or don't have relatives or friends who have it is that you just take your little cocktail, you take your antiretrovirals. So how are you feeling today?
Bridget: Right now you got me hot. Pissed off. But I'm doing well. It's a new normal. I can't do nearly the things that I used to be able to do. I don't have the energy and the endurance that I used to have.
Oprah: I stand corrected, and I honor the correction because I think that I and so many other people look at Magic Johnson as the poster child for survival, and I think that what you've said is absolutely spot-on correct. The fact that he has access to the best of everything does make a world of difference. I really appreciate you bringing that to our attention.
NEXT STORY
