Pastor Narrates Learning Her HIV Positive Status at Prenatal Clinic: "I Was Shocked"
- Khamuye Kolomani Nancy is a mother, a wife, and a pastor
- She has tested positive for HIV, but her kids and husband are negative
- Nancy speaks out about how she found out she was HIV-positive and her journey towards accepting the doctor's verdict
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November 2019. An excited, pregnant Khamuye Kolomani Nancy walked into the prenatal clinic to find out how her baby is growing inside of her.
Source: UGC
The 34-year-old mother of five, spoke to Briefly News's parenting editor Yvonne Kawira about her journey towards accepting her new status and decision to inspire others.
She said that the doctors did the usual tests at the clinic, including the HIV test, but she did not think much of it.
She waited outside for the results and the subsequent appointment date for her follow-up clinics. Nancy said she noticed that her results had taken too long to be released. So the curious mom went back to the doctors to inquire what was causing the delay.
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The revelation
"This is when they sat me down and explained that one of the tests had turned positive. It was the HIV test. I was shocked," she told Briefly News in a phone interview.
It was already 7pm. She did not know where to begin, but a kind doctor gave her their number and asked her to call him for guidance.
Nancy says she was still excited about the little one growing inside of her. But she was still furious at her husband.The mom, also a pastor, said that she couldn't believe he would do this to her. So she went home and decided to follow up with the doctor on her next move.
The doctors suggested that her husband test for the virus, and after much persuasion, he did. At this point, he did not know why his wife was insisting that he gets tested. He did not know her status yet.
"Shock on me, the man was HIV negative. Remember I had not told him my status yet. I did not know where to start but I gathered the courage and disclosed my status to him," she recalled.
Nancy says this opened up a whole new side of her husband she had never seen before. He would get angry at her for small things and belittle her. He also requested that she keeps her HIV status between the two of them.
Nancy recalled that every time the couple would have a small misunderstanding, he would bring up the HIV issue and shout from the rooftops about it.
Soon the neighbors too found out about her condition. Then her family. This was when she decided to open up about it.
Inspiring others through her experience
"I went through a lot in the hands of this man as he struggled to accept my status. He would deny me food even when I was breastfeeding. Things got so bad that we had to go for counselling to salvage our marriage. That's when he apologised and became a changed man," she said.
Nancy is currently expecting her second child with her current husband though four others are from her previous marriages. She says she decided to become an activist to encourage others going through similar or worse experiences in their marriages because of their HIV status.
She even has a page called 'Eva.Nancy Khamuye Kolomani_Don't Bury Me Alive' where she shares tips on HIV and parenting and guidance on managing the virus.
"There is still HIV stigma. People are still experiencing this, especially in marriages. I would advise couples to refrain from torturing their partners once they find out that they are HIV positive. If you cannot live with them peacefully, please let them go," she said.
Beautiful SA mom celebrates life after living with HIV for 22 years
Briefly News previously reported on a beautiful woman named Mancobeni Makhwayi, who took to Facebook with a highly inspirational story. In her ImStaying post, Mancobeni shared how she has been living healthily despite being HIV positive for 22 years.
In her touching post, she also shared that she is a single mother of three healthy beautiful boys. She also shares that she is a rape survivor, sharing that she believes that God has played a big part in her life.
"I've seen the hand of God in my life. Rape survivor. Been HIV positive for the past 22 years .On medication for 5 years. Single mother of 3 handsome boys. Nam #Imstaying," she wrote in the touching Facebook post.
Source: Briefly News
