Today, she wants to change the way you think about being Poz.
Her insight on living apositivelife pun intended aims to show people that HIV isnt what many assume it is.
Leigh received her positive diagnosis in 2016, the day after Valentines Day.
They sent me to an infectious disease doctor, who tested me for everything including HIV.
But it didnt cross my mind that it could actually be that.
At the specialist, Leigh requested to call her as soon as any results were available.
Three or four hours later, she got the call that would change everything.
My reaction was absolute shock.
It was an incredibly scary feeling, sort of like nobody can do anything to help you.
This is in your body, and you dont even know how this happened.
So many things hit me at once.
Surreal, but super dark.
I thought I had to accept that, she said.
It felt, to me, like the punishment for this happening to me.
I sort of felt like I deserved it.
Today, Leigh realizes just how wrong she was.
I thought, for sure, Im going to feel sick, especially from the medicine.
The medication was working, I got to a point of complete homeostasis, I felt completely normal again.
I was just taking a pill a day.
I almost felt guilty that I felt so normal, or like I did prior to ever having this.
This was a big surprise to me, going back to normal life.
As I got better, the shame that I felt melted away.
Theres just general stigma from society, its not something you want to shout from the rooftops.
This keeps people from living out loud with it, because people dont understand it.
I find that to be incredibly powerful.
