Justin's HIV Journal: HIV Plus Launches One-of-a-Kind Mobile HIV Treatment App

HIV Plus, the brand dedicated to helping people with HIV lead their fullest life possible, invites readers to celebrate the New Year by living their healthiest life possible. The most trusted brand in HIV and AIDS news today has launched a free Treatment Guide mobile application providing an easy, user-friendly way for people to get information at the tips of their fingers. The new mobile Treatment Guide is currently available for free and downloadable on all mobile platforms through Google Play Store and iTunes.

“We’re thrilled to launch the Beta version of the HIV Plus Treatment Guide Mobile App, an extension of our annual treatment guide—the most comprehensive HIV treatment guide available, with breakdowns of every single medication approved by the FDA to treat HIV, AIDS, or HIV/AIDS-related conditions, as well as current drug trials, upcoming medication approvals, and the lowdown on complementary medicines,” said Diane Anderson-Minshall, editor in chief of HIV Plus magazine. “The mobile version offers things that our print and digital treatment guides couldn’t: a pharmacy finder and map at your fingertips, health tracking, and medication and appointment reminders. It’s got all the bells and whistles people in the U.S. and other developed nations expect in a mobile app, but it can also be accessed from anywhere the world, including resource-limited settings, where over 90 percent of the world's HIV-infected population resides.”

The free HIV Plus Treatment Guide mobile app offers the most comprehensive information on every FDA-approved medication for the treatment of HIV and HIV-related complications. The app allows users to easily set daily pill and appointment reminders, find an HIV specialist pharmacy nearby, and access articles from the trusted health editors of HIV Plus magazine. This app is simple, secure, and powered with essential HIV treatment information.

The comprehensive Treatment Guide mobile application includes:

• Medication Listings: Dozens of medications with photos for easy identification, dosage, side effects, precautions and interactions, and recommendations.

• Daily Pill Reminders: Set up the reminders along with photos and other info so you never forget your meds.

• Appointment Reminders: Never miss a doctor’s appointment again! You can set the reminders for both doctor and pharmacy visits as well as ADAP recertification.

• Tracking Viral Loads and CD4 Counts: You can see how your health is doing in graph form, so you stay on track month to month.

• Daily Dose:  Constantly updating health articles from the editors of HIV Plus magazine

• Pharmacy Finder: The GPS-enabled app will help you find a Walgreens HIV-specialist pharmacy near you wherever you are in the U.S.

• A detailed list of current clinical trials.

• Descriptions of complementary or alternative medicine options and their effectiveness.

Download the new Treatment Guide now and celebrate the New Year with a healthy you! For more information on the HIV Plus Treatment Guide, please visit HIVPlusMag.com/TreatmentGuide.

About HIV Plus

HIV Plus is the country’s largest publication aimed at people with HIV and those who care about and for them. We reach more than a quarter million readers each month with print and digital magazines, our website, and through the HIV Plus Treatment Guide mobile app. We’re dedicated to offering empowering stories about people with HIV or AIDS, interviews with celebrity advocates, investigative articles on health disparities, and information and news on treatment, research, stigma, and more.

With a controlled circulation of 225,000 and 5.2 readers per issue, HIV Plus reaches more HIV-positive people than any other publication in the U.S. HIV Plus is distributed to top clinics, doctors, specialty pharmacies, and over 1,000 top ASOs in all 50 states. HIVPlusMag.com reaches more than half a million unique visitors each month.
 

Justin's HIV Journal: Foster Parent Moment A boy and his chores

When a boy becomes one with his chores it’s amazing the change you will see.  My son was given a chore list to begin his chores every weekend.  There were about 10 chores he could do on Saturday thru Sunday.  When I was growing up I did just that.   He complained so much I decided to make sure that he would do his chores and broke them up into one chore a day.  Now he has no excuse on doing his chores.  Laziness does not a Terry-Smith make.  Of course I was a lot softer in explaining it to him, but I’m known for my tough love. ;-) <3 p="">

Justin's HIV Journal: Ebony Magazine's The Real Faces of HIV/AIDS Issue

LOCAL DC HIV ACTIVISTS in Ebony.com (Ebony Mag) (Patrick Ingram, Guy Anthony, Shane B Johnson and I) Way to go and way to represent for Feb. 7th National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

The Real Faces of HIV/AIDS [PHOTOS]

In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, advocacy journalist Kellee Terrell talked to survivors about what HIV/AIDS has taught them

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PHOTOS:
http://www.ebony.com/photos/wellness-empowerment/the-real-faces-of-hivaids-photos#ixzz2srC6waEW

To commemorate National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day we reached out to those diagnosed with the disease and asked them one question:  What has living with HIV/AIDS taught you?

Here are their amazing and heartfelt responses. —Kellee Terrell

Eric Bartley
Diagnosed: 1981 New York, N.Y.
To embrace the disease and no longer fear it.  HIV stigma ends when I'm proud to be HIV-positive. Finally after living with this chronic illness now for 32 years, I'm proud to be and say, "I’m a Black HIV-positive man!"

Guy Anthony
Diagnosed: 2007 Washington, D.C.
To be selfless in the fight to eradicate stigma. I could be silent, but what good would that do? I hope that my transparency allows for others to see someone who has experienced the same shame, hurt and pain that comes along with having this disease, so they know that they are not alone.

Justin B Terry
Diagnosed: 2006, Washington D.C.
How to be a strong Black man by helping others that can't help themselves or who feel alone. Being open about my status has given me internal strength to reach out to my community by speaking publicly and with my blog “Justin's HIV Journal.”

Michelle Anderson
Diagnosed: 1999 Dallas, Texas
After accepting my diagnosis, HIV taught me how to live out loud in spite of adversity. HIV is a small facet of my life and doesn't have to dictate my life's outcome or devalue my existence!

Sophie Mubvumbi Jayawardene
Diagnosed: 1989 New Zealand
That if you are not seen, spoken to or heard, you are a prisoner. Death is the scariest thing if it is the only thing you think about!

Patrick Ingram
Diagnosed: 2011 Fredericksburg, Va.
Being HIV-positive is continuing to teach me that resilience, patience, and affirmations can get you through difficult life changing events.  Living with HIV has also enlightened me of the need for the Black community to be more engaged and active in the fight to end this epidemic.

Sharon DeCuir
Diagnosed: 2002 Baton Rouge, La.
To love myself, which was the hardest lesson to learn after my diagnosis because I felt so much shame. In time, I became empowered to live openly with HIV, so others can know that for me HIV was only the beginning of living life. This lesson was well learned because today I’m FREE to live!

Elizabeth Fernandez
Diagnosed: 2000 New York, N.Y.
To advocate for my life more than ever before! Since being diagnosed, I have endured a lot of stigma, which has taught me to stand up and fight for myself and people like me. I do this through my work as an HIV educator and an activist. I believe that I live with HIV so that many of you won’t have to.

Reggie Smith
Diagnosed: 1988 Atlanta, GA.
That positive people can be loved and have wonderful sex lives with negative people. Through God's grace, after over 25 years of marriage and protected sex, my wife Dionne remains HIV negative and I remain healthy and alive!

Rusti Miller
Diagnosed 1991 New York, N.Y.
To appreciate what life has to offer and regret nothing. If I died tomorrow all of this would have been worth the fight because today I live out loud for the whole world to see.  I have lived with AIDS for the past 20 years and just staying alive was my day-to-day battle. But in that, I married my best friend who is HIV-negative and we made a beautiful baby from LOVE!

Shane Johnson
Diagnosed: 1998, Washington D.C.
The virtue of forgiveness, especially when forgiving myself. At the time I was diagnosed, I was in the middle of the application process for medical school and was on the MD-PhD track. I was quite depressed for years. It took the better part of 8 - 10 years to move from shame to acceptance, but when I did it was like I had never missed a beat.

Shyronn Jones
Diagnosed: 2001, Atlanta, Ga.
That I will never be alone. Yes, there are those who will slander and stigmatize us, discriminate and criminalize us, BUT there are also so many people who are either affected by or infected with HIV who are waiting with opened arms to provide me with compassion and love.

Monique Moree
Diagnosed: 2005 South Carolina
SELF-DIGNITY and SELF LOVE. When I was first diagnosed, I was pregnant and serving in the U.S. Army. I didn’t know what to do, so I started hating myself and became worried about what others would say. I’ve seen a lot of African-Americans with HIV hide and give up. Thankfully, I learned to love myself for who I am. Then nothing else really mattered!

Andre Johnson
Diagnosed: 2005, Atlanta, GA
Being diagnosed at the age of 17 with a "chronic illness" is never easy. Yet, being an HIV-positive Black gay man, HIV has taught me the importance of self-care. Nobody else matters when it comes to my health. And part of that is teaching myself about the disease and my medication. In the end, I see that I am no different than anyone else with another illness.

Khafre Kujichagulia Abif
Diagnosed 1999 Atlanta, GA
That I am walking in my God's purpose for my life. As an openly bisexual HIV positive activist, blogger, author and father, my visibility has become a blessing for those who have yet to find their voice. My personal sacrifice is far outweighed by the work as people reach out to me support their journey or the life of a friend or loved one.

Cassandra Whitty
Diagnosed: 2000 Baton Rouge, La.
“Now, I have no issues letting a man know you gotta’ strap it up or we can use a female condom. I never did that when I was negative, which is what put me at risk for HIV in the first place. I try to relay these messages to negative women in hopes to help empower them to take more control of their sex lives.”

Ennis Jackson
Diagnosed: 1989/1990 Oakland, CA
When I die it won’t be because of HIV. I have learned that being in care and taking my meds is keeping me alive and well. I have come to learn and believe that I shall live with HIV and not die from it. It’s been almost 25 years, and I haven’t died yet!

Lynn T. Kidd, M.Ed.
Diagnosed: 1996 Columbus, Ohio
To accept myself, but also recognize that HIV is not ALL of who I am.  Over time, it’s been easier to deal with my diagnosis, love myself more, live somewhat of a normal and healthy life and not allow others to dictate who I should be.

Millicent Y. Foster
Diagnosed: 2002, Baton Rouge, LA.
To be more accepting and cautious of my health. I’ve learned the importance of education and the importance of using condoms to keep myself protected from [other STDs]. Also, it has also taught me that my diagnosis does not define who or what I am. I choose to live positively everyday!

Larry Bryant
Diagnosed: 1986 Brooklyn, NY
Black. Heterosexual. HIV. Words I didn’t hear together in the 1980s --until I was diagnosed HIV positive in 1986 while I was a student athlete at Norfolk State University. Through my 28 years of living with HIV the most enduring lesson is that life is a gift that should be lived out loud.


Read more at EBONY http://www.ebony.com/photos/wellness-empowerment/the-real-faces-of-hivaids-photos#ixzz2sw1qYEOf
Follow us: @EbonyMag on Twitter | EbonyMag on Facebook

Justin B Terry-Smith's Justin's HIV Journal #HAAwards Nomination

Justin B Terry-Smith's Justin's HIV Journal #HAAwards


Nomination
https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/justin-1736

Justin's HIV Journal: Justin B Terry-Smith tackles HIV and Aging

Justin's HIV Journal:  Justin B Terry-Smith tackles HIV and Aging


Baltimore Gay life Newspaper


http://issuu.com/baltimoregaylife/docs/gaylife_february2014/18

Justin's HIV Journal: Justin and husband Phil ADOPT son

ADOPTION DAY is finally here.  On January 30^th my husband Dr. Philip Terry-Smith adopted our 17 year old LGBT son.  

When I became HIV positive I thought to myself, “I will never have a child”. I cried so much over this every time I thought about it.  Every time I saw a child with their parent playing, walking hand in hand, giggling, just being a family it hurt, it hurt me to my soul.  

When my husband asked me to marry him, I said yes but I have provisions.  I stated that I would like to have children.  I made a command decision in my life that I would have kids.  I also said that I need a man that would want to have children with me.  My husband (THANK THE GODS) agreed that children would be a part of our future.  

I can honestly say our son has come such a long way being with us.  When he first came to us he was 15 years old he was not what I expected a 15 year old to be.  But then I had to realize I did not raise this child; so I made it my goal to make him a little more refined and to bring more structure and discipline into his life.  He has a story and I’m not the one to tell it.  So I will briefly say that this young man has been through the ringer.  But now that he has a loving and supportive family he is stronger than before.  

Phil, my son and I went to court and we have legally made him ours.  He will forever be ours and I wouldn’t want it any other way

Justin's HIV Journal: Justin B. Terry-Smith on Spill Da Tea with Shi Queeta Lee

Justin B Terry-Smith-HIV, Diamond Alexis Blue-Legal Blindness, Ryan Dillon- Epilepsy, Tamika Felder- Cervical Cancer, SaVanna Wanzer- Community Activist