Valentine is Coming

Here is Your Valentine's Day Toolkit.

Dear Reader

Did you notice that I did not include what I was reading for the week in the last letter?

I will make up for that, I promise.

But before then, let’s talk about St. Valentine’s Day.

A few days after you read this letter, we will be celebrating love. We will spend the entire day trying to express our love to some people.

For many people, the day will end passionately.

I recently discovered an interesting piece of data. In 2018 and 2019, the sales of condoms went up by as much as 70% on Valentine’s Day.

That is a lot of sex!

I am an advocate for safe sex, and I love you, so I am here to give you a toolkit on how you can stay safe.

Get Tested!

Sex is great, if you like that sort of thing.

But it is also one of the ways to contract numerous sexually transmitted diseases.

So, here is what I want you to do.

After this newsletter, go to the nearest laboratory and get the following tests done:

Retroviral Screening Tests

These tests check for HIV, an infection that is spread through contact with blood and other bodily fluids.

I won’t bore you with the principle, but basically RVS screening tests detect HIV antibodies or antigens as early as 18 to 90 days after contracting the virus.

Hepatitis B

I like to tell people that Hepatitis B is even more dangerous than HIV. It is 50-100 times more infectious and has severe long-term implications including liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

The complications from contracting Hepatitis B also emerge years after infection, which means the only way to avoid this condition is through routine testing and vaccination.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum. It is mostly transmitted through sexual contact.

Syphilis is easily treated with antibiotics but if left untreated can cause serious complications to the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is a virus with many strains including high-risk ones that are linked to cervical cancer. Last month was cervical cancer awareness month and I wrote extensively on HPV in another letter.

But the gist of the matter is that getting tested and vaccinated is a key way of preventing cervical cancer.

Urogenital MCS

Urogenital MCS is a microbiological test known as microscopy, culture, and sensitivity testing of urogenital samples.

These tests check for pathogens that might be causing infections in the urinary and/or genital systems and determine which antibiotics the organisms are sensitive to.

Usually, the healthcare provider will collect a urine sample and swabs of your urogenital areas.

Results come out in 3 to 5 days, which means if you run the tests today, you will probably have your results by Valentine’s Day.

Get Vaccinated/Treatment

Hopefully, your test results all be negative. If they do, ask your healthcare provider for information on vaccinations.

The Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines are available in major health facilities. If you need more information on vaccination, let me know in the comment section.

Ask your healthcare provider how you can get PREP, to help prevent contracting HIV. Inquire about other prevention efforts to take.

If, you test positive for any of the screening, ask your healthcare provider for treatment and management options. Also, ask about necessary temporary or permanent lifestyle modifications.

Get Condoms

My momma, a devout catholic, is probably going to hit me over the head for this. But if you plan on having sex on Valentine’s Day, please get condoms.

I found that condom producers are actually very creative. They have something for everyone.
Are you on a tight budget? There is a condom for you.

Do you want to feel like you are not wearing condoms? There is a condom for that too.

There are also female condoms for ladies too.

It’s the season of love, and one of the best things you can do is to keep you and your loved one safe.

Till next time,

Cherechi

PS. What I am Reading This Week

This week I picked up Lisa Allen-Agostini’s The Bread the Devil Knead. It follows Alethea, as she struggles through the abuse from her partner, even as she deals with the effects of the abuse she suffered in the past.

Last week, I read Lucky Girl, the book of the month for The Indulgent Bibliophile, my book club. It’s about a girl’s complicated struggle with love, familial and otherwise, even as she navigates living in a different country where she doesn't seem to understand the concept of racism.