A knock on the door saved my life: Woman narrates her fears after HIV diagnosis

Her visit to the local health facility saw several tests conducted on the doctor's recommendation.

But Janet was devastated when she was informed that she was HIV positive and her viral load was very high. Nature can surely hand one her own version of cruel jokes!

"While growing up, I was a very obedient and God-fearing child. I did not miss church because I had so many friends.

Janet says after the doctor broke the news of her status, she spent hours with the counselors hoping that she would one day wake up from the nightmare.

"My mother had traveled and I was all alone. I took myself to this clinic with malaria-like symptoms only to find out I was HIV positive. How was I going to deliver this news to my mother?", she poses.

Janet says when she left the clinic, she locked herself in the room ready to take her life. But her quest was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I was fighting so many voices within my head. I had made up my mind to commit suicide but how my legs walked to open the door, I don't know. All I remember is that the person who had knocked was a friend with whom we have shared many secrets," she adds.

Although she did not disclose to the said friend what was happening, the idea of committing suicide vanished into thin air as soon as they started cracking jokes.

Her kind friend offered to prepare a meal and spend the night with her after Janet informed her that she was unwell.

The following day, her mother returned, yet Janet could not disclose the torment gnawing her within.

Two days later, Janet was overwhelmed and had to be rushed to the clinic where the doctor broke the news to her mother.

"This news broke my mother's heart; she did not expect that I would be HIV positive. To cope with the situation, she resorted to heavy drinking until she became an alcoholic," Janet said.

"The boy with whom we had grown up and had numerous sexual encounters was HIV positive but did not bother to tell me. (Although) he begged for forgiveness after I confronted him, we broke up," she says.

"This is the reason I have chosen to remain silent about my status because I do not want to lose my family and friends," she discloses.

"Currently, my husband and I have a 0 viral load meaning the chances of us transmitting the virus to each other are zero. Sometimes, we have unprotected sex, sometimes we protect ourselves but above all, we encourage each other to take medication and follow through with hospital appointments", Janet says.

As Kenya joins the rest of the world in observing World Mental Health Awareness Month, she says she is grateful that she never ended up as a statistic, of people tussling with depression and other mental issues as a result of their HIV statuses.

"Living with HIV is like controlling a visitor in your body, it is not the end. What I want the young people to know is that in this life things happen, if you have doubts about your relationships pause..... and if you have to engage in sex, then use protection because just like me, you can have a loyal partner who someday in their life had a low moment," she said.

"I accepted my fate and moved on. I have no hatred with my ex-boyfriend, we still live in the same locality and see him almost daily but I am happy that he is doing fine," Janet concludes.