All That Glitter- Sure Ain't GOLD PDF Print E-mail

June 23rd 1996 was Constance Phillips birthday when she was called into the Doctor's office. Just as she began to walk into the office GOD had revealed to her what was wrong and gave her a peace that she could not understand. The Doctor was crying, Constance asked; why are you crying. The Doctor stated: as I was reading your chart I realized that today is your birthday. Constance asked the Doctor, I have AIDS don't I, and the Doctor stated yes. Constance told her, well that is okay because GOD is going to change me. He is going to take all of this old blood and give me new blood.

After leaving the Doctor’s office she began to walk home thinking about the report she was just given. Men on almost every corner were trying to come on to her. While passing these men she thought to herself, "all that glitter ain't gold." It's funny how people tend to operate by what they see alone.

In October 2001 Constance had only told her fiancé whom does not have the virus. She was still in the closet with her family and friends. During this time Constance lost her job (no cause of the virus), had no health insurance, and was unable to obtain her meds. The only support she had was her finance. Not being able to tell her family and friends for the fear of their response; she tried to be strong for all of them. Nearly eight months later in June 2002, Constance was carried to the hospital fighting for her life. She had Meningitis on the brain and two bleeding ulcers. Shortly after her admission into the hospital she had a stroke, three blood transfusions, five spinal taps, and surgery to drain the meningitis from her brain. In addition, she lost her mobility, speech, and went completely blind. Her viral loads were 298,000 and her cd count was 8. Anyone with a viral load over 100,000 should be offered treatment and the normal CD count is 500-1500. The doctor then stated to Constance that it was time she tells her family that she had the AIDS virus because there was nothing else that they could do to help her. The Doctors had expected for her to die and believe she did not have too much longer felt she needed to make arrangements.

Constance began to petition GOD for her healing, while lying in the bed she continued to call out the name of JESUS. As she continued to call on Jesus, she heard her Bishop saying in the back of her mind don't let him go until he bless you. After a while her speech began to come back and she started praying more and more each day. She prayed- Jesus you said that by your strips, I am healed; you said I can call on you at the times of trouble; you said that you can make the blind see; you said I can hold you to your word, come see about me right now. By the middle of July Constance had gained enough strength to sit up in the bed.

A church member came to visit and told Constance, God told her to come lay the bible over her face and pray over her. After the Church member finished praying and left out the room to get some water, Constance was able to see colors. Constance had Sister Smith to call the doctor in immediately because the doctor told her she would never see again. She was able to make out the colors in the doctor's tie. After an intense physical therapy, Constance gave it a hundred and twenty percent, than began walking again and her vision came back 20 in the left eye. During her two-month stay at the hospital she lost 79 lbs.

A month after her release from the hospital her virus got out of control. She had several genetic testing to find a formula of meds that would work for her. The doctors informed her they could not come up with a genetic match of med but she could continue to take her old meds in spite of them not working. Constance never gave up and didn't allow the people around her to give up nor be sad. She made everyone laugh because despite the report of the doctor she believed the report of the LORD. When everyone else counted her lost GOD counted her in. Today, Constance Philips virus is undetected and she has been living a healthy life. She continues to travel to different locations, organizations giving her testimony and speaking to the youth.