drug users are becoming infected and dying (Leery, 1989; Williams, 1989);orphaned children with AIDS languish in inner-city hospitals; gay men die; elderlyparents grieve for sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters; and agencystaffs are immobilized by the illness of a social work colleague repeatedlyhospitalized for one opportunistic infection after another. No setting in any regionof the United States will be spared by the pandemic of AIDS that will continueinto the next century, according to all the best estimates. I think the best way to tackle the issues of working with an AIDS patientinvolves resolving my own conflicts. The fact that AIDS is a terminal disease isprobably the biggest reason I would have a problem working with theseindividuals. Death in itself is a topic that I do not like to ponder and I must cometo terms with this if I want to work in any field that involves social counseling. Ialso believe the risk of getting AIDS is a chance I would not like to take no matterhow small the chances are. I do not think literature would help me overcome thisconflict. I believe that if I come to terms with the aspects of death and dying then Iwould be able to better work with this group....
