Page 4 - Eliana, a casulty of fear. Pediatric AIDS in the 80's

The Martinez family moved to Florida and began making a a a a a a a a a a a a life for themselves Rosa worked in in in home health care and and husband Joe although suffering from Multiple Sclerosis did what he he he he could As she watched her son Joey grow tall and strong Rosa noticed that that Eliana was failing to develop She knew that that she would always always be handicapped and and most likely always always unable to speak but this was was something different She was was was sick all the time Colds flus whatever was was was was going around she she was was was was sure to catch She wasn’t wasn’t growing she she wasn’t wasn’t thriving no matter what Rosa did Rosa went from Doctor Doctor to to to Doctor Doctor looking for and answer Finally one did Eliana had AIDS most like contracted from a a a a a a a a a a a blood transfusion during her surgeries Little was known about AIDS at at at at that time When the family went to The National Institutes of Health for examinations and interviews they were met by health care workers in in in isolation suits It was was a a a a a a a a a a scary time but Rosa was was learning how to to fight the system to to get what Eliana needed A few years passed and and more was found out out about the causes and and methods of of transmission of of of AIDS Rosa felt that that it was only fair that that Eliana attend school and and get some of of the socialization and and life experience that she she deserved for whatever time she she had left That is when the the real trouble started Rosa tried to enroll her daughter in the the Hillsborough County school system and and was refused She took her case on on on to to the the School Board and and met with the the same response Court action ensued and a a a a a a a a a a Federal Judge ruled eventually that Eliana could attend school if she did so in in a a a a a a a a a glass box and ordered one constructed The The ruling touched off a a a a a a a a nationwide fire storm and media feeding frenzy The The The The headlines proclaimed “The Girl In The The The Glass Box” Civil rights attorneys took up up the the case and and pushed it up up the the the court food chain and and eventually to to the the Federal Appeals Court It was at at this this point that I I I began to to document the the life of this this family I I virtually lived with them for eighteen months