European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Jennifer Folsom a 29-year-old Mother of two who suffers from aids with her 3-year-old daughter Angela in their Home in Duxbury i. Folsom is struggling to keep Roisom is struggling to keep her family together after her husband unable to Deal with the stress shot  not afraid of it anymore by Susan Allen associated press Doug Folsom bought a gun loft a recorded message telling his wife to Quot hang Tough Quot climbed into the Hammock outside his family a Home in Duxbury vt., and pulled the trigger. That was nearly two months ago on june 6. The suicide followed two years of watching his Young wife and 3-year-old daughter Angela Wither from acquired immune deficiency syndrome. He lived with the fear that 4-year-old Nicolette who so far has managed to escape the disease would test positive. A that poor Man watching his Little girl and his wife just go through this deterioration. This forced him to kill himself something he said head never do. So he was forced to leave me Quot said Jennifer Folsom her body frail from fighting the disease and struggling to keep her family together. She studied a framed photograph of the couple taken years earlier. Both Are smiling Doug sarm is tossed Over her shoulders. The picture rests on a table within easy reach of Jennifer a chair surrounded by tissues and bottles of medication Quot i have a very Strong attitude of try me his whole attitude was a Why me a Fie danced As Long As he could the wind was just taken out of his sails. I feel bad for him he did no to deserve  aids has been a relentless enemy since j Onmfer was diagnosed in february 1988. The doctor gave i. The test results in his empty office after closing he was concerned she said about How his staff would a t to an aids patient. Quot i drove Home. It was a Long ride Quot Jennifer recall Quot All i could see was gloom and doom and death. I thought of suicide i went into my room and i did t Ever want to come  it seemed incredible that a blood transfusion during an emergency appendectomy in a Massachusetts Hospital in 1979 a before blood supplies were tested and purged of the virus a probably carried the aids virus into her body Angie she said contracted the virus during the pregnancy or later from breast feeding. Nicolette is tested every six months and Jennifer prays her healthy older daughter will remain free from aids. Quot Here i am this White Middle class housewife living in Vermont trying to make a living. How dare this disease come into my Home its aids. I eat and drink and sleep aids. But i m not afraid of it anymore Quot Jennifer said. Jennifer told her parents she was suffering from aids but told others that she had cancer Quot we weren to sure How people were going to react Quot she said. She and Doug worried that business would fall off that people would be afraid to come to their Auto body shop. The health insurance Bill which runs about $560 monthly continues to be the first Bill paid each month and she is left with about $10,000 in other unpaid Bills. Her Nightmare had been that Nicolette would be harassed when she starts school next year a a fear the school nurse put to rest by telling Jennifer Quot there will be no discrimination  Jennifer lives Day to Day and the past week had been a bad one. She was wrapped in a Blue and White afghan and tired. She had lost 10 pounds last month and was worried about Angies lesions and weight loss Angie Damp from a Bath and refusing to be moved off her mothers Lap was struggling to breathe with a feeding tube up one nostril and a pacifier wedged stubbornly in her Mouth. Jennifer glanced distractedly out the living room windows overlooking a faded yellow Motorboat parked in the Side Yard and a Small neat vegetable Garden. Wind Chimes blew in a Breeze along a second floor Balcony Quot i lie in bed and there Are Days i done to even want to get up. It s hard dealing with family life and. Self Worth knowing that i can t care for my own kids and my husband Quot she said breaking Down. Then quickly regaining control she said Quot i have such a Strong Gene m me that wants to go on. I Hope i can hang on. Quot i went to a party this weekend at my sister s and i was sitting there exhausted and i thought. I m 29 years old. I just can t be doing what a Normal kid would be doing Quot she wants to Tell her Story she said so people will realize the aids epidemic exists in Rural areas of Vermont. Quot Vermont does have aids Quot she said Quot the children of this generation need to be taught now because we Don t know if there is going to be a  she wants to Quot live with dignity and not have people whispering behind my Back. In a not ashamed of who i am. Aids invaded my Home without permission. I m just hoping that by me going Public somebody else can be  for her own help Jennifer relies on her family. Offer parents visit daily to help care for the children her brother has taken a leave of absence from his Washington Job to help Jennifer Wade through the red Tapo of locating financial assistance and other Sisters and Brothers help out. Quot we be also gone through the anger and the Hurt Quot said Jennifer s Mother june Kenney. Quot it s not right to see your daughter co sick when she s so Young they should be going on picnics and dancing Quot a visiting nurse stops by the Home to provide the health care that supplements Jennifer and Angies weekly trips to the University health Center in Burlington and two Community fund raisers Are planned to help raise Money to cover the mortgage and medical Bills Jennifer also attends a support group a one woman 10 homosexual men although a recent entry in her diary reads Quot survival will come from humor optimism laughter and self Worth Quot Jennifer knows death is inevitable a Quot i think about it More lately that death is reality this is reality. You can to Wash it off in the Shower it s Here and it s real and there a no Light at the end of that Tunnel it keeps closing in. I Tell myself constantly you be come too far to give in now i just wish it would go away and i know it s not going to go away Quot she said Doug Folsom knew All of this and he could not boar it Nicolette who says her Mother and sister have Quot buggies Quot understands As Well she once Drew a picture of the Blue sky with a rope hanging Down to the House telling Jennifer it was god sending a rope for Angie but Nicolette recently amended the caption it  daddy Quot she said tuesday August 14, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13