Your friend is entitled to privacy regarding his health issues, but keeping his condition secret will not help him. Being hurt when the town learned about his condition is probably just the first sign of grief--denial. As time goes on, he will learn to accept that he has the disease and the hurt will go away. Accepting his condition will allow him to seek more help than what he actually gets from his medical provider. Imagine if there were an AIDS support group in town, and he doesn't avail of it because he's afraid people will know that he has the disease--he is denying himself of help!
You shouldn't have told your Mom in the first place and instead encouraged him to open up by himself. But then again, telling your Mom isn't too bad at all, if it means getting help for your friend. It's just that it puts you and Mom in a bad light. So what to do?
Best thing to do I think is to get involved in educating the town about AIDS. Remember that you are a doctor. Let them know that your friend is the victim here and he deserves their help. Let them know how the disease is NOT transmitted. If your friend accepts his condition well enough to do a talk about it in the town hall, let him do it. Even though our society does not condemn AIDS victims, there are some people who just don't understand. When they do, then the day is won.
Dr. internationa, do I pass this one?🙂
Ivorinedust
"Apolonia, relieve my toothache!"
