Mindy was seventeen when she gave her virginity to Kyle, the love of her life. One month later she developed painful blisters around her sexual area. She was devastated when her doctor told her she had herpes. By passing this infection on, Kyle drafted Mindy to the ranks of the 45 million other Americans who have genital herpes.
 
Although Kyle and Mindy have the same disease, their symptoms have been very different. Mindy now experiences recurring blisters every couple of months. With time the sores may eventually disappear, or Mindy may have them off and on the rest of her life.
 
Kyle, on the other hand, is asymptomatic - no symptoms, but highly contagious. He had no idea he had a sexually transmitted disease until he infected Mindy. He had sex with two other girls before he met Mindy. Obviously, one of those girls had herpes. Kyle may never have an outbreak of the sores, or it might be months or years before they suddenly appear.
 
Although Kyle and Mindy are not going to die from herpes, they must deal with the emotional pain and embarrassment that they have an incurable, sexually transmitted disease.
 
Unfortunately, Kyle did not end up being the love of Mindy's life. Three months after she contracted herpes, they broke up. Now, Kyle and Mindy have to face the very real probability of passing this incurable disease on to any future sexual partners, including their spouses. 
 
A college student once told me the most difficult part of herpes, besides the painful sores, is determining when to tell a guy she's dating that she has an incurable, sexually transmitted disease.  She certainly doesn't want to tell him too early because if this relationship isn't going anywhere, it's none of his business. Yet, she feels it's not fair to wait until things are progressing into something serious and spring it on the guy.
 
If only these three people had simply chosen to wait until marriage to have sex - they would be free from the emotional and physical pain of genital herpes. Abstinence = Freedom from STDs!