New Yorker: Yesterday I found out my T-cells were low.
Counselor: What's your reaction?
New Yorker: Scared.
Counselor: How are you feeling today? Right now?
New Yorker: Okay, alright... Pretty good.
Counselor: So...?
New Yorker: This is the best I've felt for a long time, months.
Counselor: Then why choose fear?
New Yorker: I'm a New Yorker, fear is my life.
Canonista: Last Thursday, I found out my T-Cells were low.
141 points in 6 months, that means if it continues to go down at that speed, by June my CD4 will be at 244, 44 points away from being full blown. My doctors said I will be taking ARVs by June.
In just within 4 months, I got a second attack of Community Acquired Pneumonia. My first experience was terrible. This one is a bit mild than the first attack. I was lucky because during the day that I am scheduled to get my latest CD4 count was the same day my fever went as high as 39 degrees. During the night before at work, I already know I am going to get sick, I feel unusually cold but my temperature seemed okay, it was normal. I frequently visited the office clinic to check on my temperature which went a degree higher everytime I went there. Morning came and I went to the bird house to rest because I am already feeling weaker by the hour. I needed to rest before I travel several miles from Makati to San Lazaro.
When I got to San Lazaro at around 7:30 AM, my fever was already at 38 degrees, at 10 AM it went up to 39 degrees. The doctor gave me 1 week to rest and prescribed antibiotics as well as vitamin C and paracetamol. After the consultation, my doctor checked my latest CD4 result, and was a bit surprised to what she found out on my record... My CD4 dropped from 526 last June to just 385 this month, that's an alarming 141 points down. In most cases, the CD4 count drops only by 50 or 80 points every 6 months or every year in some.
Earlier today I decided to go back to San Lazaro to check if I can already go back to work. My fever was gone last Saturday, that was after I got Tonsilitis. "All clear" the doctor said, so I asked for a medical certificate and managed to get the document before noon. I'll be going back to work.
stay strong :)
ReplyDeleteWhoa, likewise got some health problems. So sad.. Take care
ReplyDeleteayan magaling ka na.. wahehhe
ReplyDelete@Spiral Prince: Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Tim: It could be the weather. :-( Cozy, but dangerous.
@Kiko: Salamat, pero wala namang gamot sa sakit ko e. Hehe...
It must be stress, lack of sleep, worries, doubts. Some pozzie bloggers join yoga classes. It might be good for you.
ReplyDeletei think it's aggravated by the weather.
ReplyDelete.
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i dunno though. am no expert.
.
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hold on!
@Mugen: I have been doing Yoga since I was in college. Thanks for the suggestion 'though. My CD4's downward spiral can be because a lot of things. (sigh)
ReplyDelete@Desole Boy: I am holding on. :-)
keep holding on. to be inspired patugtog mo po ung keep holding on ni avril lavigne
ReplyDeletehindi ako familiar sa mga cd4 count pero 141 ay para ngang ang laki ng nabawas. ingat palagi...
ReplyDelete@Rico: Yeah, maganda nga yang kantang 'yan. Listening to it right bow.
ReplyDelete@Kyle: Ang normal na CD4 count ng taong walang HIV ay 1000 pataas. Ang CD4 ay isang uri ng antibodies sa katawan ng tao,ito rin ang kinakapitan ng HIV at pinapatay. Kapag nag hit ng 200 pababa ang CD4 count ng isang may HIV, may AIDS na ito.
hey, you take care.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt you posted is one of my favorite dialogues in Rent - it hit me because sometimes I'm like the New Yorker, living in fear when everything is actually better than I expected.
ReplyDeletePero, I understand that people like us living with HIV do have moments like that. Sabi nga ng ibang nagpost ng comment - just hold on.
In our situation, sometimes it is better to hold on during those times that we feel like giving up kasi sigurado naman we will bounce back and feel better the next day.
@orally: Yeah, more than ever. Thank you. :-)
ReplyDelete@Infinity: Totoo, sinu ba namang hindi matatakot hindi ba? We lead a normal live yet we know deep inside our bodies are breaking apart and everyday we know we will depart sooner than the rest.
Hey canon. Be strong.
ReplyDeletestay strong! i will be getting my 2nd cd4 test very soon. mas kinakabahan ako sa pain ng injetction kesa sa results. hehehe... kung anu man lumabas na result, I will accept it. :)
ReplyDelete@Sean: I will. Thankls! ;-)
ReplyDelete@HIVe: *Magkabatch pala tayo! LOL! Anung student number mo?
Hospital = School :-)
@canonista: sa PGH ako pero sa saccl gngwa ung cd4 test. i forgot na the code. hehehe...
ReplyDeleteKing stay strong...
ReplyDeleteI'm still here always checking your blog...
We are all the same, non poz and poz are all going to depart we just dont know exactly when...
Jab