Thursday, February 2, 2012

Normal

04-00-2010: 526
12-16-2010: 385
06-09-2011: 295
01-05-2012: 589

The numbers in blue are my CD4 count for the past two years since I was diagnosed with HIV last April of 2010. It has been on a steep decline from April to December then slowed down on June, but still it went down. A healthy and normal CD4 count is between 500 - 1500. 

It was a very long wait earlier at the hospital (San Lazaro Hospital) because I woke up late (around 5:30 AM), and I arrived there at around 8:30 AM and I was already the 62nd patient! There were such a huge number of new patients there that I barely know anyone. Good thing that some of my "batch mates" arrived a few minutes later and some a few hours later. Those batch mates of mine were diagnosed at the same year I was, we are given codes, like student numbers, which we will know what year a person was diagnosed. I very good friend of mine accompanied me to the hospital all that time which I really appreciated because he was asked if he was "one of us" too. Fortunately, he isn't. Me, my friend, and my batch mates spent time to the nearby Day Care Center inside the hospital compound where we spent hours chatting with other patients and  social workers, we had a few good laughs, which was one thing that I always look forward whenever I am going to visit the H4 Ward. The laughter, the fun, the socializing, and all that buzz and "bubbliness" of the other patients is what I always miss in H4 Ward, and what I always look forward to. Socializing amidst the stress and boredom of the long wait until our name is called for our turn to see the doctor is always a key for us not to be so crazy and dead bored inside the SLH compound. A patient can wait for the whole day if he listed his name late, like what I did earlier. There was a mass held in the H4 Ward - Clinic, yes, we now have a separate air-conditioned clinic from the ward; so everything has to be cut and stopped. The priests and very handsome seminarians from the St. Camillus Seminary came to celebrate mass. Operations in the clinic resumed at around 4:30 PM, right after the mass. My doctor told me that most of her patients today who came for their CD4 test, got an increased result. That's why despite of her tending to more than a hundred patients that day, I can see that she's happy. Most of the patients earlier came for their CD4 test results anyway, only a handful were there for a health check-up. 

I was on my way home at sundown with a smile on my face. After a very long time... I am now, walking, normally.

Thank you so much to everyone who included me in their prayers. Thank you, God.

6 comments:

  1. thanks goodness, thats great great news ;)

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  2. Paise, praise the Lord who heals the broken hearted.
    Paise, praise the Lord our God who heals a heart full of woe!

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  3. Dear Canonista, I have been reading your blog for the past couple of days and I feel you inspire us go through this journey with much optimism and self awareness.

    As they say, health is wealth. We must take care of it more than ever. And knowledge is power. I have been doing a lot of surfing and came across a lot information.

    Have you ever asked your doctor or someone from the DOH about the benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil as part of your therapy? There is so much positive literature and feedback online. And I am curious to know what are your thoughts about it? Or even maybe you should try it to further boost your immune system.

    Take care always.

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    1. Good day!

      Hello there! :-) I did asked my doctors in SLH (San Lazaro Hospital) about the virgin Coconut Oil, all they said was that herbal remedies can be tried but not recommended because there are no scientific studies specially if it will react with ARVs. Definitely, those packaged herbal remedies that seems to be such a fad these days are a no-o because of the unknown effects it may cause when taken with Anti-retrovirals. However, there are few herbal remedies that the WHO (World Health Organization) even noted its effectiveness and are being used in Africa and other poor countries that are stricken with alarming HIV rates.

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    2. Personally, me and my dad did try the virgin coconut oil but my CD4 count still went down, that was before I was under ARV medication. Right now I am trying Lemon Grass.

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  4. Hi Canonista,

    Sharing with you this info, which probably you might know already. Have you tried taking Malunggay Tea or Powder? Malunggay is being considered as a "Tree of Life" where its nutrients are helping millions of Africans who are inflicted with HIV and cannot afford expensive ARVs. Please do try and let us know if it is a big help for you. The stronger you are, the better you are, and the more stuff we can read, right? ;)

    Take care always.

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