doctor-doctor, i am sick

Then a doctor came in, mga alas-3 na 'to. Nagpakilala siya, Dr. Ditangco, and that she is the Infectious Disease Specialist. 

"Alam mo na, kung bakit ako nandito," I think she assumed. I have no idea, so sabi ko not really. Medyo stupid thinking back kasi, doctor siya, may sakit ako, nasa ospital kami, di ba? "Wala ka talaga idea?" tanong ni doc, to which I shook my head, "Usap nga tayo," sabay upo dun sa long sofa. 

She was nice, very motherly, warm. And, she sat down to really talk to me.

Apparently, they suspect my immune system have been compromised and therefore, they suspect that I am infected with HIV. I fit the profile and they can't find any other cause of my fever but the possibility of HIV. And that I should get tested for it. She was there to convince me. 

Prenesent niya sa akin ang problema. Yung hospitalization ko will be covered by my HMO na galing sa company that I work for. My HMO will not cover HIV caused illness, so if I get tested there sa Medical City, and turn out to be positive, di nila icocover ang hospitalization ko, worst, they will report it to the company, which I am guessing will frown on it. Ang galing bang mangumbinsi ni doc? hehehehehehehehehehe... Parang magpatest ka, malalaman mo na HIV + ka, tapos magbabayad ka ng malaki sa hospital bill mo, tapos mawawalan ka ng trabaho, Yipee!!!

I will know...

"And you can do something about it," sabi ni doc.

Inexplain niya na it is no longer a death sentence. Walang cure, sure, but so is diabetes and hypertension. And that it is very common now. So ganun lang, katulad ng diabetes at highblood, magmemaintenance lang. Mabuti pa nga daw ang HIV + kaysa sa mga diabetic at hypertensive, kasi libre gamot. Spoiled nga daw sila. I am to continue living a normal life, basta I take the maintenance at wag pabayaan. That is the reason, kung bakit importanteng matest ako. So, kung magpositive ako, we can do something about it and continue to have a quality life. Madami daw siyang paseyente na HIV+ but are living a quality life, looking healthy, walang health issues.

Okay...

But still, my job will be in jeopardy! Waite, I hate my job. Waite, wala pala akong pambayad sa ospital.

She took that in consideration na, sanay na si doc sa ganitong usapan. ipaparelease na daw niya ko, will give me a certificate na I have Enteric Fever and that I needed 2 weeks rest for the office, and I will have to come to see her at RITM in Alabang to get tested, everything will be in absolute discretion, walang makakaalam.

Pagkarinig ko ng Alabang, nadiscourage ako. Ang layo ah!

Binigyan niya ko ng number, Bobby daw, NGO. I could talk to him over the phone, have him come over, or text lang. I could even ask him na sundoin ako, dalhin ako sa RITM at ihatid pauwi. 

Di pa rin ako masyadong convince, then she dropped the bomb!

"They will perform series of test on you, and those test will cost a lot, and that if it points to you being HIV +, your HMO will not cover it and that you will be charged for teh hospital bill."

Simply put, wala akong choice but accept her offer.