I had my CD4 count last Thursday. Was supposed to have it mid-December but I decided to have my CD4 test earlier. Dami activities this December, hence, puyatan.
So before the puyatan begins, better get my CD4 na. Well, I've been working on graveyard shift for the past 2 weeks and I'm sure medyo bumaba ang count ko. Anyway... I don't want to cheat on my CD4 count. Ayoko mandaya. So after work, I met up with Doraemon in Ayala. Doraemon will also make sabay for his CD4 count. Both of us dead tired from our shifts. Punyeta. Minus 50 CD4 I'm sure. He also needs to get the rashes in his back and chest checked.
We were early at the hills. Shola was there, naka push-up bra pa ang lola mo. Imagine... big boobs na naka push-up bra. NAKAKALUNOD. Yung pic dito... yes... that is Shol
a's boobs! A new pozzie was there and an echuserang pozzie. I called Ate Ana and she said she's on her way. So we waited and waited. Ate Ana then came, naka make-up ang lola mo. Biglang tingin sa akin and said... "Wag ka na magrereact!" I gave her a hug and a beso. Yes... Close. Hehehehe.
I was told to do fasting since it will be an annual PE
of some sort. Ate Ana asked if I ate something. I told her that I had coffee because I'm on GY. Pak. Di daw pwede. Kahit daw tubig bawal. Juskoh! So some of my tests will be rescheduled. All blood tests pwede but yung mga SGPT etc di pwede. Fine.
Urine. Viral Load (na kinukuhanan ako ng dugo pero N
EVER naman natetest). CD4. CBC. GT. Xray.
I went to the Xray lab first. Doraemon and the others to the clinical lab. Echuserang Poz was standing in the window when a local (yes... local) asked if nakapila si Poz. Poz said, "Walang pila" to manong with a tone na sarap suplakin sa fez. So manong local asked if he already paid for the whatever test. Sabi ni Poz frog, "I don't need to pay."
Pak. HOY BAKLANG ECHUSERANG PALAKA. UMAYOS AYOS KA. I know, free tests natin. Pero do respect manong local. He's just asking and curious bakit yung chaka mong fez eh nasa window eh di ka bayad. Oo nga, free tayo but that doesn't mean that we are more privileged than those who pays for their tests. ECHUSERA KA. Suplakin ko fez mo eh. Tapos may eyes rolling ka pa. CHAKA MO GIRL. Di ka kagandahan.
Anyway... so... xray... then blood tests... 3 vials were taken. Then urine test.
Doraemon and I went back to Ate Ana and asked if Doraemon can go to derma for the consult. Shet. 2PM pa daw. So we went to the lounge and waited. Doraemon said na umuwi na daw ako kasi I have work pa and malayo pa ang mansion ko. Nahiya ako kay Doraemon, sabi ko i wanna stay. Pero.. di kinaya ng energy ko so I went home. I left him sa quarters para maka tulog sya.
Got home at around 2PM. Natulog. Nagising ng 3PM. Doraemon calling...
"Lumabas na yung result. 164 na CD4 mo."
"Yes! Ikaw. Musta?"
"I dropped from 300+ to 250. Will start na on ARV. And I have shingles"
Bittersweet news. Happy that my CD4 doubled, and im on 3-digits na. Partida puyat ako. But kay Doraemon... Haaaay. I wish he can pull-out a magic something on his pouch. Like a mahiwagang camote to make himself feel better. He was crying when he was telling me the news.
Good thing though that the YFL group was there. Thanks to Babes, Yogi and Kitty for talking to Doraemon. Salamat and you were there. Hugs!
Anyway... di na ako nakatulog. I told my boss na I can't come to work. Late na ako nakatulog kakaisip... what i need to do for myself para bumongga ang CD4 ko. So I came up with some sort of resolutions for myself.
1. I vow not to waste my time on things that "seem important"
2. Having mentioned number one, I vow to spend my time on things that are important. (e.g family, work, my life's purpose and my health)
3. I vow to spend money only on things I really need and to take joy in simply looking at pretty things I don't need. But yeah, a little luxury won't hurt. Little lang promise.
4. I vow to take full responsibility for my face. Hence, I will only frown at things that really need frowning at and take time to consider things I never thought were worth smiling for.
5. I vow to internalize that success is a journey and not an end. Hence, now is not too early to declare that I am successful.. and that everyday is a chance to feel successful.
6. I vow to overlearn that happiness is not the moving bunny in a horse race nor the star at the top of your christmas tree nor feeling high at around 3am. Happiness is ..the muscles of your abs. (you may have not felt it yet but believe me, it's there- it's inside of you).
7. I vow not to commit to anything that doesn't give me a reason to wake up cheerfully the next morning...or noon...or afternoon... or evening....
8. Finally, I vow not to make a career of something just because I am good at it. It has to be something I am great at, something which I enjoy doing and something my life's experiences has prepared me to do. I’ve worked for a lot of companies and I realized that it is better if you really like the job and not just the salary that goes with it. Believe me, money is not everything. But yeah, money is important in a way. But... again.. it is not everything.
Wishing everyone good health, good life, good sex life. A healthy appetite ngayong holidays. And to Doraemon, better health!
December 5, 2010 at 8:33 PM
you know what, i so gusto your post.. so maarte.. ikaw na!
December 5, 2010 at 11:24 PM
4. I vow to take full responsibility for my face. Hence, I will only frown at things that really need frowning at and take time to consider things I never thought were worth smiling for.
love this =) pero mas maganda if smile lagi.
December 6, 2010 at 12:16 AM
inay! gusto naming xmas gift ni brother ay car! mazda 3 would be enough for me, ask mo nlng si brother kung anu sa kanya. hahaha! love you nanay! mwahugs!
December 6, 2010 at 10:30 AM
way to go trese! keep it up! hugs
December 6, 2010 at 1:50 PM
good job 164!
December 6, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Stay optimistic and happy. I wish you better health and great friends and family... Remember there are good things in this world, and all it takes us is to open our eyes and really see :->
December 6, 2010 at 10:06 PM
keep it up! :)
December 9, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Hi, got my CD4 results this morning also. It wasn't impressive. It rose by 5% but I will take that 5% anytime!
I am thankful for that 5%.
I am glad that you too have increased your CD4 count.
December 13, 2010 at 9:40 PM
oh yeah boom boom boom!
December 18, 2010 at 5:00 AM
hi there...i just had my cd4 count too...and it's 40...weird...I didn't cry...i cursed though to no one in particular...or maybe to myself...who's to blame anyways but myself...i hope to start on ARVs before the year ends...
i hope di ako mapagsabihan na echuserang frog ng ibang poz dun...i am normally silent lang kasi pag nasa lounge...minsan ngiti ngiti lang paminsanminsan...
i'm scared about my cd4 being 40 and all...but really i'm not scared to die...i'm more scared of it having alot of implications while i'm living...hirap maging HIV positive...
ingat na lang tayo lagi...
December 23, 2010 at 12:54 AM
palakas ka lang.... remember... CD4 is just one of the many things that you need to monitor. andyan din ang Viral Load, Immune System, etc. Hope to meet you soon mr anonymous. kaya mo yan. Ako nga 13... now im 164. :)