Living with HIV in the Philippines

The official blog of The Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation, Inc. (TRR).

  • TRR LOVE FUND

    TRR Love Fund is the arm of the foundation which provides medical assistance to the financially challenged PLHIV.

  • Care assistance for HIV Test

    The Care Assistant Program involves assistance to HIV testing and HIV and AIDS Treatment hubs in the Philippines. Our volunteers schedule the client to the clinic or hub, assist with the procedure in the clinic or hub and conduct peer counseling

  • HOTLINE ASSISTANCE

    With the TRR Hotline Numbers, our volunteers answer concerns and inquiries about HIV and AIDS, do counselling, refers clients to nearest HIV Testing facility, HIV and AIDS Treatment Hub and government and NGO organizations for support

  • PEER COUNSELING

    The foundation volunteers conduct one-on-one counseling either on the phone or in person. They also conduct group counseling

  • SUPPORT GROUP TALK

    The support group talk (SGT) is a program that involves giving HIV lectures by guest speakers, discuss topics about HIV, care, treatment and support, discussion issues related to HIV

  • OUTREACH PROGRAM

    The foundation's outreach program is geared towards providing support to our fellow PLHIV's in the HIV and AIDS Treatment Hubs. Volunteers hand out of donations of medicines and special gifts to PLHIV, give inspirational talks by invited guests to a group of PLHIV, bonding over snacks or meal, visit the sick who are confined in the hospital

  • Referral System

    As part of treatment, the foundation's referral program involves our volunteers referring clients to specialized doctors who are HIV friendly. The foundation has it's own list of specialty doctors of low cost for the indigent PLHIV.

  • Online Support Group

    The foundation has a private Online Support Group in facebook. This group of advocates, supporters, counselors, health Workers and PLHIV

  • Home Health

    Aside from client counselling, the foundation volunteers also do family counselling and home visitation for awareness and continuance of care.

  • Health Fitness

    The foundation believes in holistic approach to treatment and care, thus inclusion of these programs: yoga, dance, swimming, jogging and running, boot camp workouts

  • EVENTS

    As part of awareness and education program, the foundation organizes its own national events to coincide with the international AIDS events: World AIDS Day and International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

Friday, May 31, 2013

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Pozziepinoy, , , , , ,

Email 379: Pregnancy and the HIV Test


Hello and good day everyone.

Im back to tell you the good news about my confirmatory test result..Last may 22 one staff in the medical center where our medical was done called me and said that I need to go there because the Dr will need to talk to me about the result when I heard that my heart beats fast because that day can change my whole life.I experience sleepless night especially the day when they call me. When Im on my way I keep praying holding the handkerchief of black nazarene and inside that is a rosary and black nazarene necklace..Our DR told me that  ll be the one who will open the envelope of my confirmatory result Im very nervous during that time and thanks god its both non reactive..NOw I can say that I can now pursue my dreams to work in other country and live there with my own family .GOd never neglect me and I wll give my highest praise to him .JUst pray with all your heart and god will listen.THis things serves me a lesson that I need
to be more careful in my  job because as a healthcare worker we are high risk to get this kind of disease..

XXX

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi XXX.

Thank you for your email again.

I am glad that everything turned out well. Like what my previous response to you, which Dr. Ditangco concurred, pregnancy can produce a false positive result in the HIV test because of the blood chemistry changes during pregnancy. I am happy that what you have experienced didn't dyer you from retaking the test. Now, life for you has opened a wider door, for you to reach once again all your dreams.

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy
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Email 378: FIGHT!


Hi there! 

It was a gloomy thursday afternoon of May 30, 2013 when I knew that I'm HIV positive. My life turned dramatically. I don't how to start my life after knowing that I'm positive. I was thinking of killing myself in many different ways to somehow alleviate my family's burden with me when I get weak. But God enlighten me that there's life afterall. Life is prescious and we have to treasure it. I know that I've sinned alot and I guess it's time for me to pay it. Living a life with HIV is a struggle every single day. But being optimistic is the best way to fight HIV. Smile. Care. Be kind. Love. Be concern with others. Help those that are needy. Above all, talk to God, listen to Him and ask for forgiveness. Invite Him to come into your life and make Him the center of all. I've learned so many lessons in life when I knew that I'm positive. I appreciate the beauty of life. Pay attention to every details of God's creation. Whenever I walk the streets, I always look up and praise God for the wonders of life. Don't waste life. Don't add to our numbers. Live life to the fullest because death is eternity. Now, my plan is to be an HIV advocate. In that way, in the remaining days of my life hereon Earth is worth remembering when I'm gone. Life goes on. FIGHT!

Vans

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi Vans.

Thank you for your email.

I am glad that everything has turned well for you. It is the faith and the strength of your conviction that everything will be ok despite having HIV that really helped you with your struggle. I hope that others will read all the words that you have written and may others be inspired by them.

Keep on inspiring others. We all need each other.

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy


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Email 377: Words of Gratitude and SET


Hi pozziepinoy,good day!

Your blogsite is really inspiring. It motivates people like us to stand and fight and start to live. You are an angel. Im so grateful.

I want to experience SET. Any upcoming schedule?thanks! God bless.

XXX

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi XXX.

Thank you for your email. Thank you for the kind words about the blog. I am glad that it inspires you and others with their fight.

With regards to the Self Empowerment Training or SET, there are no schedules for the month of June. I will post the next SET schedules as soon as I get them.

I hope I was able to answer your concern. Please feel free to email me again if you have other questions.

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

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Email 376: PLHIV Story: 777


Dear Mr. Pozziepinoy

Hi! Hope everything is fabulous! :)

 I just wanna share the beginning of my journey being a Pozzie, it was April 26 of this year when I was diagnosed as HIV positive in Singapore. I felt shocked and didn't know what to do. There's only one person that I shared my situation with and that's my manager at work. Good thing in Singapore, the doctors don't care about your employer all they need to do said the doctor is they just have to report it to the ministry of health so whatever excuses or alibis you want to say with your colleagues it's just fine and my manager helped me with that. 

Thursday, May 23, 2013

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Email 375: My Brother is HIV Positive!


My brother was diagnosed  HIV positive. He is now suffering from diarrhea, he can't eat and has a rapid loss of weight.  He almost lost hope that he will be better... We are still praying and hoping that he will be ok. Now, he will be confined again in RITM. We almost have no money to support him. But we want him to be ok.  His CD4 count is only 6. Is he 
going to be ok? What am I going to do? We love him so much...we dont want 
to lose him. We want him to live...

XXX


POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi XXX.

Thank you for your email.

I feel your concern about your brother but let me tell you this, as long as your brother keeps a fighting spirit and stays positive and really believes that he will get well; as long as he is the hospital, with all his infections identified and all the tests medicines are given to him, then everything will be ok.  I have talked to a lot of PLHIV's who had single digit CD4 before with multiple infections and they are doing great right now. I know that treatment of opportunistic infections is not covered by the hubs, but since your brother is in RITM Alabang, if you can't afford the medicines or laboratory tests required to determine the opportunistic infections that your brother has, then just go to RITM-ARG and look for either Maram, Ate Beth or Let. If the medicines are cheap, then The Love Fund can help your brother out. If the medicines needed are too expensive and your brother needs confinement and treatment for a long period of time, you can ask the staff to help your brother out through PCSO. Maram, Ate Beth or Let will definitely assist you with all the requirements and once everything is ready, Dr. Ditangco will call me when you are ready to go to the PCSO office so I can help expedite the process.

For the meantime, coordinate with your brother's HIV doctor so you will know the next steps. Also, tell your brother that he needs to stay positive and have a strong heart to fight. Tell him that he is never alone with his fight and that me and the rest of the PLHIV's who are reading the blog will be praying for him.

I hope I was able to answer your concern. Please feel free to email me again if you have other questions.


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy

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Email 374: Where to Take the HIv Test?


Hi Pozziepinoy.

How are you? I hope you are having a good day right now.
I have been having dilemma for the past 2 weeks bout my healt condition. I found out that I hooked with a person that has hiv. I am scared and really confused. I finally decided to have myself checked up. The problem is I dont know where to start. I found on your blog that I can get myself to RITM alabang. I dont know what next to do. Hope you could help me..

XXX

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi XXX.

Thank your for your email. 

With regards to your concern, if you had unprotected sex with a person with HIV, then you need to take the HIV Test as soon as possible. Although, the best and most conclusive is more than 3 months post exposure, you can still take the test now. If it turns out negative, then it is possible that your body has not produced enough antibodies yet to be detected by the HIV test and you will be advised to retake it 3 months post exposure. The reason why I want you to take the test now is because everybody is different and you body may have produced the antibodies already and if that is the case, you can start taking action which is the HIV treatment as soon as possible.

You can take the HIV test in any of the testing sites in the country:

HIV TESTING SITES

The HIV test result usually comes out 1 to 3 days if the result is negative, and 2 weeks if the result is positive as it will be sent to DOH for confirmatory.

 However, if you are in Manila area and if you want to get the result in 2 hours and with free HIV Test and free counseling, you may opt to take it in RITM Satellite Clinic in Malate. The staff there are all professionals, very friendly, accommodating and non judgmental. When you get there, just look for Nurse Nicka or Nurse Trisha and tell them that Pozziepinoy referred you so they can accommodate you fast.

Click this to know more about the clinic:

RITM SATELLITE CLINIC

I hoper I was able to answer your concern. Please email me again if you have other questions.


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy


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