Living with HIV in the Philippines: Get Yourself Tested!

Hi Pozzie and everyone,

I am 21 and I just had my first hiv test last July 8, 2014.

Since I got std last 2008, I became aware of HIV/AIDS thru the internet. From time to time, I will read about HIV but scared to have myself tested. So for 6 years, nabuhay ako sa takot at pangamba. Dumadating yung mga panahon na inaassume ko na na may HIV ako dahil sa mga symptoms na nararanasan ko. Especially, madalas ako magkasingaw dati at nagkaroon pa ng time na may outbreak ang singaw sa mouth ko. Minsan, parang psychological na nararamdaman ko yung symptoms na nabasa ko.

Until yesterday, while waiting for my lab test results from ARMC, I decided to visit Marikina SHC kasi katabi lang. Lalas loob lang. I was assisted by a nice woman. Sa dami kong alam sa HIV, halos pareho kaming nag eexplain sa bawat isa kung ano ang virus na ito. Afterwards, blood was extracted from me. I was asked to wait and wander around for 1 hour. Pagkakuha ko ng lab tests ko sa ARMC, bumalik na ako dun sa SHC. Bagong stapler lang yung result ko pagdating ko. Pagkakuha ng result, the health officer asked me to
check the result myself. Sabi ko sa kanya, "Wala po ba muna kayong sasabihin sa akin?". Check ko daw muna. NONREACTIVE.

I wrote this to give some pieces of advise for those who are scared to get tested. 2months ago, nagdecide ako magpatest (pero natakot uli ako). Bago yun, kinausap ko muna sarili ko. "Bakit ako dapat magpa-test?" I was able to sum up some reasons which can be useful to many of readers.

1. I MUST KNOW MY STATUS because I want to live my life to its extent with a little worry of the opportunistic infections that I can prevent with proper medication.
2. HIV is just like having diabetes. It will need life-long treatment. The good thing about this is, mas kaya ko to i-mitigate because Im younger and stronger.
3. I want to give my parents a good and bountiful life for their hardships for me. Hindi ko yun magagawa kung sila ang mapipilitang mag-alaga sa isang may sakit na anak.
4. I want to be successful in my career. I must prevent anything that might stop me from achieving my goals.
5. I want to have a good and long lasting relationship that leads to a happy life, no matter what.
6. When I die, I dont want to be remembered as a gayman who lost to AIDS. I want to be remembered as a successful human who achieved his dream.

Always remember that the only way to know your status is to have yourself tested. Hindi uubra yang mga nababasa nyong symptoms to know ur status by yourself. Huwag mabuhay sa takot.

Burns

"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-

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