Diagnosed: The shock of my life

I got the shock of my life.

November 30, 2010
Together with Denise Agbulos, a fellow applicant to the JENESYS 2010 (a foreign exchange program), we submitted our request for a physical exam. We were in a hurry. In two days' time is the deadline for submission. We badly wanted to join it. Going to Japan for free! Who would resist? No one. This is the chance. Unfortunately, they didn't entertain our request since we just submitted it on that same day. It should have been a day earlier. That night, I finished all my requirements, all the certificates and other papers. At around 12am, I was done. "I am ready," I told myself.

December 1, 2010
"Aabot pa kaya tayo?," I asked Denise. "Oo yan, Char! Kaya 'to!," she assured me. We were hopeful. The three of us, Charlston, me and Denise were the only ones in our class who applied to the program. It was a call for student leaders and we heeded the call. Charlston finished his physical exam, everything was already smooth sailing for him. Denise and I were the only ones who were left finishing the final requirement, the medical certificate.

10:00am A nurse assisted us yet she doesn't know what tests must we take. Eventually, we found our way. We had this urinalysis and CDC. I had a urine sample tested and my arm injected. Then there's the chest x-ray. Honestly, I don't know what I'm taking. As I said, I'll never like the hospital. Never been to a med school and never will. Going back, I took all the exams I don't have any idea of. It's a requirement so take it. As long as it will take me to Japan. Results will come out in three hours, we were told. While waiting, we had the usual classes. We didn't skip any, not yet. During the last class, fortunately, the professor was absent so we took the time to get the results. I was hesitant, afraid, anxious of what will be my result. Will I fail? Of all the tests, why fail a medical test? I'm healthy. I think.

Results in the urinalysis showed that I had a high pus number. Blood was also a bit high (0-2). Blood results show that ++ in the bacteria part. Don't know what that meant though. MCV level was also a bit higher than the normal. "I'm not normal, am I?" 




December 2, 2010 (deadline for submissions)
We had a class in accounting, I can't concentrate. I can't even listen to Sir Dante. My mind was preoccupied, busy of so many things. I said, "This is normal." Although I know that it really is not normal. At the end of the period, I didn't understand a thing about the lesson, I didn't learn how to do the double-bookkeeping. Failure. We excused ourselves during the second class, we had to finish the physical test or we won't make it to the deadline.

We were rushing already. Two hours more and we won't make it. We must finish this. We must. A series of medical test followed: Dental check-up, X-ray, Doctor's consultation and vaccines. Dental check-up? Check! Vaccines? Check! Doctor's consultation? "You can't go." 

I was shaken. Why can't I go? That was the only question in my mind that moment. "You have PTB, in your upper right heart,"  she said. "Ipa-clear mo muna yan bago ka mabigyan ng medical certificate." 


I approached a nurse, "Excuse me po, paano ko po mak-clear 'to?" She looked at my record, in the x-ray. "Nako, di na yan pwede." I insisted, "Baka naman po pwede pa ma-clear or something." She said, almost shouting, "Di mo ba makita? May pulmonary TB ka." I was speechless.

I walked fast to the x-ray, asking if there might be something wrong. "Di kame nagkakamali dito," the x-ray specialist said. I felt like I am to cry. "May mali talaga." 


Denise returned, she already had her medical certificate. I was jealous. She's lucky she got hers. "Char, okay na yung iyo? Na-clear mo na?" "Hindi pa eh. Nakakairita kase, pinagpipilitan na may Tuberculosis ako, eh wala nga kameng history nun! I don't smoke too. Tsaka if ever na meron ako nun, dapat nagsusuka na ako ng dugo di ba? Inuubo ba ako? Hindi naman di ba?" I was talking continuously, I was defending myself. Imposible talaga na meron akong TB. Di pwede. I'm trying to control myself. "Sana may mali, Char..." was all that Denise managed to say. She, too, was speechless. She bid me goodbye and goodluck as she submitted her folder. She made it.

 QUALIFICATION OF STUDENT AMBASSADORS
  1. The Qualification of Student Ambassador (referred to as Youth in the Operational Guidelines for the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programme 2009/2010) is stated in the abovementioned guideline provided by JICE;
  2. Filipino, single, must be between 16 to 18 years old, on or before April 1, 2011 (must be bornbetween April 2, 1993 and April 2, 1995);
  3. Of good moral character;
  4. Must be currently enrolled in a college or a university with a Graded Weight Average (GWA) of 2.25 or 85% equivalent, with no failing marks in the preceding semester;
  5. Physically and mentally fit to travel;
  6. Must be a first time traveler to Japan and/or must not have been a grantee or recipient of any NYC funded international travel or Japanese Government grant;
  7. Must be knowledgeable of the history, geography, culture and arts, and the current issues on the Philippines, and fairly knowledgeable in those of Japan and other East Asia countries;
  8. Must be an officer or an active member of a youth organization for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application;
  9. Must be willing to be an active NYC and JICC volunteer after the program to continue to promote the learnings about Japan and the Japanese culture gained from the JENESYS Programme;
  10. Area representation would be based on the place of the college or university enrolled in;

    APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENT AMBASSADORS
    1. Two (2) copies of the NYC application forms with passport sized pictures with white background attached to each form (all original, no scanned pictures)
    2. Two (2) copies of JENESYS Entry Form with one face photo sized 45mm x 45mm
    3. Two (2) photocopies of Birth Certificate (from the National Statistics Office-NSO)
    4. Two (2) photocopies of passport, if there is a passport already (page of face photo and personal information.  If expired but extended, with a page that states extension as well)
    5. An essay which states the applicants’ a) Reasons for applying; b) Expectations of the programme; c) If chosen, the preparations the applicant will undertake prior to departure; d) environmental situations in the Philippines and his/her views and proposals for its improvement. (Maximum of 100 words, per question)
    6. Two (2) copies of a resume, not more than three (3) pages
    7. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Good Moral, issued by the college or university (1 original and 1 photocopy) and stating that the applicant has a Graded Weight Average (GWA) of 2.25% or 85% equivalent, with no failing marks in the preceding semester.
    8. Completed NYC Volunteer form
    9.  A certification from school or organization that the applicant is an officer or active member.
    10. Certificate of Health

    The nurse referred me to a Dr. Guiang, a pulmonologist. I waited for two hours. Two hours came in so fast, probably my mind was just busy that it didn't noticed time pass by. "Pag may mali talaga, ipapa-refund ko lahat ng gagastusin ko," that thought was rewinding and rewinding itself. I was already thinking ahead. I planned to get a second opinion in UERM. I know it's a mistake. It should be.

    After the waiting, I was escorted to the UST hospital. I watched people waited and loitered around as I walk pass them. That time I was near to tears, I was sniffing. I was hoping that the nurse who escorted me didn't notice it. But I know he did, he kept on asking me things, trying to calm me down. When I finally saw the nameplate of the doctor, I controlled my tears. I musn't cry.

    "Hija, malaki na. Sa upper right part, dito," the doctor said. I can't speak, my emotions won't let me. Tuberculosis. It is a disease. It is a big term to me. I'm uneducated about diseases. Quite ignoramus. I don't know what he's talking about yet I do care. I'm hardly absorbing what he was saying. I can't. He gave me a doctor's prescription. I left.

    I walked slow. I was drifting. Someone called me, "Czar!" It was Annelle, my classmate with a really cute voice. I waved back and that was it. At least I tried to smile at her. I was trying to avoid people I know. My eyes were heavy. I was about to cry and I know it. No one must see me. I passed through the shortcut to make sure. But as fate might have dictated, at the end of the tunnel, Adriel Domingo and Nicole Ferrer saw me. "Czar, what happened? Ba't ganyan ka?" was the first reaction of Nicole. I didn't speak up. I just hugged Nicole and cried. "Dude, what happened?!" I did not manage to answer. They tried to calm me down and asked me again. I answered, "I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Tuberculosis." I broke down so much. People saw me crying and I don't care. I don't care if I can't go to Japan. I just want my tuberculosis to go away.

    Later that day, I told mama about it. I was crying, again. She told me it's treatable and I'll get better. But that didn't stop me from crying. I don't know where the hell I got it. No idea, I was just infected without me knowing. How was that even possible? I called papa. "Paano nagkaTB yan?!" 

    When my youngest sister arrived, we went to UERM as advised by papa. We need to see a pulmonologist to get a second opinion. There must have been a mistake, really. I kept on repeating that. I was in denial. I had my x-ray again. Result was fast. The x-ray specialist pointed again to my upper right heart, there were white particles I do not know. That must be the defect. So, it is true. I accepted it. The doctor told me to now get worried, that in every 10 Filipinos, 7 don't know they have Tuberculosis. According to him, in 6 months, I'll be free from Tuberculosis. That means no Canada flight for me until June. Somehow, the fact that I was diagnosed early eased my worries. At least, I managed to get the right medications at the right time. It was also a good thing that my Tuberculosis is not contagious.

    I went home with a heavy heart. My other sister was waiting in the lobby for an hour. She was furious. She didn't know that we were from the hospital. She was angry at mama for being so late. On our way to the unit, I told her I have a TB. She didn't react. A few minuted later, my older sister arrived. I told her, "postive siya. May TB ako."  She followed me and hugged me. All I did was weep. A few seconds later, I heard my younger sister crying (the one who got angry). She was so sorry for me. I feel sorry for myself too.

    This will be a struggle for me. Six months, please come quick.

    "One third of the world's population is thought to be infected with M. tuberculosis,[3][4] and new infections occur at a rate of about one per second.[5] The proportion of people who become sick with tuberculosis each year is stable or falling worldwide but, because of population growth, the absolute number of new cases is still increasing.[5] In 2007 there were an estimated 13.7 million chronic active cases, 9.3 million new cases, and 1.8 million deaths, mostly indeveloping countries.[6] In addition, more people in the developed world are contracting tuberculosis because their immune systems are compromised byimmunosuppressive drugs, substance abuse, or AIDS. The distribution of tuberculosis is not uniform across the globe; about 80% of the population in many Asian and African countries test positive in tuberculin tests, while only 5-10% of the US population test positive.[1]" (Wikipedia)
    In by Unknown

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