- The Chemistry Guy
- The Chemistry of everyday life, an HIV blogger. Twitter: @tcghiv | Email: tetrahydroziline@gmail.com
Four Hundred Six
Just like what my previous post was described - deteriorating, so as my new CD4 count. Last week I went to RITM to have my CD4 count and refill of meds. It was quite a busy day for them as the clinic was bombarded by old timers and new patients. They have a new system for those who are due for their CD4 test - to have it scheduled prior to you arrival at the clinic. I have heard this from a friend of mine and immediately sent Ate Beth an SMS to have my appointment o more than a week before my preferred date.
Come that day, I called in sick to my boss and went straight to Alabang. My home is quite near RITM so there was no need to struggle for an early morning call time - they have a cutoff time for the test which is 10am. I arrived like 9am and it was crowded. They have asked if I had my appointment BUT they cannot seem to find my name on that piece of 'office desk calendar' appointment sheet. Just to find out that they mistakenly wrote my code as R11-XXX which should have been R10-XXX, ayaw pa nila ko payagan to take the test kasi wala naman daw sa list yung 'code' ko. I insisted that I have called a week before this day and they admit they commit an error. So the mere difference of R10 versus R11 would have put my leave into waste.
This was also the day when I saw an old friend of mine. But I did not pay attention too much to him as he was aslo busy with his anniverasry exams.
My tests were done and I'm now waiting for the prescription of my ARV's. When this guy came in almost 10am, just before the cutoff time for CD4 testing, he didn't know about the appointment and schedule setting prior to the test but after a while they allowed him to take the CD4 test. I was just a mere observer that time and only one thing came into my mind: I have scheduled myself a week before this day to have my CD4 test and almost on the brink of not taking it and wasting my leave to nothing when this guy came on an instant and he was allowed to take it? That was just too unfair. This guy was like a BFF to them. Ok fine, I now know where should I place myself.
Nonetheless, I was still grateful that I had the test and they gave my 3-month supply of ARVs - STILL. Contrart to what others have said a week before that they now only give 1 month supply.
That day was really a frustration, my first time to experience after 2 years of going to them. Everytime I go to RITM, I always wanted to stay even after my appointment as I wanted to mingle with other patients and staffs, now It's like the opposite. I wanna get myself out the minute I finish my deal. I just hope this won't take too long to change.
Anyway, my CD4 streamline is now:
1st: 282
2nd: 610
3rd: 608
4th: 406
1st viral load: 110,000+
2nd viral load: 86
The results were just texted to me, so I don't have any validity whether this tremendous drop is real or not. I'm just worrying why in the world this happened? Am I too stressed and depressed or my ARV's are no longer working? With the viral load still *NOT* undetectable after taking the potent Efavirenz for almost 2 years... I'm just worrying to much.
Deteriorating
I went to RITM last Friday to have my CD4 count and refill of meds. Nothing much new with them aside from the topsy-turvy process they are implementing. They don't have the right and proper system in accommodating patients, they even proposed a 'scheduled' trip when requesting for CD4 test, which is not really effective. They also implemented a number system, just like those of a bank. When the number of patients are at large with the addition of the staff, the small ARG clinic is not at a crowd. There are also some staffs that are quite new to me.
I'm just wondering if 'charts' are confidential to an extent that even the owner can't view it? I'm trying to view my chart for the results of my past tests when this new staff said 'hindi pwede tingnan' - 'you can't see those'. I was like... Hello that's my chart and I think I have the right to view it? I'm not really sure if there's an unsaid rule about a patient can't check his chart thingy. I f that's the case, I just hope that only medical professionals see it and if the rule is exercised it is consistent. Staffs are now masungit and aburido which is bit annoying.
*I totally understand this but I just hope na *only* certified medical staffs like nurses and doctors can view it, not the volunteers na hindi ko naman din kilala so start with.*
*I totally understand this but I just hope na *only* certified medical staffs like nurses and doctors can view it, not the volunteers na hindi ko naman din kilala so start with.*
One thing I noticed was their file management system. Their system is really prone to file and pertinent paper loss. Documents like Philhealth papers are too much important to get lost.
I understand that cases are increasing so much and it causes difficulty in handling the situation, this is a great opportunity for process improvement. They don't have to do it overnight but I hope they have the initiative of gradually doing it.
They all changed overtime after transferring the ARG clinic to that location and when they substituted a different nurse for Ate Ana.
With these issues I have told and the lurking anomaly with the staff who disclosed a fellow poz guy's status publicly on Twitter... I think I'm leaning towards transferring to a different health institution or perhaps hoping they'll realize what needs to be done and act on it.
The exclusivity of the RITM as a treatment hub is slowly deteriorating.
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