Health Care and Support sa US

I went to the health department of the county this afternoon for an appointment with case managers. Sila ang mga social workers na tumutulong sa mga tao na may HIV. I met with two of them na tututok at tutulong sa kin in the process of managing my situation. The first lady I met was dear enough to wait for me outside of the building kse sabi ko sa kanya nahihiya ako to ask the receptionist, automatic kse pag hinanap mo sya people would conclude na may HIV ka. When finally nakapasok ako sa office nya, she closed the door and we just talked. Masarap syang kausap, she would listen and offer suggestions and advises sayo. We came to a point when she asked me of my previous partners dyan sa Philippines, and I said that it is still difficult for me to ask those partners or tell those partners to get tested kse iba ang isip ng mga tao dyan sa atin. Pag nalaman nilang may HIV ka sasabihin kaagad na may AIDS ka which is wrong. Isa sa mga worries ko is malaman nila na HIV + ako and alam nyo naman ang tsismis, mabilis kumalat. Ayoko that yung mga friends ko malalaman pa nila dahil sa tsismis. Gusto ko sabihin sa kanila na personal ang nangyari sa kin but it will come in the right time. So sabi ko sa social worker, I still have to really think about it hard kung pano ko masasabihan ang mga previous partners ko. Maybe an anonymous letter or email? But that would freak them out, pero I know sa sarili ko na di pa ako ready and the social worker was really very understanding and she said na di kailangan ngayon ko na gawin to, if the time comes na ready na ako then they will help me contact those persons. Madami kmeng pinag-usapan and sobrang lumuwag ang dibdib ko kanina after our session. It wont be a regular session tho. Sabi nya sa kin the next social worker will determine if we need to be meeting regularly.

The second social worker is the one responsible for my medical needs kung kakailanganin ko na. She basically gave me an overview of the services na pwede kong gamitin from the health department. Ngayon pa lang sobrang napakaganda ng program nila. When I went this afternoon, I also got enrolled sa Case Management Program nila, and once you are enrolled sa program na to, everything is free. I told her if it would matter na di ako US Citizen, and she even told me na kahit nga illegal ang entry ko, they would still help me because nandito ako sa US. Well sabi ko sa Pilipinas siguro mamamatay agad ako if umasa ako sa tulong ng health department dyan. Sad to say but our country is soooo behind when it comes to health services, lalo na pagdating sa HIV/AIDS. All my test are free, pati transportation ko to the Center where I will meet an HIV specialist, libre lahat. She even said that when I finally got an apartment, she would deliver food boxes for me. Sabi ko naman, I still can manage and I also have a job so sabi ko sa mga less fortunate HIV+ na lang muna nya ibigay ang food boxes. Medyo di sya makapaniwala na I took the situation positively, kse some of her patients daw nung nalaman na may HIV sila parang ayaw ng mabuhay. Sabi nya just to make sure, kung kailangan ko daw ng shrink? I told her I can manage. And that is still free, libre walang bayad. Imagine, ang mga psychiatrist dito mahal ang bayad sa kanila.

I think for the next few years of my stay here, I should really submit myself to their guidance, I have high hopes na because of this program I could still live a normal life. Salamat at merong ganito dito.