I was invited by DOH (The Department of Health - Philippines) to talk about my experience as a person living with HIV (PLWHA) on the topic of Stigma and Discrimination. I scouted my head of the lasting memory of my experience finding out the truth about my HIV status.
Later part of the year 2007. I was on the top of the list of people who were accepted to work for one (if not the biggest) biggest oil manufacturer in the world.I was the only person who receives the maximum offer the company can give.
As a requirement, I had to go through all the application process, including the medical examination.The agency handling out application referred me to another agency who decides which clinic I should go to for my med exams. After filling all the form, submitting several pictures… my name was called.I was assigned a date and an address to go to.
Then the day came for me to have my physical exam.The small private clinic I was assigned to have a general feel of depression.The building is situated somewhere in Morayta, Manila.The interior is close to a dungeon for being dark and the walls were painted, enough not to qualify as a cave.Although the office generally looked like a stereotypical government office with all the papers and folders are stacked in one side of the room and the table are positioned in a manner that looked like barricades, they still have a fancy looking cashier window and a neat looking laboratory.
Anyway, I went through the medical examination process, paid an insanely expensive fee and took several pen and paper based exams.One paper I filled out particularly asked me (in text form) if I am ok for my blood to be tested for HIV.That was the only paper work that took the bulk of my time.
I was thinking. I didn’t want these people to test my blood for the presence of HIV.I am concerned that if I test positive, there is a chance I won’t be able to get the job.On the other hand, if I don’t agree to take the blood testing, I won’t be able to get the job either. So what options do I really have?So I ticked the box that said “yes”.
To cut the story short.I tested positive and didn’t get the job.It was sad… the part that I wasn’t able to go abroad for the job.It was supposed to be my redemption and it’s all gone.The HIV part didn’t sink until I was prescribed to take ARV meds (Antiretroviral Meds), that’s another story.
The crazy part of this whole “finding-out-my-HIV-status” tale is that I was informed of my HIV status by the clinic’s messenger.How?I received a text message from him asking me to return to the clinic since my blood tested positive.
When I returned to the clinic, the doctor who was explaining the result to me was talking gibberish (I don't understand a single word she was talking about, too technical and medical sounding).She was agonizing herself by going around the bush and trying to sugar coat what she wanted to say that can simply be explained using three letters – HIV (I expected more professionalism from Doctors, hence I don’t see the reason to sugar coat information).And to top it all, she was breaking the news to me in the middle of the room, perfect spot for everyone to hear.
What’s with these people? messenger and Doctor having the same level of etiquette?I didn’t mean to sound condescending there, but I felt mistreated.
Tomorrow, I will stand in front of Doctors, Registered Nurses, Health Workers and clinic owners to about these experiences… but I will be expressing more details and emotions of course (that’s just how I am when it comes to story telling).
If you were born between 1960 and 1990 (hey! I am not that old!), you will definitely have a good acquaintance with this wonderful character. Astro Boy is the thinking, caring robot with a heart and soul (the second , I know , was Vicky of “Small Wonder”).
Back then we (me, my bro and sis) all look forward to each Saturday on Chanel 7's Saturday fun machine, which include the Wuzzles, Gummi Bears and of course Astro Boy! I remember after each episode of Astro Boy, they give a preview of the next episode (which is the following Saturday) with the "title". My siblings and I made an agreement that we will remember the title of the next episode and it'll be the password to gain entry to the only bedroom we all share in the house where the television is located. Whoever forgets the title will be locked out and shall not be permitted to see that day's series.
But there is a twist, after the next episode's title has been broadcasted, everyone should memorize it (mentally, bawal isulat sa papel) and shall not talk about it the entire week. Sounds easy? Not really. This is a challenging task for kid no older than 8. Anyone breaking this only rule shall have the unfortunate consequence of not gaining access to the almighty bedroom. Amazing how determined kids are... None of us were left out and everyone was able to remember all 104 titles of the episodes, of course one after the other. Talk about fanatics :-D
Astro was the brain child of Osamu Tezuka.The guy often reputed as “God of Manga."
Astro Boy is the first Japanese television series that exemplify the aesthetic that eventually became known as anime (but he originated as a manga character back in 1952).
Astro Boy was first broadcast in Japan from 1963 to 1966. The story is about the adventures of a fantastic robot named Astro Boy (and other characters within the story). The series was so successful that it was remade in the 1980s as Shin Tetsuwan Atomu, known as Astro Boy in the United States and other countries.
Now that Astro boy has become an icon, Imagi Studios and Summit Entertainment made a computer-animated 3-D film based on this original manga series by Tezuka.It will come out in theaters on October 23, 2009.
In the year 2000, robot technology has advanced to an astounding level. Robot workers are common, and can be found performing duties in virtually every occupation around the world, from factory workers, to fireman and even nurses.
Doctor Boyton is the Head for the Ministry of Science. A brilliant professor who is dedicated to his work. For months, Doctor Boyton has been trying to create a new type of robot; A robot with a soul, a robot capable of human emotions. After many failed attempts, his son, Toby, suggests that his father creats a "boy robot". Inspired by his son's idea, Doctor Boyton re-launches his research with new found enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, Doctor Boyton's obsession with his research causes him to miss alot of time with Toby. After breaking too many fatherly promises, Toby runs away from home and is tragically killed in a car accident. Doctor Boyton, driven mad by his grief, goes on to secretly complete his robot with a soul in the likeness of his son.
This robot, is AstroBoy. A thinking, caring robot with a heart and soul.
Living with his newly built parents "Mum" and "Dad" his sister Uran and his dog Jump, AstroBoy lives his life as normal and happily as he can. He goes to school and has made many friends along the way. However having the abilities that he does, it is sometimes hard to stay out of trouble. Especially after he finds out that he has a brother by the name of Atlas, who has a hatred for humans and the way they treat the robots of the world. Using this hatred, Atlas tries to eliminate the human race.
AstroBoy, along with Doctor Elefun, are sometimes asked to lend a hand to help where they can. This can lead them into catastrophe and peril. Although with a lot of effort and a bit of luck, they manage to make it through in the end. Most of the time.
Astro's eyes also double as powerful search lights, allowing him to see in any situation.
Astro's ears are able to magnify his hearing by 1000 times, allowing him to hear great distances.
Astro's index fingers house powerful lazers capable of cutting through almost any surface.
Astro's arms and legs are both able to transform into rocket jets allowing him to fly.
Astro's hips house a powerful machine gun. Although technically in his hips, the way Astro is animated makes it appear as though the guns are coming from his backside.
Doctor Boyton, Father of Toby and head of the Ministry of Science. When Toby was killed in a car accident, Boyton created Astroboy in his son's likeness and raised him as his own child. This causes him to lose his position at the Ministry of Science, and so he and Astro go away together on an ocean cruise where they become separated during and ice burg emergency.
Most memorable for his big nose, Doctor Elefun becomes the head of the Ministry of Science after Doctor Boyton is fired. Elefun rescues Astro from the Robot Circus and takes him back to Japan. Elefun takes care of Astro until he is able to constrcut a family for him.
Daddy Walrus, Astro's school teacher, and a good friend of Doctor Elefun. His real name is Albert Duncan, but everyone calls him Daddy Walrus.
Astro's parents were built by Doctor Elefun as a family for Astro. They don't have names, they are simply called "Mum" and "Dad".
Uran is Astro's sister, created as a prestent by Doctor Elefun. She is a very lively and mischievous girl, often getting herself and her brother into a lot of trouble.
Jump was Toby's pet dog. After Toby was killed, Jump found it difficult to accept Astro as his new master. But in time, they grew to be close friends, and Jump now lives happily with Astro and his family.
Atlas is Astro's arch-enemy. He was created a short time after Astro, when the plans for him were stolen from the Ministry of Science. Atlas lives in the Crystal Castle with Livian, who later discovers that they were both made from the same plans, making Atlas and Astro brothers.
Livian is Atlas' companion, although she is not evil like him. Livian has alerted Astro many times of Atlas' plans, and is the one to discover that Astro and Atlas are brothers.
Guiss is an evil scientist and the original creator of Atlas and Livian. He stole the plans for Astro from the Ministry of Science, and used them to create Atlas. Only he included the "Omega Factor" in Atlas, which made him capable of evil deeds. Atlas later rebelled from his master and rebuilt himself to be more powerful than ever.
Skunk is an escaped criminal, one of the most wanted in all Japan. Skunk and Astro have crossed paths many time, and Skunk is determined to destroy him for having foiling his evil schemes so many times.
Mandrake the fourth. Son, of the son, of the son, of the infamous Mandrake the first. His motto in life is simple, "to get everything he wants".
Inspector Gumshoe is head of the Tokyo Police Department. A dedicated police officer who is always eagar to get his man. Unfortunately, his eagerness often leads him to snap convictions, and he usually ends up arresting Astro.
Chief McClaw is Gumshoe's loyal assistant. Thankfully, he is a little more opened minded than the Inspector and is always on hand to defend our hero.
[image from http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2008/03/28/x-files-2-teaser-poster.jpg]
I appreciate it when my entries receive comments, as each person’s insight becomes a learning thought for me and it helps me grow (one way or the other). It’s a privilege to be able to post comments, plus the comment section was placed there for a reason.I highly advise everyone to maximise that purpose.However, please take in mind that it’s also the bloggers right what to do next after those comments. So if comments were posted (or not), made to entries or received a response… we should be thankful that due attention was given to it.
I realized now why some bloggers decide to keep their real identity hidden behind a veil.That is because it is so easy for other people to textually attack them by leaving comments.Some people decide to not post and erase those hate messages (right Mr. Chronicles of E?) but there are those who are brave enough to create entries out of them (am I correct Aris?)
It was an hour past midnight and my Efav’s side effects are kicking in…I was feeling nauseous and all, when woozy my condition was aroused by a confrontational text message from an “old friend” (notice the sarcastic use of quotation marks) and annoying phone calls (well, the annoyance was due to the phone ringing with a call coming from a superfluous guest).
As a courtesy, I sent back about two messages as a response justifying my side and erased all other unread messages.There is no point reading hate messages, I thought.Also, I did not answer the phone as I didn’t see the need to do so.
But after receiving several missed calls, I got irritated and decided to turn my mobile phone off.But the hamster has its way of burrowing under the cabbages.Since this “old friend” knew my blog… he left me some comments, which is the reason I have this entry.Call me defensive or anything but I just wanted to get some messages through since these comments are based on a nasty history.
This is the last time I will be dealing with this situation.Any more comments and responses from “Mr. Anonymous“ (sarcastic use of quotation marks again) will be posted accordingly but will no longer receive this much consideration.
“humphs, you dont fail to irritate me. umalis na nga ako sa papuntang probinsya at lahat, at eto ka na naman... “
I appreciate that you’re addressing me directly (via my “H” name) here.I wonder if you’d appreciate it if I address you here via your first name.Just let me know and I’d be more than willing to do so.
I don’t understand why you blame me when you get irritated. You’ve always been like that. Oh well… Ces la vis.
“sorry i am so mad... uncontrollably mad (like you during the time when sinuntok mo ako, sinira mo yung cabinet, and more violent acts etc. etc.)”
Don’t apologize for being mad kasi it’s natural. But you said you’re uncontrollably mad… so I suppose now you understand how I felt back then. I already apologized for my extremely unacceptable behaviour in the past and I made sure to learn from them. I had to, kasi I had to pay 10K for my laptop monitor when I “uncontrollably” punched it trying to “control” my anger within.
“sorry, words is the only way i know i can fight coz i would never hurt someone by my hands.”
I know Rizal fought using words and he was killed. Hmmm… I just have some reservations on your statement. From my personal experience, you used your words on me not to fight but to hurt. You admitted it in one of our discussions, you say things to deliberately hurt me because that’s the only way you know how you will surely hurt me. I can enumerate the undesirable words you used on me if I want to but it’s immaterial now.
“just leave me alone. stay away from me. respect me as i have respected you.”
I am leaving you alone. But I am confused why you’re making it sound like I am not.
If relocating back to where I came from, not texting you, not calling you, not responding to your messages and ignoring your calls, blocking you on all possible networking sites I have (except this blog kasi I don’t know how), not talking about you, trying to forget memories of you, moving on and gettin on with my life, is not qualified as “staying away from you”… then I don’t know what is.
I think you’re the one who has the “staying away” issues because it seemed like all the above mentioned strategies didn’t work. And please don’t even delve on the topic of respect unless you know how to give one.
“i just called u after the storm as respect and i was genuinely concerned but it doesnt mean we're ok to get back or something like that. Thanks”
Thank you that you checked on me (three days after) the storm, and I am glad that all of you are safe over there.But if you’re going to take it against me, I’d rather you stop being concerned.
You forgot to mention that I didn’t pick up the phone when you were calling to check on me back then… That’s because I don’t see any reason why we need to talk. I simply just responded to your text message that seemed sincere asking how my family and I are doing, sine I thought that was the polite thing to do. What gave you the impression that I’d like to get back to you? Hello?
“hey. hi this comment is not related to this post. i am dumbfounded by your inability to understand the word, "respect."
I liked the way you used the adjective “dumbfounded”.Very clever indeed.Like I mentioned earlier, do not delve on the topic of respect if you can’t give one.You need to learn to understand that simply because people don’t do things you’re way means they are not respectful.
Oh By the way, I think your comment is related to my post because it talks about all “your” points of view about me… which is curiously interesting.
“first of all, aside from making a circus out of our phone conversations which are supposed to be private, you have willfully "forgotten" to delete them as you promise (which means, you dont keep promises).”
Did you feel like a clown when I posted those text conversations?Well that’s good.Because back then, I felt like the guy on the flying trapeze, doing somersaults without the net.
You should understand that this is my blog. You can’t just come in here asking me to remove my entries. That is just plain disrespectful. You can not just order people to do what you want, to suite your standards. I may have said yes to your persistent request that I take those blog entries out, but you know what? I decided not to. Why? Plain and simple: This is my blog and I do whatever I want with it.
“also, i, made it a point to shut myself up in the province in order for me to be able to move back again to my life. in the process, i left you with respect with whatever you wanna do and i did not even for a time tried to interfere with your affairs as i hope you will do the same too. unfortunately, you have this very irritating attitude of being constantly unmindful of your actions that you always end up, if not breaking your promise, being such an ass. briefly, what im trying to say is "leave me alone!" (or at least leave me some respect)”
If you’ve shut up and if you’re not interfering with my affairs, like you say, then why this contact?
Let me reiterate this: I am leaving you alone (gosh, it pathetic that I have to repeat this line).You’re the one who keeps contacting me! So Please leave me alone too. If you want to maintain proximity, STAY AWAY FROM MY BLOG. You're the one who keeps tuning in and checking it (i guess out of paranoia).
I am not bothering you anymore (except for this retaliation, which you initiated), you're the one causing your stress by dwelling on the memory of the past. Whether you’re in the province or the metro… near or far, you won’t be able to move on if you won’t let go. Everyone already gotten over it, everyone already moved on… it’s about time you do the same.
“and please don’t make our neighbours (your ex-neighbours) think that you still live in my apartment. you can politely tell them honestly that you are no longer associated with me nor living in my place.also, I’m so delighted by your blatant 'respectfulness' (sarcastic) of posting comments in FB without me being able to read it as you blocked me.”
You need to update yourself.Becausethe last time I check, pretty much everyone knows we’re not together anymore and that I don’t live there anymore. I think you’re the only one who doesn’t know that?
It’s very apparent that they know becausewhen I mentioned to M and A (your land lord/ lady) about my plans of renting a place in QC, M offered his grandma’s old room. No insinuation from my end there.
Another thing you need to learn to understand (and accept) is that not because people become ex-neighbors mean they can’t be friends anymore.It doesn’t work like that. And you don’t own people, you just can’t tell them who and who not to make friends with.You’re just not in the position to do that.
Remember that “friendship is like diamonds, it last forever.” But that’s not the case when you burn bridges… like what I am doing right now.I didn’t want to though, but you don’t give me reasons not to.
Good job (thumbs up) on FB’s feature on privacy!I blocked you in every possible networking site I can, so that you can stop harassing me like this.But I wonder why you’re so interested finding out what I comment in FB?So just you know, I never mentioned anything about you on any of my comments (I don’t see the point why I have to).Except that time I have to use your name (heaven forgive me), because I need I asked one neighbour to water the plants (which some of those are mine) outside your unit.
Feeling mo naman showbiz personality ka na pinaguusapan palagi? For you’re info, we don’t talk about you, Although, M, our landlord, was offering that I stay in his grandma’s old room, and jokingly pointed out that it directly faces your bedroom window. But I told him off saying “tapos nay un M. Move on na tayo” So, you’re barking at the wrong tree… you should tell “them” instead to stop bringing you up as a topic. Kasi kung ako lang, I don’t see the need to talk about you.
“for Christ sake, i live in the apartment and those people are my neighbours who i have to live with for as long as i want to stay there. [i don’t mind you trying to sugar-coat your whole image to other people, you still remain as the biggest wrong decision of my life] ill leave you alone respectfully, just do the same for me, please... “
Hmmm…I never really liked sweets, more so sugar coatings. You know for a fact that I didn’t mind if they find out I’m gay, that I was your partner, that I am HIV positive.So where is this accusation coming from?
If you want to look good in front of them… by all means do so, but don’t tell me how to dress myself before I face the Pope. Now whose donut has sugar on it?
Oh by the way, if I was a wrong decision… Then that gives you an opportunity to fine tune your “decision making skills.”
“and for the record, i called you after the storm because i am genuinely concerned, not because im trying to get back to you or whatever (which is impossible).”
I appreciate that you checked on me after the storm. Thank you. Also, I want you to know that I do not have plans on getting back with you. That’s for the record too!
**********
DearMr. Anonymous,
Behind all this, I want you to know that I understand your predicament.I know what you want to happen, and how you want it to happen.It’s just that it’s not me to just stay away from people I consider friends.I can be discreet about it though, if that’s any help.
But don’t worry, it might not look like it from your end, but I am doing what I can to keep that gap between us as I know that it serves an essential purpose for you.And since I am the one with the faster recovery capabilities, I might need to learn to extend more patience and understanding towards you.
You used to talk about forgiveness… that we have to learn to forgive our selves and then others, so that we’ll be able to let go and move on.Do that and you’ll be all right soon.
Everything goes through a process and time heals all wound.Mine has already healed. I hope yours will too.
As I was entertaining my self via youtube.com videos, I came across one Animal Planet short documentary on bot fly (watch video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2kuGGmx6DU). I also went about checking other videos on extraction of bot fly larvae from a human host (see some of the videos below).
The bot fly belong to the family of Oestroidea, a hairy flies whose larvae parasitically live within the bodies of mammals. There are about 150 known species worldwide. Human bot fly (Dermatobia hominis) is the lone species of bot fly identified to use humans as the host to its larvae.
Bot flies deposit its egg directly in the host body or sometime use another insect – flies or mosquitoes to transfer their eggs to the host body (may middle man kung baga).How does the bot fly go about it?They catch and attach their eggs to the smaller insect (fly or mosquito) and then release them.Then the larvae from the bot fly eggs, by law of thermodynamics and gravity, fall onto the human skin while in contact with the feeding mosquito or the resting fly. Some forms of bot fly also go and develop in the digestive tract when taken in by a licking action.
Since the botfly larva have spines, they cause an extremely painful condition under your skin. According to Wikipedia “In cattle, the lesions caused by these flies can become infected by a bacterial causes lechiguana, characterized by rapid growing, hard lumps beneath the skin of the animal. Without antibiotics an affected animal will die within 3–11 months.”
The larvae develop under the skin for about eight weeks. After which they will just hatch or fall off and leave the host’s skin. Complications will only arise when infection occurs in the affected area.
The bot fly larvaecan be successfully removed from the skin by suffocating it. So applying several coat of nail polish to the of the larva’s entrance, applying petroleum jelly or covering the affected area with duck tape should do the trick.However the latter is not highly recommended since the larva’s breathing tube (it’s part that’s attached to the opening on the skin) is sensitive and would be broken during the removal of the tape, causing most part of the larva behind.After doing this, wait for a day and you can squeeze out the suffocated, dead larva.
Another way to make the larva come out is to put raw meat on top of the affected area.This should lure the pest to come out of the skin. And if you’re from Costa Rica, one option to kill the larva is to use the tree sap of the matatorsalo.
This is really creepy but we need not worry to much since The Philippines does is not included on the list of countries with known bot fly cases. The list mostly consist of countries with warm and damp climates like (most of) Brazil and Chile, as well as far north as the southern United States.
Here are the list of other countries with identified bot fly occurrence: Adelaide - Elizabeth, Davoren Park, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada - Northern British Columbia, Southern Ontario, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, The coast of Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, , New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Several small countries in Africa
Nevertheless, with the current climate change and situation of global warming, we can never be too sure that bot fly will not infest our country. Therefore, prevent yourselves from being bitten by mosquitoes. Make sure to prevent fly infestation and stay away (as much as possible) from places with mosquito and fly infestation.Stay hygienic and sanitary.
And for Poz girls and guys out there... make sure to stay away from insect bites. We don't want to have any infections going on there.
