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Author Topic: And so it begins...  (Read 3394 times)

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Offline DanMo

  • Member
  • Posts: 235
  • Finally undetectable! ;D
And so it begins...
« on: April 05, 2011, 07:05:34 pm »
Today was the day I have been anxiously awaiting. I had my Eligibility interview today at the Health Department. Turns out I'm the right amount of poor to get everything for free. LOL

I was surprised at the amount of paperwork we had to fill out, print, scan, copy, sticker, sign, initial, etc. I was also able to get squeezed into at the last moment to get my blood drawn. 9 VIALS! And the nurse told me it's usually 12 vials at other places. Now I know why they get called vampires. I've never had that much blood taken. She offered me a strawberry pop-tart ;D The whole process took like 3 hours.

She mentioned the whole clusterfuck that FL ADAP is, and assured me that if I had to start meds, they always find a way to get the meds, that no one ever goes without.  :-\ Hope she's not sweet-talking.

I got an appt to go back on the 27th to find out my results. (They drew my blood at like 3PM, so from what I remember reading on here, CD4s are usually low during the afternoon, right?)

Dan
Logged
“I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.” —Frida Kahlo

11 Feb 2011 - Preliminary positive
07 Mar 11 - Inconclusive WB
14 Mar 11 - Diagnosed positive
05 Apr 11 - 355 (21%) / VL: 186,054
27 Apr 11 - 390 (20%) / VL: 285,095
06 Jun 11 - 298 (19%) / VL:  78,380
01 Aug 11 - > STARTED ATRIPLA <
30 Aug 11 - 699 (31%) / VL: 1,938
03 Nov 11 -                / VL: 645
27 Dec 11 - 559 (35%) / VL: 1,189
11 Jan 12 -                 / VL: <20
09 Apr 12 - 686 (40%) / VL: UD
11 Jul 12 - 793 (37%) / VL: 25

Offline WillyWump

  • Member
  • Posts: 7,367
  • EPIC FIERCENESS!
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2011, 07:28:52 pm »
Quote from: DanMo on April 05, 2011, 07:05:34 pm

She offered me a strawberry pop-tart ;D


wut? The vamps down here never offer me anything, not even a Hello Kitty BandAid. However I did get a grape sucker from my doctor once.

Glad you are getting all your ducks lined up, it will make everything much easier.

-Will
Logged
POZ since '08

Last Labs-
11-6-14 CD4- 871, UD
6/3/14 CD4- 736, UD 34%
6/25/13 CD4- 1036, UD,
2/4/13, CD4 - 489, UD, 28%

Current Meds: Prezista/Epzicom/ Norvir
.

Offline hope_for_a_cure

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,517
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2011, 07:29:43 pm »
Quote from: DanMo on April 05, 2011, 07:05:34 pm
Turns out I'm the right amount of poor to get everything for free. LOL

That sums it up Dan.  Good that you are going to get some assistance buddy.  'Poverty' sucks though and I speak from someone who has had experience with that.  
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Offline buginme2

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,426
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2011, 08:05:38 pm »
Hey Dan thats awesome news!  I'm sure you feel a little less anxious. 

Im sure the blood tests will be fine!  I've never been offered anything when they take my blood except a bill.  A pop tart sounds nice!
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Don't be fancy, just get dancey

Offline skeebo1969

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  • Posts: 5,931
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2011, 08:58:20 pm »


   My first ASO gave me a $20 gas card, and two movie tickets.  I took my (then) 4 year old to see Chronicles of Narnia.  I'm glad everything worked out for you.  Once you get it all over with it's like a ton of weight off your shoulders.
Logged
I despise the song Love is in the Air, you should too.

Offline DanMo

  • Member
  • Posts: 235
  • Finally undetectable! ;D
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2011, 10:37:28 pm »
I told the nurse that I've never had that much blood drawn before and I asked if I should have something to eat... so she offered me her pop tarts ;D She was awfully nice. Kept me from getting woozy by chatting while she took my blood. (I warned her that I usually get woozy).

"Poverty," I've never really thought of myself or my family as being poor. We make just enough money to cover all our expenses and have some money left over to buy food and stuff. So, it's kinda nice that I don't have to pay for my treatment, but still, I was placed at the lowest level. LOL

I really hope that everything is fine. Waiting these two weeks is going to drive me crazy!  ;)

@Skeebo: Wow! Where do you live that they hand out $20 gas cards to patients?!

Dan
Logged
“I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.” —Frida Kahlo

11 Feb 2011 - Preliminary positive
07 Mar 11 - Inconclusive WB
14 Mar 11 - Diagnosed positive
05 Apr 11 - 355 (21%) / VL: 186,054
27 Apr 11 - 390 (20%) / VL: 285,095
06 Jun 11 - 298 (19%) / VL:  78,380
01 Aug 11 - > STARTED ATRIPLA <
30 Aug 11 - 699 (31%) / VL: 1,938
03 Nov 11 -                / VL: 645
27 Dec 11 - 559 (35%) / VL: 1,189
11 Jan 12 -                 / VL: <20
09 Apr 12 - 686 (40%) / VL: UD
11 Jul 12 - 793 (37%) / VL: 25

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,614
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2011, 10:50:19 pm »
Quote from: DanMo on April 05, 2011, 10:37:28 pm
I told the nurse that I've never had that much blood drawn before and I asked if I should have something to eat...
make sure to drink plenty of water the day of a blood draw. Keeping hydrated keeps the blood flowing to fill all those vials. (I've been underhydrated before and almost has to squeeze the blood out as it dribbled out so slowly.)
Logged
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline skeebo1969

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,931
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2011, 10:50:32 pm »
Quote from: DanMo on April 05, 2011, 10:37:28 pm
@Skeebo: Wow! Where do you live that they hand out $20 gas cards to patients?!

Dan

Trust, they ain't doing it no more.  It was Miami, Florida... roughly 6 years ago.
Logged
I despise the song Love is in the Air, you should too.

Offline mecch

  • Member
  • Posts: 13,455
  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2011, 03:43:16 am »
Quote from: skeebo1969 on April 05, 2011, 08:58:20 pm

   My first ASO gave me a $20 gas card, and two movie tickets.  I took my (then) 4 year old to see Chronicles of Narnia.  I'm glad everything worked out for you.  Once you get it all over with it's like a ton of weight off your shoulders.

Wow that's amazing and touching.
If we lived in a perfect world, some philanthropist would fund a nice gesture like this. Sometimes these gestures are just so damn important when everything else is both frightening and shitty.
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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline mbpoz6

  • Member
  • Posts: 82
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2011, 12:32:23 pm »
You'll do fine Dan.  ;)
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Offline spacebarsux

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,350
  • Survival of the Fittest
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2011, 01:01:20 pm »
All the best Dan! Sure you'll do just fine.
Logged
Infected-  2005 or early 2006; Diagnosed- Jan 28th, 2011; Feb '11- CD4 754 @34%, VL- 39K; July '11- CD4 907@26%,  VL-81K; Feb '12- CD4 713 @31%, VL- 41K, Nov '12- CD4- 827@31%

Offline DanMo

  • Member
  • Posts: 235
  • Finally undetectable! ;D
Re: And so it begins...
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2011, 02:18:49 pm »
Quote from: leatherman on April 05, 2011, 10:50:19 pm
make sure to drink plenty of water the day of a blood draw. Keeping hydrated keeps the blood flowing to fill all those vials. (I've been underhydrated before and almost has to squeeze the blood out as it dribbled out so slowly.)

Thanks for the advice Mike! I seemed to be fine in that regard, since I felt her switching out the vials rather quickly. But I'll keep in mind to drink a good amount of water just to be sure. (Especially since she told me the other clinic usually takes out 12 vials instead of 9).

Dan
Logged
“I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.” —Frida Kahlo

11 Feb 2011 - Preliminary positive
07 Mar 11 - Inconclusive WB
14 Mar 11 - Diagnosed positive
05 Apr 11 - 355 (21%) / VL: 186,054
27 Apr 11 - 390 (20%) / VL: 285,095
06 Jun 11 - 298 (19%) / VL:  78,380
01 Aug 11 - > STARTED ATRIPLA <
30 Aug 11 - 699 (31%) / VL: 1,938
03 Nov 11 -                / VL: 645
27 Dec 11 - 559 (35%) / VL: 1,189
11 Jan 12 -                 / VL: <20
09 Apr 12 - 686 (40%) / VL: UD
11 Jul 12 - 793 (37%) / VL: 25
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