One little story: A blood work experience

[mrcaterpillar]

Hello everyone,

I've been a member here for a while but have not post or reply much so far. (Though I've been following the forum...) To introduce myself, I'm a newly graduated, unemployed (*linkedin profile link comes here*), 23yo guy from Istanbul and been positive for 2 years+ few months, and all is fine.

So today something happened that made me feel a little bad and I just want to share to get it out of my system.

I live in Turkey, Istanbul. Here we have mandatory military duty for men -for 6 months or a year- after they completed their high school or university education. But people living with HIV are exempted from this duty. So I've just graduated from university and started this whole bureaucratic processes to get that title of "not suitable for military duty" and continue my life later on. Military office sent me today to one hospital's infectious diseases department. It would be better actually if they could send me to the hospital that I've alraeady been going for 2 years and that I have my own doctor there but you know, for some bureaucratic reasons I was sent to different one. (God bless bureaucracy) Anyway I went to this doctor and explained my situation. Gave her my documents that include my hiv diagnosis from 2 years ago. She couldn't be sure enough and made some calls, and decided that I need to get an anti-hiv test here again in that hospital for this process. (God bless Turkey's chaotic bureaucracy) The actual story begins at this moment.

She made some calls with lab. And she handled me a paper with a man's name on it and told me to go find him in the lab to took my blood because he is a more "experienced" one. Okay, no drama needed. I don't want to complain for the special treatment I'm getting, I just want to get my stuff done asap. I went down to lab to find him. I approached the desk and told the guy "This doctor sent me to find this guy to take my blood etc etc..." and I told the whooole story properly. The guy was like "ok sure come with me" and I followed him. He took me to a nurse but not to a male nurse, some another female nurse. I kind of doubted for a bit because the name doc told me was a man's name, so should I be concerned about a possible mistake here? But the desk guy was very confident about what he has been doing, as well as the nurse, so I thought like there should not be a mistake here, this one may be some other "experienced" nurse.

Well of course, as you may guess, she was not (The smile is kind of a reflection and representation of my current nervous and angry mood) I got that when she asked "what health problem you have makes you exempted from military duty" while gently drawing my blood. I answered to her, "HIV". But at the same time I realized that she was not the experienced person who was informed by my doctor becauseeee, she should have known about me already... After she finished drawing my blood, she told me "You know that you must have been informed me, I would wear two pair of gloves". That saying was not harsh much but her expression on her face was so irritating -and her way of saying that-. I told her that "my doc talked with the lab about me and I told the desk guy about it, he took me to your chair for blood work" So obviously, I did do nothing wrong. If anything, I did everything even much more properly than I HAD to do* (This is an another topic for discussion so for that, please go down the bottom of my post and see the star sign*) But she kept giving me this irritating look, like that was not enough, complained the desk guy for not informing her about me. He said, "I did not know!" I was like "Whoooooo the f* the doc called and talked here in the lab then??!" (-I screamed inside) Instead of discussing and solve this particular conflict, as my general attitude towards any problem I slowly moved away from them. I left the lab to go get some other bureaucratic stuff done...
 
So it was not really a TERRIBLE experience, it just made me feel bad and angry for a few hours. And as I said earlier, I just wanted to share it and get it out of my system. I have been positive for 2 years and a few months, the experiences that I have had so far were mostly good ones and I am blessed for that. I met with very good doctors (and dentists too #yay !). I shouldn't be complaining much. But even though when you think that you handle well (emotionally) everything about HIV, there still can be moments in life that may challenge you a little. And I believe it is okay. We should be free to feel things, I guess.

Wow I wrote so much... Thank you for reading guys! I really appreciate it. Hope it makes sense to you, sometimes I can not be sure if my English is as good as I imagine.

*IMO, the hospitals' and labs' attitude towards infectious diseases must not be like this, there must be standardized hygiene procedures since there are many people who are not even aware of what virus/es they may have at the moment. I understand that the staff want to be cautious and alert regarding such issues. They should be. I only believe that the best way for being cautious is that making all procedures standardized. It is the safest way. What do you guys think?

[Jim Allen]

Sorry to here that. Look I would have told her double gloving is a stupid risk and to read an updated manual some time instead of sounding ignorant and left it at that. HIV status would be about as relevant as me asking her what her bra size before drawing blood. She's a nurse if you does not like drawing bloods she's in the wrong line of work.

However that said my temper has caused me my own problems from time to tome 
Chill and Take it easy.

Jim

[mrcaterpillar]

Some proper amount of temper is needed sometimes I guess. I almost have none so my reaction instead is generally not-proper amount of stress eating+binge watching tv shows and having an unproductive day.

But that worked I feel better!

Thanks Jim, was nice to receive such comment. Lets dream of a world full of well-educated blood-drawer-people.

[CaveyUK]

Hi

Sounds like a bit of a mess, and I never understand why things are made more difficult than they need to be in these situations.

As for the Nurse, I'd like to think I would have the presence of mind to respond with something along the lines of 'I should have told you? Oh, I'm sorry I thought I was being directed to an experienced nurse rather than a student...you do realise that someone who doesn't know their status is far more dangerous to you than I am, with my undetectable status?' but in the heat of the moment I'd probably just be shocked and want to get out of the situation as quickly as possible. I'd certainly put together a letter after the event though.

Glad all that nonsense is out of the way for you now though!

[mrcaterpillar]

Thank you, CaveyUK!

Yes many things passed through in my mind at the moment that I wanted to say but I could not. This case taught me again not to be silent next time.

*waiting for the next case*

[radioactivo]

Hello caterpillar... sorry hearing that... the ignorance is a big sin... and if it comes from a healthcare profesional is still more injury. I smile when reading about the burocracy madness because im from Spain and we know here how desperate can be to struggle with burocrátics issues.
In the other hand I would like to ask about the hiv+ actuality there in turkey due to I have a job offer from istambul... but I have doubts because the political and religious situation... also people told me that hiv + have forbidden to emigrated to the country no matters if you are european or japanish or wherever....
Mucha fuerza y ánimo compañero
Big hugs...

[mrcaterpillar]

Hello radioactivo. I don't want to have direct impact on your decision whether to move/or not to move to Turkey actually, everyone's opinion about "how life is here in Turkey" is different.

I believe Istanbul is a very beautiful city, despite all the chaos. In Istanbul, you can find every type of people -from most conservative types to most open-minded-. All in one package. So there is a possibility that you can be happy.

But if you look at the big picture, I don't like the current situation of Turkey. -in terms of politics- There is a uncertainity about future. I visited Europe before, but I never lived there long term. So I don't know much about life in Europe neither, but I believe, it is probably better than here. If I am ever given a chance -financial chance- to move abroad, I would most likely leave. But again, I do not want o influence your decision. This is just how I feel. Things might turn out to be fine later here maybe? Time will show.

HIV-wise, there are good doctors in Istanbul. And we have state insurance, so state provides us medicines and we do not pay. This is pretty nice. Health-wise I have not been challenged here much -except some little cases like I told above-

http://pozitifyasam.org/en We have our association, and this is theirs website. You can e-mail them your questions as well. I do not know whether HIV positive people are forbidden to migrate here or not. They may know.

And feel free to ask me anything.

xx

[Matland]

as a turkish positive as well, i wouldnt recommend you coming here. Well, i dont know the procedure for obtaining meds for a foreigner but our social security may not cover it. You should ask about it to the firm which gives an offer. Even if it does, turkey is not a good choice especially in this time. The economy is not doing good and there is tension among people. Yet, we are still try to live in peace. If you decide to come here, you had better hide your hiv status due to the ignorance which is quite common here. People dont know how it transmits so keep it to yourself. But in istanbul, there are many things to do and it most probably meets your needs more than enough. Still, it is overcrowded and just evaluate the pros and cons. Lastly, if you ask me, i would say no!