Yesterday was my day that i was to go back for my comprehensive care appointment and for a refill for my anti retro viral drugs. This clinic nowadays is overflowing with clients and its only yesterday that i realized it also has a good number of young men. Previously i only happened to find older men and women and mothers carrying babies.
I arrived at the waiting bay at 9.30am and handed in my appointment card. The queuing began and i tell you while here nobody can tell you how long you gonna take warming the seats at the clinic. The plastic seats arent comfortable at all and with someone like me with a small sitting allowance, they did quite some injustice to my butts coz when i woke up they were aching.
From the reception when my name was called, we went to another all familiar waiting room to see the nurse who does the basics like taking weight, pressure, body temperature etc. Here another hour gone and i hadn't got in to see the nurse and the only thing that kept me busy was my phone. I love social media but my phone went off as i waited and i then had to keep busy reading everything on the walls.
I finally did get in to the nurse who did not even give me a smile. The process went faster than i expected in there and off i went to wait for the call to see the clinician. I was surprised when i entered the clinicians room and it was a man. Hmmmm i always like it when i have to chat with a man. Its more easier to share my issues than with a female doctor. Here i realised the clinician had already taken a glimpse of what was in my file and the first question was why my count was not stable. He read from the first count after starting ART to the most recent and he noted it was not appealing. He gave me a warning that i better take my drugs well or else. I dont like such scares. He also demanded that i use condoms anytime i have sex. I almost felt like he knew that i had not used a condom the last time i had had sex because my little head is still yearning for a baby girl. I
told him that my counts may not have been consistent because at times
they are taken when am on my menses. He laughed that off and told me to
be serious and be adherent to my drugs.
He gave me my prescription and a lab test form and off i went. My next stop was the pharmacy. This time there were a few changes in this room. A drug consignment had just been delivered and drug cartons were everywhere. I did not see the famous dust bin where those that do not like the noisy bottles transfer their drugs into plastic papers. I am always in awe wondering how they know which drug is which in the name of hiding their prescription.
I left pharmacy off to the lab. First i was informed that the lab had been moved from the familiar territory to the new building. It was approaching lunch time and i was already feeling hunger pangs. I walked to the lab only to find the longest queue ever. Here, they do not just test those of us from the comprehensive care, its everybody who goes to the hospital and needs a test. I joined the queue and i was yawning after every minute and some friendly person told me to visit the cafe in the building if am feeling hungry. The meals here are definitely not pocket friendly to all clients and most had to endure the hunger despite the food smell that penetrated into the waiting bay. I sat and was served a plate of pilau and an overcooked chicken piece. I ate so hungrily i hope nobody was watching as i had not had any breakfast.
My turn finally came and when i gave my hand to the lab technologist to draw blood, i couldn't help to feel how she kept on pricking me in the search of my vein. I persevered and finally the dreadful process of drawing my blood was over and pheew off i went home.
I do not miss going back for my clinic appointments. I hate the waiting bays. Although they give me an opportunity of knowing am not alone in carrying this monster called HIV, its never been fun waiting. Yesterday i saw some man with a book and another with a newspaper but even them the waiting was too long they still dozed. I do not wish to return and i hope the next time i return, its to collect my referral to a different clinic. Lucky me they gave me three months dose to allow me time to find a new clinic.
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