negative, negative, positive

[gomez]

Went to Bumrungrad on Tuesday to have hiv and hep B&C tests. The results came back with four test results: hiv negative, hep C negative, but two results for hep B, one negative and one, Christ I can't breathe, positive.

 

I couldn't understand the printout, and the receptionist took one look at my face and knew she should find someone to explain it to me.

 

She approached several nurses in the huge waiting room and they looked at my printout, then declined to discuss it with me. I just knew it was because they didn't want to be the bearers of bad news, it wasn't their job.

 

Then she came back and somberly told me I'd have to wait for the doctor who I saw before the blood test. He was off having dinner. Would I wait? Then she touched my hand. My hand, for chrissakes, it must be serious! Told myself to quit being a baby, and watched cartoons on a TV hanging from the ceiling. Didn't help.

 

Anyway, doctor comes back and tells me I don't have hep B. The positive result was for antibodies. I guess I had earlier told him that years and years ago I had had an incomplete hep B vaccination -- not sure, but I think I had only one of the three shots, then went to India earlier than expected and never got around to completing it. So he decided to test for antibodies. I've got some.

 

More emotional day than I anticipated. Forgot to even do the little hiv-free wiggle.

[Nervous_Dog]

Keep your vacinations up, kind of like a shot across the bow huh?

 

Keep healthy, have fun

 

DOG -

[jitagawn]

::

Glad you got through that one. Whew.

Be safe bro.

[gomez]

Yeah, a shot across the bow is exactly what it feels like.

 

I now know that HBsAg is the bad one, the test for antigens, and HBsAb is the test for antibodies and doesn't matter whether it's positive or negative. If I'd only known... You guys should have warned me!!

 

If you see a guy walking around Soi Cowboy tonight (Saturday) with a sign around his neck saying "I'm officially safe girls!" come up and say hi.