My Kulam Timeline

Just so that I won’t forget some dates in my Kulam days (as my friend EU and I fondly term ourselves which actually meant being infected with HIV), I tried to create my Kulam timeline. This is also in lieu of my 100^th day of HIV awareness on March 27, 2013. (Awareness, since I can’t really recall when I was infected. So I’m counting the days since I became aware of my HIV status.)

Hindi Isang Ordinaryong Pakikipagsiping

Dahil parehong pagod ang aming katawan dulot ng napakahabang biyahe namin papuntang norte, nakalipas ang magdamag na walang nangyari sa amin. Tahimik na dumaan ang gabi. Mahimbing ang tulog ni GI sa gawing dulo ng kama. Gayundin ang tulog ko sa kabilang dulo ng kama.

Umaga na rin marahil ng maalimpungatan ako sa ingay ng busina ng mga bus at sigawan ng mga barker sa kalapit na terminal. Maganda sana ang silid na inokupahan namin para sa gabing iyon liban na lang sa ingay ng paligid.

Pinakiramdaman ko si GI. Si GI na nakilala ko sa PR nito lamang Pebrero at nakulit kong samahan ako sa aking pakikipagsapalaran na maglakbay mag-isa. Naging magkasundo naman kami sa maraming bagay. Hanggang sa dinala na nga kami sa mismong eksenang ito ng aming buhay. Pinagmasdan ko ang kanyang payapang mukha. Pakiwari ko’y mahimbing pa rin ang kanyang pagkakatulog. Napagod siguro ng husto.

The Infamous Nevirapine Rash

It has been 4 days since I had fever, the longest time I have ever encountered. And as far as my adult mind could remember, my temperature on the 2nd night of fever was the highest temperature I ever recorded, 40.2oC. Good thing it was planned that I am supposed to go to RITM on Friday (3rd day of my fever) intended for my refill, and to meet with a new found friend, EU.

Fever On The 8th Day

I'm having fever on the 8th day of my antiretroviral therapy.

It must have been my body’s reaction to the medications. Tama ba? Oh well, tustado na utak ko ngayon sa init eh.

I started with a temp of 37.5oC in the afternoon, associated with body malaise hanggang sa it increased with an increment of 1 to 2oC every hour even with super daming paligo and sponge baths. As of writing, my temperature is currently at 39.2oC. 

Elixir Of Life

My Elixirs of Life.

Legend has it that whoever drinks the legendary potion, the Elixir of Life, shall be granted with the gift of eternal life.

Text Message From Sagip

This morning, I got a text message from Sagip PGH.

"Good morning po. This is M** from Sagip PGH. I want to inform you regarding your confirmatory test for HIV. Ready for pick-up na po. Please text back po. Thank you."


Oh my God! Eto na yung result. Finally, after 3 months, dumating na rin sa wakas yung result ng HIV test ko.

Eye-Ball For A Cause

Today, may naka-EB ako. But this time, it was an eye-ball for a cause.


Nakilala ko si OG from PR one fine Tuesday afternoon. As I was checking out on some profiles, I stumbled upon his. It was stereotypical. There was nothing much but a few description about himself. It was simple, wholesome ang dating ng profile. But his photos were telling otherwise. Kumbaga sa Photo Classification ng PR, his photos were all soft core.