Who turned on the TB?

This March has been a trying month for me. It was March 13 when I received the result of my medical examination from our company’s health care provider. I never thought of the gravity of the impression found in my chest x-ray until my sir told me that if proven active, I should get medication for a six- month period; by implication I would not be employed. Yeah, my x-ray said I am a suspect of primary tuberculosis.

By 5pm that day, I do not know what to do or what I am doing, except that I can see the world crashing before me. My dream of shifting to another career, saving up for the next months, and my consistent bonding with my loved ones would all be affected if the result is positive. It scared me to death I almost cried while talking to my two closest friends on the phone. It was like a scene in a movie; touching to watch on screen, but devastating to experience.

Good enough, I was reminded that “Nothing is impossible with God who strengthens me.” I know that in times like these, Faith in God is my first and last refuge. Only through it can I surpass yet another challenge in my twenty years of existence.

The following days, I went to the hospital, treated as a patient, anxiously waited for my results, and revisited my pulmonary doctor. He said that basing from all that has been said and done, I have an inactive PTB. I was once exposed to the bacteria, although it has not affected my system. Clinical procedures confirmed that my sputum (phlegm) does not contain the bacteria responsible for TB, my two chest x-rays (with a one year interval) looks identical, hence, it has not gone worse, and it does not pose a threat to the people surrounding me. Also, I do not have cough or phlegm for the last months. Thank you Lord for these findings! For the record, hindi ako nakakahawa.

Until now I feel cowardice whenever sharing my recent encounter with mother med. Its world of drugs and machines, medication, tiled floors and ceilings, and masked personnel scares me since childhood. But through it all, I repeatedly hum, “Nothing is impossible with God who strengthens me.” And it is true, it was true, and forever will be true.

After that period, I learned to be more conscious of my environment, more faithful to my source of strength and healing, and more compassionate with the people who have it, even to those with other conditions. I know that the challenge for me is not over yet. As long as I am living, there will be another storm. The good thing about it is that every single day of the year, there would be sunlight.