Trip to Room 833

 

November 16, 2020 – today, I’m scheduled for a clinic visit with my rheumatologist, Dr. Miranda.

Unlike the usual I woke up a bit later today at 4:32AM to be exact, probably because I stayed up later than usual to study for my 3PM exam today. But per usual, I rolled over a bit before finally getting out of bed at 4:38. Skipped my morning devotion to St. Clare and briefly decided on my outfit for the day and stepped into the bathroom to bath at 4:40. As I got out the bath at 4:57, Mama was already awake and was preparing herself as she told me she’d accompany me to church today. For almost a month now, I’ve been attending earliest daily mass. The earliest for the reason that I should avoid the harsh sunlight. We barely arrived on time for the 5:30 mass. The mass ended  after 45 minutes and Mama and I headed home. Papa was already preparing breakfast when we arrived.

While waiting for breakfast, I logged into NowServing – an app that my doctor and I use to communicate and where I set appointments – I found out that I was the 9th patient for the day. I was trying to make arrangements with my Doctor’s secretary, Ms. Alex to have my appointment earlier than schedule since today also starts my rotation in the Pathology Department in PSH where I’m having my internship. Our orientation is at 11AM and my Doctor’s appointment is at 11:15 – quite hectic, right? To add to that my parents need to be back by 12 to assist with a Sacrament in church. So we’re really time constricted. Thankfully, the secretary told me to come early and she’d insert me when she can.

7:46AM – with no make up just sunblock, wearing my mask and face shield and shades, holding on to my white, I,  along with my parents left for CHH expecting the morning traffic of Consolacion and Mandaue. We picked up Mama’s friend along the way. She likes to bring friends along to ease her anxiety and nervousness while going up multi-story buildings and enclosed small areas like elevators. I was sleepy the whole ride and was able to nap while my parents and their friend chatted about church activities. 

8:44 we arrived and was immediately welcomed by the security personnel and the triage officer. After the triage officer got my temperature and the basic history pertaining to my risk as to contracting and being a carrier of COVID, I was told to go up to the information center to register and get a pass which I complied. We then rode the elevator, me, Mama and her friend since Papa had to park the car – we were hoisted to the 8th floor. Getting out of the elevator, we made a left turn and then a right turn towards room 833. Ms. Alex was still outside since she was still disinfecting the clinic. She got my pass and told me to sit and wait for Doc to arrive.

I pulled out my iPad and decided to study. But truthfully, I was a bit anxious and scared. My recent lab results were actually okay, still not normal though but improving the least bit. I read on the proposed steroid-sparing treatment that we would be using for my next step and I understand that it is to prevent another relapse. Yet still while I waited for Doc to arrive and for my turn I was feeling a bit anxious. I maybe a doctor too, though I don’t have a license yet, I am very far from being an expert in rheumatology.

Doc arrived and us, the patients were called one by one for our turn. My fellow parents were at that time were all elders probably for their arthritic and joint pains – I could only guess. From being 9th in line in the app, I became the 4th patient entertained at 9:55, it pays to be early after all. Per usual Doc asked me how I was and I said, I was okay. I showed him my palms to show that the vasculitis I suffered from two months ago had already resolved. I proceeded to telling him that I was no longer experiencing joint pains which was main complaint last January, no more rash too, no fatigue, just the alarming hair-fall (alarming for me). He reviewed my lab results and concluded that everything was generally okay with my laboratory results and clinically too . He further explained that I need to add another drug to further suppress my lupus.

I was happy, my Mama was happy, my Papa is happy  and so is Doc. I told Doc that I was excited to go on face-to-face duty again and am very hopeful that I could do so by February. Doc assured me that if successful, I’d be in my low dose corticosteroid by February and won’t be as immunocompromised as I am now and won’t be at too much risk for COVID or other infections.

Despite the positivity, and the somehow acceptance that this is now my “normal” I still feel bit anxious of the possible treatment failure. It was really frustrating how I was already happy being 2 steps close to discontinuing my corticosteroid but ended up going back to my high dose steroid because I had a flare. And I don’t want to experience that again. I’m just really praying hard right now that this progress would be continuous.

I got home at 11AM just in time for my zoom meeting orientation which was eventually moved to 1PM. I got the time to relax and evaluate my half-day and realized I still haven’t prayed to St. Clare. And it struck me, that like St. Clare, the Lord will always take care of me. I pray now that my heart would be filled with faith and love to see and feel God everyday of my life.

🦋

R