This saying “fear of the unknown humbles” is really true. Let’s just say for now I’m working at this unit called DOTs (directly observed treatment shortcuts for tuberculosis, leprosy and HIV) no fear it is mainly tuberculosis and HIV patients we get and not severe cases because they are immediately referred.
I was sitting with my superior when a doctor brought this patient, I was just hearing whispers but what I could detect was he wanted a re run test, that particular test, I know not but the man looked troubled and too troubled for it to be tuberculosis, I mean you can’t be whispering if it’s TB right?, you don’t want to infect us but since he wasn’t talking to me, I minded my business but I know I remember hearing my superior say Oga sit down I go call you.

So, after some minutes, he was called and I was told to run the test for him, me I asked which test the patient said HIV with a low voice. Sheybi I was instructed to do that right?, sure I will. I carried out the test and after writing down the result and was about to give him, I was hearing a tiny voice “what’s the result”. At the point I felt like laughing because man is so humble haaaa, as the good person that I am, I told him the result and boom, his voice became loud hahahhahahahhahaha and I was like Oga Wetin happen na. He started his gist “na one girl I carry for last year oh, she no tell me say she be HIV patient oh and we do am without condom, chaiii I blame my self ehhhhhhhh… after we don do am I see her dey hide dey do things, I ask her Wetin she dey hide dey check she no answer me, me I try find out I cun see drugs and my mind tell me say no be normal drugs them wey I know. I cun decide to find out haaaaa my sister na HIV drugs oh she dey hide and she no even tell me before we do am and she no even get remorse. That girl wicked ehhhhhh, na so I begin fear for my life oh, I do test that time result say negative but they ask me to come back again after 3 months uhmmmm na Wetin bring me come oh” me and my colleague asked him “Oga how you go meet random person cun do the do without condom na, you no dey fear?” The man replied “na my self I blame ehhhhh, I no get Wetin I wan talk ehhhhh but I don learn lesson”. I just told him to be careful and prioritize his health because his health is important and even if he contacted the virus there are drugs to help him. Oga didn’t want to hear that part.

Earlier that same day, we had an HIV patient suspected to have TB when I filled her form I couldn’t help looking at her, she looks older and smaller than the age her sister told me, the patient was left outside but me I was looking oh and she was on wheel chair. After they left, I asked my superior sir has it graduated to AIDs? And he replied me they are suspecting hence the other test she’s to carry out along side the TB. Since I have been in DOTs and I stroll to ARV my life has not been the same. Do not ask me what it changed to please.

All these aside, I see how over weight women struggle to climb the stairs or slides and I hate everybody all over again that frown at my weight loss and I still stick to, they are very wicked to prefer the former me, how old was I that I looked like that? I was setting my self up without knowing, thank God for the realization and the decision I took. I prioritized my health please.

Back to the matter, please we should prioritize our health please. No disease or illness is too small.