MDRTB: Part II

Previously, I had written a post about MDRTB. It is one of the serious diseases in the country that are taken for granted by normal people. Taken for granted because they are not aware of how it spreads and that they don't bother caring on how to prevent it.

The purpose of this post is to spread a kind of experience we had and aware them that this is not just a matter of article-related topic but a true experience we had for the past years.

Let us not be ignorant or blinded by the things that is happening around our society. Instead, let us be defensive together with our love ones by informing them with these reality in our life today.

Some years ago, about December of 2013, my partner has been claiming that his back has regularly aching and feels like some sort of needle is piercing his lungs. Between those months, he had blood-like sputum and is not telling me the first times. Without knowing it, I still manage to suggest him to have a check-up in the health center near our area. On March of 2014, I convinced him to finally go to the health center.

Aside from the fact that he had two previous medication with TB on 2006 and 2012, he had taken the sputum test for rifampicin-resistance. I didn't understood about it. I don't even know how they call it. All I know is that it's still TB.

The test turned to be positive. He had this virus which is resistant to the basic drugs for TB. They recommend us going to San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. The hospital is one of the center that are expert for handling this kind of disease. On April of the same year, after another sputum test, he has been diagnosed to have MDRTB. The doctor, nurses and other health care assistants gave us seminar about it. According to them, it is some kind of malignant TB. The virus is a much stronger type that needs to be killed by some much stronger kind of antibiotics. In his category, he has given 15 kinds of tablets to be taken daily from Monday-Saturday without skipping. Also to be taken in the hospital only, in front of the nurses and other official designated health care providers. We even signed a contract that our patients should finish the medication from 18-24 months without absent.

So the patients are required to take those meds every single day except Sundays. The side effects of those meds had strongly affect each of the patient we had encounter.

• Most of them vomits and had loosen some weight becoming more skinny than before.
•  They can feel dizziness, extremely weak and may feel too much head ache.
• Others told me that they've got darker skin tone since they started the meds and had a lot of itchiness and allergies from it.

When you see those people in real, you will feel lucky not to be one of them yet the pity has there. But a lesson learned, not to take granted those who cough near you. They may be carrying the virus. But to no discrimination, I am just telling this story as an awareness for others who are not careful with themselves.

So, hearing this story, how would you act about it? Would you care now about the dangers of not being aware of these kinds of diseases? Would you share this to your loved ones?

From our previous experience about MDRTB, I definitely would guard my family and friends about it. Let us take good care of ourselves as well as our families and not to take for granted the viruses that are scattered everywhere. Be knowledgeable enough.