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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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0608
Joined: 20 Jun 2012
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 Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 2:58 am Post subject: |
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Thought I'd post a quick update. I'm still positive, in both senses of the word. Still working, still active, still living. The only difference is that I take three pills everyday (one in the morning, two at night) and check in with my doctor regularly. I've told my closest friends (Korean) about my status, and they've been awesome (I couldn't have gotten through that dark first month without them).
Emotionally, I'm so much better and stronger than I was when I put up this thread. Seriously, I think I cried at least a little every single freakin' day that first month. But what helped so much is 1) getting informed (HIV is no longer a death sentence, Hallelujah!), 2) my friends, 3) keeping busy, 4) becoming a lot more spiritual (I've realized that I can only do my best and then leave the rest in God's hands) and 5) meeting other people who were positive.
I'm not gonna say that it's easy going (I sigh every now and then), but I still have a great life, HIV and all, and I still feel truly blessed. Happy Chuseok to everyone out there!  |
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Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:56 am Post subject: |
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| 0608 wrote: |
Thought I'd post a quick update. I'm still positive, in both senses of the word. Still working, still active, still living. The only difference is that I take three pills everyday (one in the morning, two at night) and check in with my doctor regularly. I've told my closest friends (Korean) about my status, and they've been awesome (I couldn't have gotten through that dark first month without them).
Emotionally, I'm so much better and stronger than I was when I put up this thread. Seriously, I think I cried at least a little every single freakin' day that first month. But what helped so much is 1) getting informed (HIV is no longer a death sentence, Hallelujah!), 2) my friends, 3) keeping busy, 4) becoming a lot more spiritual (I've realized that I can only do my best and then leave the rest in God's hands) and 5) meeting other people who were positive.
I'm not gonna say that it's easy going (I sigh every now and then), but I still have a great life, HIV and all, and I still feel truly blessed. Happy Chuseok to everyone out there! |
Thanks for the Update. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:37 am Post subject: |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
There are two serious things you have to consider if you are not just pulling our leg.
Number one, on average it takes 8 years for your helper t-cells to get depleted by the virus to the point where you get AIDS. Some people the virus moves faster, some it moves slower, and in some the virus is eliminated by the immune system. The longer you wait to go on the drug regimen the more and more your helper t-cells get permanently depleted and the less lee-way you will have regarding the disease.
Number two, the drug regimen is strict. You have to take the drugs at the time when you are supposed to take them otherwise the virus develops a resistance to one of the drugs and you have to be put on another one. There are no second chances for each drug regimen. You do it right and time it right or you might be screwed. There are a limited number of drugs they can use on you for your treatment and you might have to discontinue a drug for another drug because you can't tolerate the drug.
Are you going to be able to acquire an HIV cocktail in Korea and be able to keep to a strict timing on this cocktail while in Korea? The answer is NO. Go back to your home country and get the treatment that you need. Otherwise things definitely might not be so good for you. |
Unless he goes home to a country where the drugs are not covered and treatement is not covered and ends up financially ruined as a result of his disease....say in the US where medical coverage can be dodgy sometimes.
OP said he is 100% covered for the cost of the treatment in Korea and that sir counts for a lot.
OP, I am sorry this happened to you and I am quite impressed with how you are handling it. Kudos to you for your attitude and outlook.
As for your question, I would have no problem with working with someone who has HIV. The only situation where it may become an issue would be if you worked in healthcare (nurse for example), dentistry (dental hygenist) or perhaps child care (the issue here would be with parents more than anything else).
I wish you the best and hope you get the full treatment. |
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Pablo
Joined: 15 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:07 am Post subject: |
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| Good going, 0608! |
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WadRUG'naDoo
Joined: 15 Jun 2010
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| Be prepared for your employer to find out. Loose lips at the hospital are pretty common. |
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0608
Joined: 20 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the good wishes! As for my employer finding out, that's a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. I go to a large hospital that's particularly well-known for HIV treatment (that's why I chose it); my doctor and the staff there have all been excellent to me. And there IS such a thing as a confidentiality clause in Korea. Any medical staff member that discloses a patient's personal information would be immediately dismissed. |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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Just out of curiosity, you don't have an annual health check? If you were an E-2 visa worker, you would have this, but you avoid it because you are an F-visa/gyopo, correct?
I wonder if someone not of Korean heritage would be treated differently? Any opinions on that? |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 4:53 am Post subject: |
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| Swampfox10mm wrote: |
Just out of curiosity, you don't have an annual health check? If you were an E-2 visa worker, you would have this, but you avoid it because you are an F-visa/gyopo, correct?
I wonder if someone not of Korean heritage would be treated differently? Any opinions on that? |
Perhaps that is because the E2 visa is ONE YEAR foreign worker visa and the F-series visas are RESIDENCY visas not tied to a set period?
Also if you wish to relaunch the debate on discrimination towards foreigners based on medical conditions, you can do it more clearly than this man, no need to pretend you are just curious about opinions.  |
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