Risks Dr's Face here - and the Life Changing Donations
A few months ago when I was still in Australia Rob experienced something at the hospital which I had never even considered would be something we would have to deal with.
.......... Exposure to HIV
Obviously I knew how prevalent HIV is here but I guess I never really considered the effect that would have on Rob or us as he treated these patients.
I guess all dr's around the world can come in to contact with disease that can be passed on to them - but here for doctors HIV exposure is a common factor.
I remember quite clearly while I was recovering from surgery that Rob had mentioned he wasn't feeling well.I found this strange particularly as it went for a few days - Rob never gets unwell!
Finally he admitted to me why he was so unwell.
He had been exposed to HIV and was currently on rejection medications.
While operating one day something had burst during the surgery and blood squirted into his eye.
The patient was HIV +
My first reaction was - WHY DIDN'T YOU HAVE OR FACE MASK ON ????........
Poor Rob - like I thought He had just forgotten to put them on..... His answer was gentle," Honey, we don't have any".
I thought to myself - what?? Something as simple as eye and mouth protection??
Due to the fact that they didn't have this basic item Rob was now exposed.
He went on the medication to help his body try and reject the HIV virus.
Sadly these medication are EXTREMELY taxing on the body.
Major side affects were causing Rob nausea, vomitting, no appetite, rapid weight loss and dizziness.
This lasted for weeks.
It got so bad he had to have few days off work.
We waited for the results. You get tested after a few weeks and then have to wait again for 3 months.
Not that I was worried about Rob having HIV - my God is bigger than that - and even if it had happened - again My God is bigger than that....
I found it hard being so far away when he was so so sick and needed me.
Still working long hours while being so sick and having to still cook even though he didn't want to eat but he had to try and keep something down.
This was incredibly hard.
When I told mum and dad they too couldn't believe something so basic for a doctor and for surgery in particular could be unavailable and the lack of these items could change a doctors future forever.
Dad was on to it very quickly and within weeks had received a donation from John Hunter Hospital of various face and eye masks.
Dad also purchased more.
Even ones from bunnings!
Anything to protect their eyes.
Thankfully when Rob had his first test he was negative.
But he was still unwell for weeks after he'd stopped the medication. Before he'd fully recovered - and AGAIN while I was still in Australia - again he got sick.... and again he had to admit he was back on the rejection medications because he had been exposed to HIV again during another surgery!
Again he lost weight and had to go through that alone.
I have been shocked by his weight loss in such a short time - but even more so the muscle loss from being so unwell. And this is just the rejections for this disease - Rob said exposure here is normal for dr's - and dr's will go through it numbers of times through their career. The majority of dr's who do turn up positive is because they do not complete the round of rejection medication. To me this sounded CRAZY - but Rob admitted that if he wasn't married and didn't have me to think about he probably would have abandoned them as well - that's how sick they make you. Thankfully Rob tested the other day and is completely clear - but now the job of regaining weight and muscle strength remains.
But I can't help but think of the countless dr's who are exposed - and the majority of the time it could be prevented by basic items
And I think of all those dr's you end up HIV + because of their love and care for the people here and passion for their work.
And how as a wife ( or husband) that would feel if your partner innocently contracted the disease through their love of caring for people.
Sadly even since I've been back many of Rob's dr friends here have been exposed and have had to undergo the same symptoms and treatment as Rob.
But thanks to Dad's effort of gaining donations - for now this is not such a huge concern.
When Mum and dad were here we took them around the hospital and dad donated all of the face and eye goggles.
How grateful the surgical staff were.
Rob said surgery is a different place - dr's are happier and more at peace - able to concentrate on the task at hand more and worry less about the risk surgery is for them. Something so simple - yet so life changing!
An ambu bag for the malnutrition ward - where sadly Rob experienced many children die purely because they didn't have this basic item.
Ventilation machines for paediatrics and various swabs and other things have also been donated and are making a big difference!
How life changing basic items can be! For those that rounded up these donations - on behalf of the hospital, doctors and patients we say a BIG thank you!
