Holla, fellas! I know you haven't heard from me in quite a long while, that's because I've been busy with not-so important things. February was not really a breeze, more of like air from the gasoline station. You smell it for such a short period of time yet it lingers in your nostrils. Bottom line, that air that you smelled is in no way relevant to your life or your workload or your love life. Get my point? Okay, nah. I won't expound anymore since my mind is not in the mood to think anyway, I've been having numerous migraine attacks for a couple of days now and I don't know why.

Anyhoo, I sold my beloved dSLR. I won't be posting any hi-res photos from now until I buy myself a new one. I sold it with the thoughts that looking for an upgrade would be easy, apparently it's not. I'm a bit heavy on my finances for this month, my mom borrowed my camera money so I have to use my savings to buy a new one. Thing is, if I use my savings, I will still have money left for, say a week. And I don't want that. I think I'm gonna put off buying a new camera until the 3rd wk of March. It's just so heartbreaking that I went to Baguio to meet the boyf's parents and I didn't have a camera! :( All I had was my 2MP phone which won't be able to justify how fun my stay there was. (This would be for another blog full of text.)

I hope I won't be invited to anymore summer activities this month so I can focus on my camera funds. A co-worker texted me last weekend asking me if I want to go to Laiya and I declined because I don't have a camera and the money to fund that kind of leisure at this point. Oh money, money, money does make the world go round.

Case # 1

A couple of weeks ago, I was complaining from severe abdominal pain and I couldn't brush it off anymore because it was more painful than the usual. We went to Aventus(Intellicare) beside SM North so I can have my check up. The guard asked me a lot of questions, I had to explain to him everything as if he was the doctor in exchange of a number. After a couple of minutes, my number was called and I was asked to go the the information/reception area. When I went there, the Nurse asked me the same questions the guard asked me so I had to relay the whole story again, after that I was asked to sit down. After some time, they called my name and asked for my health card, I gave it to them, they swiped it and asked me to sign something. I asked the nurse what it is, she said it's for the consultation fee. Well for me, before asking anyone to sign anything, I think it's proper to explain what that document is. Plus having me sign that document when I haven't been checked by the doctor yet? Oh, please. As far as I know, and as far as I have experienced, they usually ask you to pay for something after the checkup has been done.

But anyhoo, after signing the said document, I was asked to wait again. After finishing a game of Angry Birds, they called my name again and this time to check my BP. I was asked again to wait for my name to be called. After taking a short nap, I was called to go to the Doctor's clinic. While I was explaining what happened to my Doctor, she kept on interrupting me saying that my story is full of contradictions and that it doesn't make any sense. I told her that the pain starts from the upper right abdomen and eventually finds its way to the lower right abdomen. It's very easy to understand, had she not interrupted me, she could've understood.

I informed the doctor that I was uncomfortable with the door open since she required me to raise my shirt and pinch the part of my body that ached and she said, "Okay lang yan, mga nurse naman ang mga yan e.". What the actual fuck??? Regardless if those people are medically trained, I wouldn't want to expose my body for everyone to see. Moving on, the Mean Doctor told me to have my Urinalysis so we can check if it's UTI.

So, I go to the crappy bathroom where they don't have any tissue nor liquid soap. Good thing I had my own tissue, sanitizer and alcohol. Went ahead into the lab so they can scrutinize my pee and I was told I had to wait for one hour for the result. Are you kidding me? One freakin' hour???? There were only 5 people around that time and it will take them 1 hour? Okay fine, can't do anything anyway.

After an hour and a half, I can't take it anymore because it's been too long and I have errands to do. I went to the lab and ask for the result, the MedTech told me that she already released it, I asked why didn't she call me, she said the nurses were supposed to do that. I went to the Nurse's station and asked if my results were there and they were! They were just too busy chitchatting that they forgot to call my name.

So, I got the result, went back to the Doctor and I was told that I didn't have UTI but there were traces of blood in my urine. I was told that my follow-up care should be with an OB Gyne. They had no OB Gyne for the day so I had no option but to go home. So, I left not knowing why my lower abdomen was so painful.

8 hrs after my checkup, I was rushed to the ER. The pain was not intolerable, they had to hydrate me using a dextrose and inject me with pain relievers. The people in Makati Med were very nice, probably because of the pricey service. But I couldn't care less, as long as they take care of me as a patient, I'm willing to pay. I was also told that my follow-up care would be an OB Gyne.

Case # 2

Since I was so pleased with how Makati Med handled the situation when I was at the ER, i wanted to go there for my follow-up care as well. Went to Aventus in Makati (which is Intellicare's office) so I can coordinate with them. For a question, you have to get a number. The guard interviewed me the same way the first guard did, I did a repeat performance with the person at the reception/information area. I was asked to proceed to a certain room so that my question can get answered. I was told that if I plan to do my follow-up care at Makati Med, I'd have to pay for it and they'd reimburse it, not even the full amount but 80% from them and 20% from PhilHealth. What a hassle, for a checkup? No, thanks.

I decided to make do with what I have and told the person at the reception area that I'm just going to have my checkup with their resident OB, I was told that I have to get another number, so I waited patiently until my number was called and I was asked to fill out this and that sheet, had to wait again until the doctor called my name. The OB was nice, she made me feel very comfortable and even joked about a lot of things. I won't tell what the diagnosis yet is, but I was asked t have a different kind of ultrasound so we can be sure. I went to the nurse's station and was told that it has to be scheduled and earliest that they can do is Tuesday. I asked if I can have it in a different clinic and was told that I can.

I went to the information room to ask if I'll be needing anything else aside from my card and they told me that was all I need. They even gave me several addresses of different clinics. Went to the nearest clinic and I was told I'd have to pay for it unless I have an authorization letter from Intellicare. FUQDISHIT. Seriously? I asked them several times if my card is all I need to have the procedure done in another clinic and those dumbos told me it's everything! What the hell, Intellicare? Get your shit together! I was so tired and my lower abdomen's pain was really getting worse l so I decided to just come back some other day and just rest at home. I called them to have my checkup and the procedure scheduled so I won't have to waste a lot of time with them.

Guise, a health card is very important in a working individual's life; but please don't make it difficult for us. Also, update your website or your handbook because the steps and procedures you have there are outdated and they contradict what what the people in your office say. People who are sick don't have the time and energy to go back and forth from one clinic to another just because you failed to provide them one pertinent information that they'll need to get their procedures done. Please, get your shit together.

I don't think Intellicare is an intelligent choice, do you?