DAY 1
It was Sunday when I and my family flew to Manila. I was so happy that I got a very supportive family who always there for me all the time. I booked four tickets at Cebu Pacific . I also booked room at Hotel Soriente. I chose this hotel because it is very close to Saint Luke.You can just walk for 1 minute. The Hotel is great! People are very accommodating. Wifi is also fast and I can talk to my hubby everyday in the hotel room. Since we arrived early afternoon on that day, we decided to go to Ocean Park. My little sister was really enjoying the view. Anyway, I will post something about Ocean Park soon. For now, I need to focus of writing my medical experience Ha! ha! ha!
It was 5:00 A.M when I start falling on line outside the Saint Luke. That was last July 21, 2013. When I went there, there are already lots of people falling on line. I met lots of new friends from Davao and Manila. Some are CR1 category and K1 visa.There are many people on that day because it was Monday. I should go there on Wednesday so that it is not crowded but I was so excited that everything will be done early because my interview date was on August 1 at US Embassy. It was 6:00a.m when the guard let us all in. Before he allowed us to go inside the building, I showed him my passport and 2 photocopies of it, 3 pieces photos and 2 copies of my appointment letter from NVC. Since I registered online, he didn't give me anymore a form (PDF) to be filled up. He gave immediately my number which is number 59. So, if you are in a hurry, you have to registered online before going to Saint Luke. Here is the link. This is for US. Just click the Homepage if you are applying in Canada or Australia. There are also forms for it online. There are queue for online registration, senior citizens, and those people who just registered on that day using the form given by the guard to be filled up. You should be attentive when you're inside because sometimes, the microphone is very hard to hear.
When the guard called my number, I immediately went to the counter. I gave my passport, appointment letter and 1 piece of visa photo. They will need the 2 pieces of visa photos on the next day. I get irritated at that time because there is no CR1 category written on my appointment letter mailed by NVC. The lady at the counter asked me any letter that indicates my visa category. That is why after my medical exam on that day, I immediately called my husband to email me any letter that has CR1 category on it from NVC. I printed it and passed it to them on the next day during the result.
After the little interview at the counter and done passing the required documents, she instructed me to go to the 5th floor cashier to pay the medical fee which cost Php 9,812 Philippine currency. After paying, the cashier instructed me to go to 3rd floor for my X-ray. I gave my passport and receipt to the attendant and she gave me a form to be filled up. You should not forget the first and last day of your menstruation. They will ask it many times. When my name was called at X-ray room, I immediately take off my shirt and bra and use the provided laboratory gown. They also provide a rubber band to tie your hair. Jewelries are not allowed during the X-ray. All you have to do during X-ray is inhale and exhale. I am sure that may people are drinking milk before their X-ray. I believed on that before even though that for me, there is no scientific explanation about it. It only remains a Superstitious belief that if you drink milk during X-ray, the doctor can't find anything in your X-ray. It is all clean. I tried drinking fresh milk for two weeks before my X-ray and drink 2 liters of milk the day of my Medical but it ended up bad. I need to undergo Sputum Exam! That is why I don't believe about it anymore. The mean thing is you need to be healthy during the medical exam.
After the Chest X-ray, I was instructed again to go to 4th floor for the urine and blood test. I gave my passport and receipt again to the attendant. She scanned my finger before giving my passport back. When I fall on line for Blood test, I noticed that I don't have a barcode. I went to the attendant again to ask for it. She is very rude and yell at me that she already gave me a barcode even I don't have it. She let me find it and search everywhere. I told her that if I have it, it should be on the floor but I don't receive anything. She let me sit first and entertain another patient. I get very hurt and irritated. She should know how to deal people. She called me again after 10 minutes and finally gave me the barcode for blood test. She told me, "Don't loss it! " all what is in my mind at that time is "GRRRRRRR" ha!ha!ha! I went to the room for blood test and gave that barcode. After that was the urine test. The attendant for that is very nice.
After Blood and Urine test, I was instructed again to go to 5th floor for vital signs, height and weight determination and eye test. Actually, here is a guide for day 1 provided by Saint Luke. My name was called again at US counter. The guy attendant asked me if I have a menstruation on that day. After BP, he said that my blood pressure is normal. He instructed me to go to the Eye Test Room. I waited for 15 minutes and the attendant let me read the letters. He asked me if I have eye glasses and I said I have but I was not using it everyday. The last is the physical exam. I waited for 2 hours before my name was called for Physical Exam. It was already 15 minutes to 12 noon before the doctor called my name to go inside. She interviewed me very quick. She asked me if I already finished chicken pox and if I have medical history. I told her that I maintained a 1 month medicine for vascular migraine. She asked me if I am a drug addict and has scar for suicide, and I told her that I don't have and I am not a drug addict. She instructed me to take off my clothes including undies. Anyway, there is laboratory gown, so it is not very embarrassing. I lay down on the bed and she started examining my breast, pressed my abdominal if I have tumor, and she let me spread my legs to see if I am really a real woman or what ha!ha!ha! I was so embarrassed when she pressed it with her two fingers checking something. After that, she let me stand and look my entire back if I have scar and anything. She asked me if that was a chicken pox scar and I said yes. The physical exam is very quick. Maybe because it is already almost 12 noon. I was lucky! Ha!ha! ha! The other patient are 20-30 minutes inside. I got a nice Physician though she didn't smile at me but she is not rude.
It was lunch break at 12 noon. I went back at 1:30 P.M for immunization interview in 2nd Floor. The doctor who interviewed me is very nice too. She asked me if I have vaccines. I told her none. She let me showed to her my chicken pox scar. She also let me sign a form for I will agree for the vaccines. I signed it. after that, I was instructed to return on the next day for the result. They stamped my receipt to go back at 8:30 a.m. I was done at 2:00 P.M
Day 2
At 8:30a.m, I showed my receipt and passport to the guard. He looked for my record on the computer. I was so sad when he stamped it 4th Floor because it means that I will undergo Sputum Exam. If it is stamped 2nd floor, it means Immunization and you passed the exam.
I went to 4th Floor. I thought I was alone but we are too many who will undergo Sputum Exam. The attendant called my name and explained to me the Sputum Exam procedure. He told me that I need to go there for 3 successive days and get a sample of my phlegm if I have TB. When I heard that, it really made me down. It means, my interview at US Embassy will be postponed because after the 3 days sputum exam, the will going to culture the phlegm for 2 months if it is positive or negative in TB. It made me very frustrated. I really cried when my husband called me and he was very frustrated too.Aside that it is very expensive going back and forth from Davao to Manila, it is another long wait. But I have no choice but to follow the procedure. I will post again my Sputum Exam Experience soon. I hope this blog helps!
It was Sunday when I and my family flew to Manila. I was so happy that I got a very supportive family who always there for me all the time. I booked four tickets at Cebu Pacific . I also booked room at Hotel Soriente. I chose this hotel because it is very close to Saint Luke.You can just walk for 1 minute. The Hotel is great! People are very accommodating. Wifi is also fast and I can talk to my hubby everyday in the hotel room. Since we arrived early afternoon on that day, we decided to go to Ocean Park. My little sister was really enjoying the view. Anyway, I will post something about Ocean Park soon. For now, I need to focus of writing my medical experience Ha! ha! ha!
It was 5:00 A.M when I start falling on line outside the Saint Luke. That was last July 21, 2013. When I went there, there are already lots of people falling on line. I met lots of new friends from Davao and Manila. Some are CR1 category and K1 visa.There are many people on that day because it was Monday. I should go there on Wednesday so that it is not crowded but I was so excited that everything will be done early because my interview date was on August 1 at US Embassy. It was 6:00a.m when the guard let us all in. Before he allowed us to go inside the building, I showed him my passport and 2 photocopies of it, 3 pieces photos and 2 copies of my appointment letter from NVC. Since I registered online, he didn't give me anymore a form (PDF) to be filled up. He gave immediately my number which is number 59. So, if you are in a hurry, you have to registered online before going to Saint Luke. Here is the link. This is for US. Just click the Homepage if you are applying in Canada or Australia. There are also forms for it online. There are queue for online registration, senior citizens, and those people who just registered on that day using the form given by the guard to be filled up. You should be attentive when you're inside because sometimes, the microphone is very hard to hear.
When the guard called my number, I immediately went to the counter. I gave my passport, appointment letter and 1 piece of visa photo. They will need the 2 pieces of visa photos on the next day. I get irritated at that time because there is no CR1 category written on my appointment letter mailed by NVC. The lady at the counter asked me any letter that indicates my visa category. That is why after my medical exam on that day, I immediately called my husband to email me any letter that has CR1 category on it from NVC. I printed it and passed it to them on the next day during the result.
After the little interview at the counter and done passing the required documents, she instructed me to go to the 5th floor cashier to pay the medical fee which cost Php 9,812 Philippine currency. After paying, the cashier instructed me to go to 3rd floor for my X-ray. I gave my passport and receipt to the attendant and she gave me a form to be filled up. You should not forget the first and last day of your menstruation. They will ask it many times. When my name was called at X-ray room, I immediately take off my shirt and bra and use the provided laboratory gown. They also provide a rubber band to tie your hair. Jewelries are not allowed during the X-ray. All you have to do during X-ray is inhale and exhale. I am sure that may people are drinking milk before their X-ray. I believed on that before even though that for me, there is no scientific explanation about it. It only remains a Superstitious belief that if you drink milk during X-ray, the doctor can't find anything in your X-ray. It is all clean. I tried drinking fresh milk for two weeks before my X-ray and drink 2 liters of milk the day of my Medical but it ended up bad. I need to undergo Sputum Exam! That is why I don't believe about it anymore. The mean thing is you need to be healthy during the medical exam.
After the Chest X-ray, I was instructed again to go to 4th floor for the urine and blood test. I gave my passport and receipt again to the attendant. She scanned my finger before giving my passport back. When I fall on line for Blood test, I noticed that I don't have a barcode. I went to the attendant again to ask for it. She is very rude and yell at me that she already gave me a barcode even I don't have it. She let me find it and search everywhere. I told her that if I have it, it should be on the floor but I don't receive anything. She let me sit first and entertain another patient. I get very hurt and irritated. She should know how to deal people. She called me again after 10 minutes and finally gave me the barcode for blood test. She told me, "Don't loss it! " all what is in my mind at that time is "GRRRRRRR" ha!ha!ha! I went to the room for blood test and gave that barcode. After that was the urine test. The attendant for that is very nice.
After Blood and Urine test, I was instructed again to go to 5th floor for vital signs, height and weight determination and eye test. Actually, here is a guide for day 1 provided by Saint Luke. My name was called again at US counter. The guy attendant asked me if I have a menstruation on that day. After BP, he said that my blood pressure is normal. He instructed me to go to the Eye Test Room. I waited for 15 minutes and the attendant let me read the letters. He asked me if I have eye glasses and I said I have but I was not using it everyday. The last is the physical exam. I waited for 2 hours before my name was called for Physical Exam. It was already 15 minutes to 12 noon before the doctor called my name to go inside. She interviewed me very quick. She asked me if I already finished chicken pox and if I have medical history. I told her that I maintained a 1 month medicine for vascular migraine. She asked me if I am a drug addict and has scar for suicide, and I told her that I don't have and I am not a drug addict. She instructed me to take off my clothes including undies. Anyway, there is laboratory gown, so it is not very embarrassing. I lay down on the bed and she started examining my breast, pressed my abdominal if I have tumor, and she let me spread my legs to see if I am really a real woman or what ha!ha!ha! I was so embarrassed when she pressed it with her two fingers checking something. After that, she let me stand and look my entire back if I have scar and anything. She asked me if that was a chicken pox scar and I said yes. The physical exam is very quick. Maybe because it is already almost 12 noon. I was lucky! Ha!ha! ha! The other patient are 20-30 minutes inside. I got a nice Physician though she didn't smile at me but she is not rude.
It was lunch break at 12 noon. I went back at 1:30 P.M for immunization interview in 2nd Floor. The doctor who interviewed me is very nice too. She asked me if I have vaccines. I told her none. She let me showed to her my chicken pox scar. She also let me sign a form for I will agree for the vaccines. I signed it. after that, I was instructed to return on the next day for the result. They stamped my receipt to go back at 8:30 a.m. I was done at 2:00 P.M
Day 2
At 8:30a.m, I showed my receipt and passport to the guard. He looked for my record on the computer. I was so sad when he stamped it 4th Floor because it means that I will undergo Sputum Exam. If it is stamped 2nd floor, it means Immunization and you passed the exam.
I went to 4th Floor. I thought I was alone but we are too many who will undergo Sputum Exam. The attendant called my name and explained to me the Sputum Exam procedure. He told me that I need to go there for 3 successive days and get a sample of my phlegm if I have TB. When I heard that, it really made me down. It means, my interview at US Embassy will be postponed because after the 3 days sputum exam, the will going to culture the phlegm for 2 months if it is positive or negative in TB. It made me very frustrated. I really cried when my husband called me and he was very frustrated too.Aside that it is very expensive going back and forth from Davao to Manila, it is another long wait. But I have no choice but to follow the procedure. I will post again my Sputum Exam Experience soon. I hope this blog helps!
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