I Received A Phone Call Today Telling Me I Was HIV Positive (1030 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.46 on 33 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by someone (View user info) at 2004-11-11 13:06:50 EST
I was at the ATM machine taking out money I shouldn't be spending and thoroughly enjoying the day. I had no school or work due to Veterans Day, and was looking forward to heading up to Amherst to smoke some marijuana and eat some great Mexican at a corner restaurant titled Bueno Y Sano.
A phone call put my thoughts in perspective. So there I am, smoking a cigarette, drinking coffee and putting my plastic card into a machine in exchange for green currency, and checking my voicemail in a typical American multi=tasking lifestyle. My first and only message went like this:
Hello, Hello? Hi Mrs. ----- This is Dr. --------- at Mercy Hospital and I have some unfortunate news. Your swab test came back positive for HIV. I'm sorry, I hate to leave a voicemail but thought it would be best if you knew of your condition as soon as possible. Call me back when you get this, at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
My phone fell from my hand and my cigarette hung loosely on my lips dangling toward my jeans as my whole body went slack. It took me awhile to realize I was safe. First of all, the last time I checked I was a Mr. and not a Mrs. Secondly, I have never used intravenous drugs or had unsafe sex in recent memory. Finally my home hospital is Baystate not Mercy, and the last time I visited was a few weeks ago for a bout with Bronchitis, and not for AIDS testing. I rested reassured that I was alight for the time being, and this was a wrong number call, and being that I use an automated message system and not my own voice, the doctor probably didn't know any better.
I was still quite shook up. Here I am, digging a great fall day and whistling to Eric Clapton's "Cocaine" and somewhere in the close unknown a women, a wife actually, is nervously sitting by the phone awaiting news she will never receive. Maybe she will take this as a positive, thinking Hey, if I received no news today maybe that is a good thing. Maybe my test is negative and I have nothing to worry about, life is good. Back she goes breast-feeding her baby and tending to her other children or shooting up smack into her arm and passing that needle dripping from use to her heroin partners for them to do likewise, you get the picture.
Suddenly all my little trifles seem so insignificant. I have been brooding and loathing over my pathetic life, and trying to get into a respectable university and worrying about student loans and shitty workweeks, and getting back into shape and giving up marijuana and cigarettes and alcohol and really getting to know that cute girl that digs me and maybe falling in love and road trips with best friends or getting some cocaine for next weekend, and No, no! I can't get into powder, o but all my friends are home for the weekend, maybe just once for this occasion, or...STOP.
This phone call is exactly what I need. It really put things into perspective. My heart goes out to this woman and her family.
User Reviews
Submitted by jillybean (user info) at 2004-11-12 13:07:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Whether it's true or not (I don't care) it was well written and made a good point.
Submitted by UrbaneMischief (user info) at 2004-11-11 21:20:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
under no circumstance would a doctor EVER give you your HIV results... positive or negative, over the phone.
They are required to set up an appointment and do it in person.
Submitted by Feijuada (user info) at 2004-11-11 20:52:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Stupid whore got herself AIDS!
Submitted by Feijuada (user info) at 2004-11-11 20:51:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-11-11 17:08:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 cuz I believe you and people get way to -2 happy sometimes.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2004-11-11 15:07:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by great_angst (user info) at 2004-11-11 14:46:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Well-written and compelling story ... but this is a serious topic. Your phone-call error (meaning the assumption that a doctor's office or clinic would ever leave such a message) negates all of that, and helped offend some readers. Good effort, but do some research and be more careful next time.
Submitted by strider (user info) at 2004-11-11 14:43:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
screamfeeder, you're from Albs? I live here too.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 14:18:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
read screamfeeders rate if anyone has any concerns with my LIES, or supposed rather. A phone number would do no good, xenon, I could run upstairs and grab it out of my phonebook since I have nothing better to do then make shit up, does that make it true? Fuck you all.
Submitted by ckoewing (user info) at 2004-11-11 14:01:05 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 cause some shitty ass fuckers didn't like my shit either, and because a call like that would have fucked me up too.
Submitted by xenon (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:55:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
post the number so we can call to see if it's the hospital. It's not like it's a personal number. I'll call it and post to prove your point if you do.
Submitted by Smurfs (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:51:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Ummm... it's a law that centers aren't allowed to tell patients their diagnosis over the phone.
Submitted by WhatTheHell (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:50:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Too bad it wasn't you
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:50:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Screamfeeder- I'm thinking that is what happened. When I did call(like I said, the number did match) the receptionist seemed confused, saying that is unlikely a message of that sort would ever be left by a doctor. Still, it was a great life lesson, prank phone call or not. IT DID HAPPEN!
Submitted by screamfeeder (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:45:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I beleive you.
But that is only because I know people that would go down to University Hospital here in Albuquerque and make prank calls to people saying stuff like that.
Also go to the airport and call people from the courtesy phone (Caller ID always comes up as "ABQ Intl. Airport) and tell people their flights are delayed, or moved forward, or cancelled yadda yadda yadda.
No I never did the Hospital one (This was certain people that noone likes), although I have pulled the Airport one on a great many people.
I think you were the victim of such a prank.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:34:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You know, if you don't believe me, fine, I really don't give a shit. It happened, I listened, I called back, end of story. You want to call Mercy Hospital with a complaint? Do it. I should of known there would be some haters.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:32:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Zoidberg and anyone else who doesn't believe- Look, hard as this may seem to believe, this is true. I already called back and the phone number matched Mercy Hospital. I told the receptionist the mistake. I know the ethics are wrong, I know it seems untrue, but I had no intention of posting on Ubersite today, know that. I came home right after and banged this post out. If it had been fiction, I would have labeled it as such(I do so on all my other posts.). Fucked up indeed, but like I said before, I am only the messenger.
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:32:10 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
they would never leave a message like that. Ever. No matter who the doctor is. Not only is it prohibited by law, but it creates a liability issue for the practicioner. Nice try. Would never happen.
Submitted by blingshizzle (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:30:29 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Positive....that's good right? Right?
Submitted by Zoidberg (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:28:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
its a cruel joke man. federal law prohibits testing centers leaving messages like that
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:27:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
<keanuvoice> woah... </keanuvoice>
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:27:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Did you phone Mercy hospital and tell them?
Submitted by Fartman (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:25:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Nicole3 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:11:47 (#)
Ranking: 0
Scary. You really should call the doctor back and let them know they contacted the wrong person.
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If this is true, you MUST do it.
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:23:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:20:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Hmm I see that quite a few people don't believe this. I wish there was an easier way to prove it.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:18:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by kai070169 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:14:32 (#)
Ranking: -2
This is insulting to people who are HIV+. No doctor would ever leave a message like that.
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This is 100% true. I swear it. I questioned the ethics myself, but I'm only the messenger. If you would like, I can try to figure out how to send the messege via Email. By the way, I called the number back and it was Mercy Hospital.
Submitted by whataefag (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:15:43 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
As someone who does hundreds of hours volunteer work at an HIV/AIDS clinic each year, they would never leave a message like that. Ever. No matter who the doctor is. Not only is it prohibited by law, but it creates a liability issue for the practicioner. Nice try. Would never happen.
Submitted by QueenAshlee (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:15:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
maybe you ought to call the doctor and tell him he called the wrong person...
Submitted by Nicole3 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:15:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Forgot to rate.
Submitted by kai070169 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:14:32 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
This is insulting to people who are HIV+. No doctor would ever leave a message like that.
Submitted by Sassmasterr (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:13:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
dag yo
Submitted by Nicole3 (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:11:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Scary. You really should call the doctor back and let them know they contacted the wrong person.
Submitted by someone (user info) at 2004-11-11 13:07:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Shit, the picture didn't attach. Oh well.