that day was like hell for me.
i secured employment somewhere and in the cause of filling the employment form, i was told i need to go for medicals.
before then, iv never had the test before and truth be told, ive dated some really crazy fellows who am sure had like a million other girls. upon hearing the word medicals,i suddenly started shaking.
the organisation was a place where i had a lot of friends and the nursing sister was always so friendly with me so u can all imagine my fears.

towards afternoon of the same day, i decided to gather courage and go for a vct.i felt it was better for me to know my status on my own and reject the appointment by cooking up a story that ive gotten a better job somewhere else than for the nursing sister to look me in the eye and tell me i was hiv positive.

i called the nearest okada and hit the road, looking for a lab. i located one and this was how it went:
ayeesha: goodday madam
receptionist: goodday madam.how may i help you?
ayeesha: eehm, em, ahh, ehm
receptionist: c`mon madam, how may i help you?(smiling)
ayeesha: ah, actually, em, i , i want to, to to em find out my genotype and bood group( for where, these are things i already knew)
receptionist: your bill is N700 and proceeds to fill a form for me.
i was already sweating seriously by then.while she was still filling the form for me, i casually asked her how much they charged for their hiv test and she told me a thousand naira and asked if she should include it in my form.i told her no but unknown to me, a lab technician was beside us and butted in.
lab tech: yes, yes, please include it for her.and turning to face me said " you shld undergo the test because thats the only way you can have peace of mind".
i became soo cold because i felt i was getting a death sentence.
ayeesha: okay, include the test for me
receptionist: dnt worry my dear, it is well.
ayeesha: AMMMMEN i quikly answered. how long wil it take
receptionist: just an hour so u can wait( me wait? lai lai. i will faint before the results come out)
ayeesha: actually i cnt wait because i have to go back to work
receptionist: no problem.we close at six and if u come even five minutes to six, we shall still give u ur result
ayeesha: (really scared now) what if i can't come back today? can i have ur phone no. so i can call?
receptionist: no madam, you have to come physically to collect it.dnt worry, all will be well.
my name was then called and i went in to give my blood sample.
ayeesha: oga, how long will it take?
tech: just an hour and make sure you come back in one hour, he concluded menacingly

i left for the office and was not myself. i could not eat or even talk to anyone.i had to tell my boss i was not feeling too well when he saw the way i was looking. icould not remove my eyes from the clock.exactly one hour later, i went back to the lab
receptionist: (smiling) welcome madam. i wasnt expecting to see you back today at all
ayeesha: (heart pounding) hmm, there is no point delaying the inevitable
lab tech: (looks at me, frowns and picks up my form. i was nearlly peeing in my pants at the look on her face)

"here is ur result and congratulations!
nairalanders, it was not easy. i almost fainted for joy! i was shaking and the lady had to give me a chair to sit down and recover.i could not believe my luck because of the kind of guys i had dated in the past.now atleast i have peace of mind and can watch hiv/aids adverts,movies and campaigns which i could not do before out of fear of the unknown.