Will I have to pay for medical again?

[martinbr 1]

So most of you who have read about my wife's child not passing medical due to a spot that they detected on her lungs. They told her that the child has to be on medicine for 6 months and then come back for medical again. Would I have to pay the fees for the child and the mother due to a 6 month period? And does the visa start running out at the starting of medical exams. I thought I read somewhere where that was the case. How long is a medical good for?

Actually my wife really wants to get back home and take her child to a local doctor to get her rechecked again. Not that this is going to help, but maybe it will put her mind at ease.

It really doesn't matter if it's 2 months or six months. She is staying with her sister up in Laguna and that would be too long of a stay for her. So she really wants to get home.

martinbr

[destiny2532 0]

So most of you who have read about my wife's child not passing medical due to a spot that they detected on her lungs. They told her that the child has to be on medicine for 6 months and then come back for medical again. Would I have to pay the fees for the child and the mother due to a 6 month period? And does the visa start running out at the starting of medical exams. I thought I read somewhere where that was the case. How long is a medical good for?

Actually my wife really wants to get back home and take her child to a local doctor to get her rechecked again. Not that this is going to help, but maybe it will put her mind at ease.

It really doesn't matter if it's 2 months or six months. She is staying with her sister up in Laguna and that would be too long of a stay for her. So she really wants to get home.

martinbr

Yep you need to pay again,med.cert is valid only for 3 months..

[Tahoma 2,292]

So most of you who have read about my wife's child not passing medical due to a spot that they detected on her lungs. They told her that the child has to be on medicine for 6 months and then come back for medical again.

As I said in your other thread, St.Lukes will not require the six-month treatment unless the TB culture comes back positive.

Would I have to pay the fees for the child and the mother due to a 6 month period?

What fees? If you are talking about the six-month TB treatment where the person is required to go to St. Lukes every day to take their medicine, then the answer is no...there is no fee for the six months of medicine.

And does the visa start running out at the starting of medical exams. I thought I read somewhere where that was the case.

The visa is good for six months from the date it was issued. And I believe that extensions are available.

How long is a medical good for?

I don't know, but it's at least three months.

Actually my wife really wants to get back home and take her child to a local doctor to get her rechecked again. Not that this is going to help, but maybe it will put her mind at ease.

Why don't you simply have the child take the sputum test at St. Lukes? It's already paid for, and it's the only practical way to tell whether she has TB. If the child goes home and goes to her doctor, her doctor would have the child undergo a sputum test and a TB culture....just like at St. Lukes. There is only one difference between St. Lukes TB culture and the child's doctor's TB culture...St.Lukes won't accept outside test results. So, you're not really getting anywhere unless you go through St. Lukes.

It really doesn't matter if it's 2 months or six months. She is staying with her sister up in Laguna and that would be too long of a stay for her. So she really wants to get home.

Once the three-day sputum test is completed at St. Lukes, they are free to go home. It is unnecessary to wait in Manila for two months.

martinbr

[martinbr 1]

I will have to ask my wife whether they offered this sputum test already. This is why they might want her to be on a longer treatment. She might have done this already. My wife's english is terrible. It has been very dificult to communicate about this whole matter. I even had to call St. Lukes's myself to get some information about her case, but they didn't have any information for me to go on when I called them. I might try to call them again and ask about this sputum test.

martinbr

[scotty's girl 1]

Have a friend who had her medical last November and had her interview April of this year. It took a while for her to have her interview because of some issues. The embassy told her to have another medical just after her interview.

As for my case, my medical has been more than 3 months before I had my interview but there was never any problem. The medical might be valid for 3-5 months.

[martinbr 1]

Have a friend who had her medical last November and had her interview April of this year. It took a while for her to have her interview because of some issues. The embassy told her to have another medical just after her interview.

As for my case, my medical has been more than 3 months before I had my interview but there was never any problem. The medical might be valid for 3-5 months.

I also forgot to mention that my wife is clear. She had her medical and interview. It's only the kid we have to worry about now. I get to get this straightened out before she goes back home.

thanks,

martinbr

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

...

my wife's child

...

martinbr

Martin,

First I want to apologize if my mentioning this in a public post offends you, I'm simply trying to bring something to your (and other step-parents') attention.

I've only quoted three words of your original post because I'm only going to address this one phrase that you've used consistently in multiple threads here. Reviewing your threads it seems that originally you did refer to the child as "my daughter" & "my step child". I wonder what has changed?

My wife also came with a little one but I've rarely referred to him as "her child/son" and then it was only to illustrate that I'm not his biological father because the situation being commented on would be different if I was.

I know it upsets Anna whenever we have to mention that Gabby is my step son and honestly I don't think of him as anything other than simply "my son".

So, all I'm really saying is that you should feel comfortable referring to the little girl as your "step child", "Step daughter" and even just your "daughter" but probably want to avoid referring to her as "my wife's child/daughter". The hurt feelings you save could be your wife's & step daughter's...

[martinbr 1]

Martin,

First I want to apologize if my mentioning this in a public post offends you, I'm simply trying to bring something to your (and other step-parents') attention.

I've only quoted three words of your original post because I'm only going to address this one phrase that you've used consistently in multiple threads here. Reviewing your threads it seems that originally you did refer to the child as "my daughter" & "my step child". I wonder what has changed?

My wife also came with a little one but I've rarely referred to him as "her child/son" and then it was only to illustrate that I'm not his biological father because the situation being commented on would be different if I was.

I know it upsets Anna whenever we have to mention that Gabby is my step son and honestly I don't think of him as anything other than simply "my son".

So, all I'm really saying is that you should feel comfortable referring to the little girl as your "step child", "Step daughter" and even just your "daughter" but probably want to avoid referring to her as "my wife's child/daughter". The hurt feelings you save could be your wife's & step daughter's...

I use step/child for the simple reason that my daughter quit talking to me 3 years ago because of this marriage and her mother meddling in my affairs. And out of respect to my daughter, yes she is my step child and that is what I feel comfortable addressing as. I am sorry that you have a problem with that, but that is the most comfortable way for me to address my step child in threads.

I love my daughter and I love my new family. There is nothing different there. My step daughter refers to me as her dad since she has never had a father that she knew about. He took off when she was a infant.

I am hoping one day that my daughter by blood will enter my life again. But I am not counting on it. She was only 15 years old when this marriage took place, and I can see in her eyes what a bazaar thing it was for me to run over to another country and get married before I could talk to her about it. She felt betrayed. But I did, and fell in love with a beautiful woman. I hope this explains my situation.

martinbr

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

...

I am sorry that you have a problem with that, but that is the most comfortable way for me to address my step child in threads.

...

I hope this explains my situation.

Martin, just to be sure you understand:

First, I don't have a problem with any of it. I mentioned it only because I remember how hurt Anna was the first time she read a post of mine on VJ where I referred to Gabby as "her son" (especially since I usually refer to him as our son foregoing the step son thing). Of course after I explained that the lack of biological relationship between him & I was relevant to the thread she understood. I just wanted to put it out there for us step parents to consider, that's all.

Second, I was talking about your last 3 threads wherein you refer to her as "My wife's child/kid/daughter". Those phrases sound distant and are a departure from how you'd previously referred to the little girl.

Finally, your explain was much more than I'd expected and shows that you are a considerate man. It's a shame that your ex-wife has taken such an approach. I'm fortunate that my daughters from my first marriage (ages 13 & 16 when I married Anna) have embraced her as their Nanay. My ex has done some "saber rattling" but it's just background noise as my daughter have lived with me their whole lives.

[martinbr 1]

Martin, just to be sure you understand:

First, I don't have a problem with any of it. I mentioned it only because I remember how hurt Anna was the first time she read a post of mine on VJ where I referred to Gabby as "her son" (especially since I usually refer to him as our son foregoing the step son thing). Of course after I explained that the lack of biological relationship between him & I was relevant to the thread she understood. I just wanted to put it out there for us step parents to consider, that's all.

Second, I was talking about your last 3 threads wherein you refer to her as "My wife's child/kid/daughter". Those phrases sound distant and are a departure from how you'd previously referred to the little girl.

Finally, your explain was much more than I'd expected and shows that you are a considerate man. It's a shame that your ex-wife has taken such an approach. I'm fortunate that my daughters from my first marriage (ages 13 & 16 when I married Anna) have embraced her as their Nanay. My ex has done some "saber rattling" but it's just background noise as my daughter have lived with me their whole lives.

Ok, point taken. I will try address my step/child as that. I am sorry I have offended you or anyone else here on visajourney. That was not my intention. Thank you for the observation.

martinbr

Edited June 29, 2010 by martinbr

[roseTX 0]

hi there, me and my daughter have the very same situation with you and your fiance before. I am cleared but my daughter has a spot on her left lungs. After they x-ray my daughter, they re-physical again her, to see if she has any signs og TB,like lumps on her neck and her armpits but they find nothing. So the doctor who re-physical exam her again told us to come back after 2 months,, to see if after 2 months that spot that they have seen would be gone,,when we come back i just pay 349 pesos for the follow up x-ray for my daughter and thank god it turns negative at this time. the spot that they have seen before was gone. i would suggest that since they saw a spot on the lungs of your step-child, tell your fiance to see a pediatrician specialist to start the treatment immediately but do not tell st. lukes that you that your step child undergo treatment as of the moment because thats what i do,,hehehehe. when we come back to st. lukes after 2 months they said i am very lucky mother because the spot had totally gone not even a trace of it,the doctor said 2 months is not enough to erase the spot of the lungs,it just disappear miraclously,they did not know i brought my daughter immidiately to a pediatrician and start the medication right after the medical exam in st.lukes. until now st. lukes did not about it,,hehehehe,, they did not asked though,hehehe.. the doctor said also that if my daughter was still positive at the time we come back ( after 2 months)she said they would let my daughter undergo a sputum test and would have a 6 months treatments..but it turns out to be negative when we come back,,thanks be to god.

if your wife has a scheduled interview already let her go to the interview as scheduled thats what i do too. after my daughter was cleared on her medical,,st. lukes scheduled her interview 2 days after the medical so i come there again at the embassy for my daughter's interview this time. the interview of my daughter is just fast they just wanted to see the real face of my daughter just to make sure. make sure during the interview of your step-daughter you and your step-daughter has a picture taken together because they asked that to me before good thing i have lots of it so the interviewer smiled looking at the picture hehehehehe.

hope my experience would help you and your fiance. ask your fiance if the doctors at st. lukes instructed her to come back after 2 months?

Edited June 29, 2010 by roseTX

[martinbr 1]

Ok, I found out that my wife had our step child tested at St. Lukes for skin test for TB. She came back positive. They did a 3 day sputum test and xray. So that is why it's going to be a 6 month treatment. They are going back to there home in Bacolod City.

My wife's interview is complete. So does the clock start ticking on her Visa? I have to send my step child back up around December to go to St. Lukes to be seen and for her appointment. I am told that I have to repay the medical fees on my step child at the time. Can someone clear this up for me about the different time tables with interviews and the validity of the Visa?

thanks,

martinbr

[martinbr 1]

Thank you for explaining to me how this testing system works at St. Lukes. She had the 3 day sputum test done and a xray. It came back positive. I couldn't get the information out of my wife at the time because I think she was very upset about finding out the news about our step child. But now I know what she did at the hospital.

thanks,

martinbr

Thank you for explaining to me how this testing system works at St. Lukes. She had the 3 day sputum test done and a xray. It came back positive. I couldn't get the information out of my wife at the time because I think she was very upset about finding out the news about our step child. But now I know what she did at the hospital.

thanks,

martinbr

[Tahoma 2,292]

Ok, I found out that my wife had our step child tested at St. Lukes for skin test for TB. She came back positive. They did a 3 day sputum test and xray. So that is why it's going to be a 6 month treatment. They are going back to there home in Bacolod City

You do not know whether her daughter has TB. St. Lukes does not know whether her daughter has TB. St.Lukes does not diagnose TB based upon an x-ray and a positive skin test. They base it upon a sputum test and a two-month culture. St Lukes collects her sputum for three days and cultures it for two months in order to determine whether or not she has TB. Other than an expensive blood test, that is the only way to determine whether she has TB.

Most Filipinos will show a false positive on a TB skin test. That is why St. Lukes does not diagnose TB based upon the skin test.

You won't know whether her daughter has to undergo a six-month TB treatment until the results of the two-month TB culture is complete. St Lukes won't know whether her daughter has to undergo a six-month TB treatment until the results of the two-month TB culture is complete.

In two months, if the culture comes back positive for TB, her daughter will be required to undergo a minimum of six months of treatment where she has to take her medicine every day at St. Lukes...and nowhere else.

[edp333 9]

First, a ‘smear’ of the sputum is examined in a laboratory under a microscope using a special stain (dye) to show the TB bacteria. The results are obtained quite quickly.

Specimens are often cultured even if no mycobacteria are seen, because sometimes the number of organisms is so low that they don't show up with staining, but they eventually grow on the culture medium.

This article indicates a culture can be positive immediaretly, in two weeks for the first two cultures, or after 8 weeks for the longest cukture. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) sets the requirements or protocols.

Martinbr,I have never heard any VJers mention having to repay for another physical when getting TB treatments. The St. Lukes Medical Center (SLMC)will cancel the interview and reschedule an interview after he test results are negative or the treatment is completed. I read where the medication is free but you must visit SLMC everyday.

The timelines I would worry about is your wife's visa timeline and the one year medical timeline for Adjusting Staus. If AOS is not submitted before one year after the medical it will have to be completed again in the US by a Civil Surgeon with you paying for it.

Your wife's visa can be extended through the Manila Embassy but there is a cost for the extension.