Sputum Exam. Very distraught now.

[Sagot 1,548]

Yes I didnt realize that. I updated it. Thank you. I am hoping to still go visit her for Christmas. I truly need to see my baby. Its so hard to have that happen and be so far away and not even be able to comfort her and her me. How often does this happen? Does anyone know? I have heard that SLEC this is quite common and like 99.99999% of the time they come back negative

Culture results is just that.. results. Everything else is rumors and wives tales.

You have a little one? Have you completed CRBA and the Filipino recognition process?

[twstr988 1]

No children with her. Not sure what that is that you asked exactly. But yes we have no children together. I have 3 daughters myself but none with my fiance.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Thank you very much for the response. I agree its a great thing. We just dont understand what or how something showed up on the xray unless its from her cold she had last week. I also hear this is common at St Lukes in Manila? I guess its more of a shock to both of us. We went from record breaking time to get the visa less than 2 months to 2 times longer. She dont have any symptoms of TB. Its almost heartbreaking. We were going to celebrate today. Now shes in tears and worried and now I am.

I think it's common at St Luke's because TB is so common in the Philippines. It's making a comeback in the US. It's believed, at least in Hawaii, that the resurgence of TB here is due to immigrants from the Philippines in particular. So some immigrants must still be getting through the screening process at St Luke's. Fortunately for us my wife's x-ray at St Luke's was negative. However, once she got here she had to get a skin TB test to enroll in college and she had a very bad reaction to the test. The department of health told us that this was an indication that she has been exposed to TB, however the x-rays showed that she was not infected, nor was she a carrier. My wife had to take the TB pills once a day for 6 months. The good thing is she now has less of a chance to get TB than me. Don't reschedule any interview yet or make airline reservations. You have no choice but to wait this out. Trust me...it's all worth it in the end. I have never been happier. Good luck and God Bless. david

[Sagot 1,548]

No children with her. Not sure what that is that you asked exactly. But yes we have no children together. I have 3 daughters myself but none with my fiance.

My with reading one of your comments wrong... sorry.

[Backpackers 19]

The sputum test does happen quite often and usually comes back negative, but there is the 8 week waiting period. The best way to deal with it is to be together, whatever that takes. Enjoying the holidays together is a great idea. We were in your same position about 2 months ago and had many similar feelings. The time will pass and you will be together soon. Try to stay positive. If she does have TB, be happy you caught it now. Best of luck!

[B_J 2,752]

My wife had to do the stupid sputum test also. It's a punch in the gut when you think you're almost finished.

Here's the encouraging part. We've been married 5 years now. We can't even remember the bad times with the visa process: the wait for the NOA2, the wait because of the sputum test, the stress over being apart, etc. Once your together, none of those things will matter. They'll be a distant memory.

Hang in there and stay positive.

[bowens44 214]

You'll be fine. You will get through it. My fiancee ,now wife here with me in the US ,never had TB either....except that she did. She had to do DOT. That seems like long ago. The time really does pass quickly. Most likely she will be negative.if not its a short delay that may have saved her life.

[twstr988 1]

Thank you everyone so much for the encouragement. Starting to feel a little better. It was more of a shock with everything going so fast and all a sudden everything comes to a screeching halt. We were talking this morning and realized. The USCIS says processing is 5-6 months. We were less than 3 months until her interview from acceptance. With this delay we will be at 5-6 months now instead of what I thought was record timing to get visa. That makes me wonder if it was normal time and the USCIS knows that St Lukes does this a lot and factors that in. So instead of the 3 months we were looking at, its now 5. Very funny how that worked out. I would feel much better knowing this is very common. Thanks again everyone for the help.

[Sagot 1,548]

Thank you everyone so much for the encouragement. Starting to feel a little better. It was more of a shock with everything going so fast and all a sudden everything comes to a screeching halt. We were talking this morning and realized. The USCIS says processing is 5-6 months. We were less than 3 months until her interview from acceptance. With this delay we will be at 5-6 months now instead of what I thought was record timing to get visa. That makes me wonder if it was normal time and the USCIS knows that St Lukes does this a lot and factors that in. So instead of the 3 months we were looking at, its now 5. Very funny how that worked out. I would feel much better knowing this is very common. Thanks again everyone for the help.

USCIS processing times is for the I-129F petition only, has nothing to do with NVC or USEM. 5-6 months was quite normal at one time, our petition took over 5 months before approved.

Average processing time for the K-1 from petition to visa issuance has been stated as about 9 months. Reality is much quicker, even when the petition process is 5-6 months.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Philippines^Sagot

[xmaricrisx 25]

Thank you everyone so much for the encouragement. Starting to feel a little better. It was more of a shock with everything going so fast and all a sudden everything comes to a screeching halt. We were talking this morning and realized. The USCIS says processing is 5-6 months. We were less than 3 months until her interview from acceptance. With this delay we will be at 5-6 months now instead of what I thought was record timing to get visa. That makes me wonder if it was normal time and the USCIS knows that St Lukes does this a lot and factors that in. So instead of the 3 months we were looking at, its now 5. Very funny how that worked out. I would feel much better knowing this is very common. Thanks again everyone for the help.

My husband had to also undergo sputum examination so I empathize with you. If he didn't go through the sputum exam, we would've gone through the entire IR-1 process in about 6.5mon instead of the usual 1yr. Because of the exam we were delayed about 1.5mon (my husband got his medical done a little early), so 8mon total from start to finish, which is still really quick compared to the average. Like Philippines^Sagot stated, 5-6mon for a K1 is still pretty quick. The extra time apart will only strengthen your relationship Just pray she doesn't get a phone call from SLEC any time soon... and if she does, be thankful that her life was saved. As difficult as it is to remain patient throughout this immigration process, it is very much well worth the sacrifice in the end. Good luck with everything!

[twstr988 1]

Something I dont understand. At the end of the 2 months, do they call you to come in to complete the vaccinations? I keep hearing they dont call. How will she know when to go in to finish her medical? Thanks for all the help everyone. Im not to concerned anymore now that I understand this seems quite common procedure at SLEC. I cant wait until its done and she is hear. I have a journal of every step of everything. Even the little things like her calling me for a document she needed me to scan and send her for her passport pickup last week.

[Sagot 1,548]

Something I dont understand. At the end of the 2 months, do they call you to come in to complete the vaccinations? I keep hearing they dont call. How will she know when to go in to finish her medical? Thanks for all the help everyone. Im not to concerned anymore now that I understand this seems quite common procedure at SLEC. I cant wait until its done and she is hear. I have a journal of every step of everything. Even the little things like her calling me for a document she needed me to scan and send her for her passport pickup last week.

Yes SLEC will call at the end of the 60 days. Most get excited and call SLEC though...

[twstr988 1]

Awesome Thank you for all the help. I will update as we go along. Sad thing is that she dont start this until November 9. Which was a day after her interview was setup that has to be cancelled. I was hoping to be there for that day but I have to choose between going there for Thanksgiving or Christmas or for her vaccine day or to pick her up to come here together. I will go for 15 days over Christmas and than hopefully when she gets visa.I wish I could go there right now and just spend 3 months with her until this is done.

[Melanie C 3]

Me too I do sputum and now I'm waiting for the culture result. .the slec schedule me to call them on November 3. Hope it's negative???

[twstr988 1]

My fiance has her scheduled to start on November 9. Thats rough because its the day after what was supposed to be her embassy interview we had to cancel. I always thought if someone has TB they would have some kind of signs sometime in their lives. She never has. She is the most healthy person I have ever knowsn. She has changed from Filipino food to all healthy food and drinks and anything that improves the lungs just to be safe. I told her not only for the test but its also good for her health also to eat healthy. She has cut out all meat until after the smear test. Hers should come back negative because she has never had it. She was very saddened because she said her whole life no xray or anything has ever been bad. All a sudden a very small mark on her medical xray brought her to tears because now shes all worried something is wrong. When we know likely now. But SLEC dont tell anyone anything. I can imagine how scary that is to all a sudden be told to take this test and than they dont say anything. They just say come back in 2 weeks. No information at all. Thats very frustrating kind of they do that and make people worry.

Melanie C

Posted Yesterday, 08:43 PM

Me too I do sputum and now I'm waiting for the culture result. .the slec schedule me to call them on November 3. Hope it's negative???

Happy to hear you are almost done. Thats only a few days away and if they havent called by now that would be great news for you

Edited October 29, 2016 by twstr988