Medical Visit #2.

Soon to be followed by medical visit #3. You know I'm excited.


I went back to the clinic this morning to get my Tb (TB?) test read. 0mm! If it hadn't been the same nurse that had given me the shot, I bet there would have been questions over whether I'd actually been given a test in the first place. The mark looks exactly like a freckle. I watched the nurse write that little piece of info in my paperwork and scanned the rest of the paper over her shoulder while she was doing so. 


I asked the nurse about my blood work and she told me that it was apparently already finished (!!!). She printed out a report and attached it to the rest of my papers. She told me that my doctor wasn't going to be in until this afternoon but was booked solid and would not have the opportunity to go through and record the results today. I should come back Monday morning, she said. Then she added that my prescriptions hadn't been sent over to the clinic yet and that I would also need to come back this evening to pick those up. Hahaha. I'd like to note that I live a good 30 minutes away from the clinic. So, they kept my papers once again (*ANXIETY*) and I went, once again, on my merry way. I will probably head back there in a few minutes. So...there will be at least 3 more trips to the clinic. One today, one Monday, and one whenever my pap results come back (which will be about 2 weeks, they said). I'm crossing my fingers that those results will be the end of it and I will get my papers in the mail by the middle of October. October 10th will be 2 months since I initially received the med packet. Not too shabby.


Back to the clinic, then.

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Adventures at a Community Health Clinic.

Well, I have found something that rivals French bureaucracy in terms of getting things done, tension levels, and getting the run-around. Wow. I went to a community health clinic in Rock Hill this afternoon for my first medical visit. My appointment was for 2 p.m. and I got there 15 minutes early. I signed in, no problem.

They called me back up to the [germ-infested] desk to ask me for my pay stubs and proof-of-residency in order to figure out where I calculated into the sliding-scale payment equation (yay low-income, I guess). I have two jobs right now...the first I get paid bi-weekly, the second only once a month. So I brought two pay stubs from the former and one from the latter. Apparently I needed two from the latter. They told me I would either have to pay the full amount or reschedule my appointment. I'd already had to wait 3 weeks for this one! Ahhhh! After 30 minutes of appealing to people's better natures, they finally gave me a break and told me that I could bring the second one when I came back to have my Tb test read. Fantastic! A kind word and a smile will get you absolutely everywhere with people who rarely receive such things. I pay for my visit, sit back down, and wait for my turn.

And I wait and I wait and I wait. By now it's almost 3. They call me back up to the window to tell me that, unfortunately, the doctor that I had been scheduled with had called in sick today and wasn't there at all. I would have to come back. WHAT?! Not only have I already been there for an hour but you guys knew the whole time that my doctor was not there...and you even had me pay knowing this fact! I put on my defeated face. I patiently told them that I had already waited three weeks for this appointment, that they should have called me so that I didn't have to needlessly miss a day of work, that I needed to get this done ASAP, that there must be some way that somebody could see me today, etc. The girl at the window took pity on me (again, the use of "please" and "I appreciate your effort" will get you absolutely everywhere) and told me that she would do what she could for me. Okay. I sit back down and wait.

And then, the medical gods decided to take pity on me in the form of a pissed-off, rude, over-the-top woman. She started yelling because she didn't want to put on a face mask (she was coughing up a storm) and it escalated. Result? She got kicked out of the clinic and I got her appointment slot. Yaaaaay!

10 minutes later, I am whisked to the back and into an examination room. Weight, height, BP, and vision...check. Physical exam, check. Girly exam, check. Tb test, check. My doctor was extremely nice...she was very young and very, very patient with all my paperwork (PC exam form plus additional asthma forms). She sent me over to the lab to do bloodwork. 

So, I haven't mentioned my phobia of needles. This isn't just your basic "Ugh, needles" type of thing. When I was 3, I had pneumonia and had to go to the hospital. They tried to put in an IV and it took 21 jabs before they managed to get the thing in my arm. I do not remember this fiasco but it seems to have residual effects in the form of a scar and total blackouts when in the vicinity of hypodermics. When I was 8 or 9, I had to get a shot thanks to a wonderful case of creupe...and it took a crowd of people to hold me down. Strength of 10 men, haha. I blacked out and have no recollection of that. So, you get the idea. The first two shots I got just over a week ago was my pilot run of the "I'm a big brave dog" mantra (thank you, Rugrats). I just decided that either I could control the situation or I could allow the situation to control me. And, for whatever reason, that worked. Mind over matter, perhaps. Today was much of the same. Tb test, no problem. Bloodwork.  10 vials of blood later, I was finished for the day. Yeeppp, me = awesome. I'm definitely indulging in a bit of gratuitous self-appreciation, haha. I got a new friend to celebrate my monumental achievement. This is Nova the fish, short for Supernova...because he is a firecracker. :P

So, they tell me I am good to go. I ask for all my paperwork back, which they had taken to work on while I was being pin-cushioned. "Oh, we're going to keep that here until the results of the bloodwork come back." Holy panic attack. Those papers are like the holy grail at this point...and this place seems like the kind of place that important papers go to disappear. I tried to reason and was reduced to pleading with them to give me back my papers. They would not let me have them. So, I suppose this is my next major lesson on letting go. I'm still on the verge of hyperventilation thinking about my papers being stolen by gnomes or eaten by goats or something. Stay tuned for the resolution on that one.
My total for everything was $75...though, I walked out without the two prescriptions I was supposed to get. I'll have to get those on Friday. Hopefully, they won't be expensive and I will get away with very minimal medical cost incurred personally...especially since the wisdom tooth debacle is still very much in progress. I'm very pleased as $150 (polio shot + doctor visit) is a very far cry from the $1300 quote from the family practice.

Alrighty, I suppose that's all for now. I can't really report much more until I get the lab reports and my Peace Corps papers back from the clinic. They said a two-week turn-around on the pap test (*siiigghhh*) and didn't say how long on the bloodwork. I have a feeling I will be making several more appearances at the clinic. Another blog post coming on my observations at the community clinic. It's quite honestly one of the most pitiful places I have ever seen in my life...and I have seen some pretty pitiful places. But, yes, more on that later.
Bonne nuit. :)

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Medical appointment tomorrow.

I just spent the evening getting all the papers together for my appointment tomorrow. Not only do I have the stack of Peace Corps papers but also a stack of papers that are specific to the clinic I am going to.  I had to tell the Peace Corps that I used to have asthma so they sent me a pile of papers that the doctor has to fill out to verify that it's no longer an issue. Since I am going to a community clinic, I have to bring proof of income, tax info, and residency proof. I'm so excited about a ton of blood work, a physical, and a pelvic exam!!! Meh. Another update tomorrow post-exam.

I came across this and felt it rather relevant...moving beyond and all that. Enjoy.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

by Portia Nelson

I. I walk down the street.
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost.....I am helpless;
it isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II. I walk down the same street.
     There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place;
but it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in....it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V. I walk down a different street.

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I was dropped from moonbeams and sailed on shooting stars.

Obligatory "why the Peace Corps" entry, you all. ;)

I was asked during my interview why I had decided to apply for the Peace Corps. I responded with something about how I thought, given the nature of today's current international political and social landscape, the best thing that I could ever hope to do for both the USA and the international community would be to help people help themselves. Actors can't become contributors until they are self-sufficient. So, I'm interested in helping to build infrastructure through education...the strengthening of the global community is just one really sweet added bonus, really.

But that really isn't an acceptable answer when it comes to answering people when they ask...it isn't immediate enough, I guess. Yes, there are as many domestic needs that warrant attention. Yes, I could begin a career and concern myself with benefits and retirement funds. Yes, I could go back to school and learn about something a little more academically in order to make myself more competitive out in the "real world."

But, quite honestly, why? And, for the record, the real world sucks and I refuse to acknowledge the existence of such a thing. Sucks to your status quo. :P  People waste their lives doing what they think they are supposed to be doing instead of doing what they are truly passionate about...and engaging in the latter truly benefits both self and community immensely more than resigning oneself to the former. 

I had a conversation recently that has remained vivid in my mind.  I was talking with a friend of mine who is an exchange student from Burundi. He wanted to know why anyone would be willing to leave the United States, the land of creature comfort and opportunity, and go to a developing nation.  One of the incredible things about the human race is that we are a highly adaptable lot. If one goes somewhere new with open heart and open mind, one comes to understand that leaving what is familiar doesn't mean one abandons comfort and happiness. It means that one expands the arsenal of options.  Anywhere you are, you can choose to focus on the things that are missing from you or you can focus on the new availabilities.  I was lucky, I guess, since I learned this when I was still young. I spent too long missing the Canadian things and missed out on enjoying the American things as well as I should have. I also used to have this weird sense of guilt, like I shouldn't be enjoying the American things because it was treasonous to my Canadian roots. I know better now. While I am serving with the Peace Corps (*crosses fingers*), I'll not be so concerned with what I am lacking that I neglect to appreciate or even see what I am gaining. 

In other news, I got a letter from my recruiter on Wednesday basically encouraging me to hang in there. It came with a nifty PC sticker. Thoughtful. My toolkit hasn't been updated in over a month...meaning I still have a legal hold, which doesn't really bode well in my mind. I think my file is basically hanging out in nominee limbo. I can't wait to get this medical thing knocked out. I remain beyond apprehensive about this wisdom teeth business.

I'm down to 8 and a half months...and definitely still counting.

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My first Peace Corps battle wounds.

I got what will be my first round in a seemingly never-ending series of rounds of arm-stabbing. Yesterday, I got a polio booster (IPV, relatively painless) and a Tdap (tetanus booster). AHHHH! I forgot how much tetanus shots HURT! Maybe I am just especially sensitive to them but jebus...ow! 24 hours later, my arm still feels like it weighs 400 pounds.

I feel like they could have at least given me a cool Spongebob band-aid or something. ;)

Next up is my medical appointment on the 23rd.

In other news, I am considering bumping up my availability date to March from May. I'm starting to get a bit anxious...

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Dental resource - wisdom teeth.

In scouring the internet to determine whether or not a lack of medical insurance will ultimately keep me out of the Peace Corps, I came across this lovely little pdf.
Dental Review Criteria
So, any of you that have impacted wisdom teeth, scroll to page 11...if your dentist does not recommend extraction then the fact that the teeth are there is not sufficient to hold up the clearance process, it seems. They don't want to take mine out because they are concerned that it will do more harm than good for the time being.
I'm going to keep my fingers crossed on this one.
What did people do with wisdom teeth before we had the technology to remove them, anyway? Hmmm.

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A ticking timebomb.

Dental exam, check. However, my mouth very well may be something of a timebomb.

But first, I received the following email on September 4th from the Medical Office:

Dear Peace Corps Applicant,

This e-mail is a gentle reminder sent to you by the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services. As of September 4^th, our office has not received your medical information. If you have not yet submitted your medical information, here are some helpful reminders for you:

1. You should have received your medical forms approximately 2 weeks from the date that your were nominated by your Recruiter. If you have not received your medical forms, you may request a replacement by calling the Forms Request Line. The telephone number is 800 424-8580, option 2, ext. 4047. Include address changes, if applicable.

2. You may use your online Toolkit to confirm if your physical exam has been received. Keep in mind that due to security measures in place when mailing to government agencies, mailed forms generally take at least 2 weeks to reach our office.

3. Only 15 % of Peace Corps applicants submit their medical forms correctly and completely the first time. Use the checklist included with your medical forms to ensure completeness and accuracy. Please send completed forms only.

4. Please be aware that you are required to provide documented proof of having received the following immunizations (see Report of Medical Examination Section IX, Required Immunizations): 1 tetanus/diphtheria booster within the last 5 years, 1 polio booster after the age of 18, and 2 total measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) shots in your lifetime. These immunizations are required before we can find you medically qualified to serve. The immunizations listed under Immunization History of Section IX are not required in order to receive medical qualification to serve; however, we would like you to note if you’ve had any of them so that Peace Corps does not re-immunize you unnecessarily once you’re a volunteer.

5. If you have general questions about the medical process, please contact your Medical Review Assistant. Her name and contact information is provided on the introduction letter (front page) of your medical forms.

6. If you need to withdraw from Peace Corps or change your date of availability, please contact ***********, Program Analyst in the Placement Office. His e-mail address is ***********, (as a professional courtesy, please cc your recruiter to keep him or her informed). Please note changes in availability dates may not be able to be accommodated and may necessitate a program and/or regional transfer.

Please Note: If the Medical Office has not received your completed information 4 months after your nomination date (or 6 months after your nomination date if you’re a Masters International applicant), your application status may be changed to inactive. This status will become active again only when you have submitted your information to our office. If you have not submitted anything 1 year after the date that your file becomes inactive, you will have to re-apply starting over with your local recruiter.
We look forward to receiving your complete medical forms.
Peace Corps Office of Medical Services


Sorry for the small font, space issues and all. So, I guess that's good...at least I know that the Peace Corps still knows that I am out here digging in the medical trenches. I hope that things don't extend to that 4 month mark.

Okay, I had my dental appointment this afternoon. As I mentioned before, I went through a dentist that is an ICD affiliate. No problems at all. For the insurance paperwork, they just had me cite the Peace Corps and I guess they will take care of whatever they have to do on their end. The dentist that I saw apparently didn't know that he had been included on the ICD list. In spite of this, he was really very kind.

So, no cavities! Hooray. This makes my life infinitely easier with regard to this whole process. However, my wisdom teeth are scary. The top ones have materialized over the last couple years but the good news is that they are doing what they should be doing and do not need to be removed. The bottom ones, however, are completely sideways. The dentist said that the way they are situated is not dangerous and they do not need to be removed but that I should consider it for sometime in the future. I may take the x-rays to a specialist or two and get some quotes...but, from what I can tell, getting them removed would set me back somewhere in the ballpark of $1000. Not really within my realm of capabilities. So, I'm going to consider my dental stuff done as far as the PC goes and worry about the rest of it in a less stressed way.
Some advice, though...check, check, check, and super check your paperwork BEFORE you leave the dental office. The lady that was taking care of mine forgot several boxes and blanks and I had to ask her to take the papers back 4 times before it was all finished. Second, make sure that they give your x-rays to you on photo paper. They gave mine to me on regular printer paper and the directions that come with the dental portion EXPLICITLY say that it has to be photo-quality paper. My dentist didn't have any glossy photo paper but used a heavy matte paper. I hope that this does not cause issues for me.
So, I suppose that is it for now. I have an appointment for my polio booster on Friday (final official total, $75. Bah.) and my medical appointment scheduled for the 23rd. Note to self, I must remember to get a copy of my immunization history as well. I was most nervous about the dental portion so I am hoping that medical part will be cake after this. Demanding, I know...but I know without a doubt that I am healthy. So far, so good I think.

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Forward motion is good!

I woke up this morning, resigned to the fact that I was going to have to spend yet another day on the phone with every dentist at which I could point my car. Not the case! For all you other applicants that have been checking in on my blog, especially those of you with no dental insurance, the ICD is DEFINITELY the way to go for the dental. One thing to note about the listing on the ICD website is that it is both out-of-date and generally inaccurate. Make sure to verify with the office that the address listed is correct (I came across 3 that were not). Every single office I talked to was extremely kind and as accommodating as they could possibly be...except for the office in Charlotte.

First of all, there is only 1 office in the Charlotte area that is an affiliate of this ICD program for PC Nominees. One! There are 3 in Greensboro and only one in Charlotte! Sadness. I called the Charlotte office and the woman huffed a bit when I told her what I was calling for and then proceeded to tell me that they could not get me in for an appointment until October 14th. More than a month away!??! I was a little shocked and felt my emotions head slightly in the direction of discouragement. I decided to make some phone calls to the plethora of offices in the Charleston area. 5 offices, to be precise.

The first office I talked to had to talk with the dentist and said she would call me back before the end of the business day. I called the next one and it was a fax number. The third was the charm and all good things started to happen after this phone call. They told me they could see me on the 8th. Fantastic! I went ahead and set up an appointment.

Then, I got to work on the polio booster dilemma. I called the SC Health Department. First, they couldn't find my shot records (ahhhh! Scary!). They found them and then we argued for a bit over the fact that I'd already had a polio shot and didn't need a booster. Yes, I know that and you know that...but the Peace Corps says differently. I was told it was going to be $55 and then was sent over to the Nurse Practitioner in order to verify that I could actually be given the shot. Got voicemail, left a message. She called me back and left me a message, telling me that she understood I was a Peace Corps Nominee and the polio booster would be no problem...and that it would be around $75. $20 increase in an hour? Immunization inflation, apparently. I'm going to make an appointment tomorrow.

A little while later, the dentist's office that I called first returned my call and asked I was available to come in tomorrow! Psh, take that, Charlotte clinic. Anyway, I can't drive down to Charleston tomorrow so I scheduled an appointment with them for the 8th (seems to be a good day...). I will cancel the first appt I made as I have a better feeling about this office.

So, lesson to be taken from this blog post:
Use the ICD if you don't have dental insurance! ICD for Peace Corps Nominees Website Here.
If you do the ICD thing, make sure to verify the address of the office!
The state health department will give you a polio booster but watch out for instant inflation!

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