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.