Progress Report

1. As you know, I found my counselor. I have finally handed off my forms to her, *sigh* and will pick them up next wednesday. She wanted to actually make me an appointment to pick them up so that she could go over them with me and I could decide if they were okay or not, or if I wanted anything worded differently. So it is GREAT she has them! But I don't want to wait a full week to get them back :( Damn that real job of hers that keeps her busy--everyone in the world should concentrate on my medical kit right now ;) Okay maybe not....(hrm...I suppose I still have to call the BTown hospital to get an ER record faxed to me)
2. A girl I've talked to had a similar nomination as I, Latin America at least...but due to medical, she and her husband were getting flip flopped all over the world, but mostly in the Latin World. She had a hell of a time, but I remember thinking, wouldn't that be funny if somehow we randomly started talking like this and in the end she ends up getting invited to my nomination? AND SHE DID! She just got her invite today! Belize, Aug 18th--and tho there is no gaurentee, that's most likely the place I'll go to! So I'm super excited! I'm sure she's insanely excited after the last few long months!
3. I have looked through the invitations and decided on the most likely countries I'll be invited to (should medical not ruin my life!) And this is what I have decided on (considering that my nomination is C/S America in Mid-August '08), in order:
   --Belize leaving August 18th
   --Dominican Republic leaving August 18th
   --Eastern Caribbean leaving August 25th
4. Other possibilities based on the fact that they have Youth Development (and usually Business, sometimes Health) and left long enough ago to be able to have another group coming in any time are in no particular order (I don't think):
   --El Salvador
   --Costa Rica

So really, hrm, everything is waiting on the counseling forms. I'd just die if she called back tomorrow like "oh they are done, can you come get them?" I'd hug her and buy her chocolates and cookies and flowers! So, I'm banking on having this sent off by this time next week. 

Oh, and we got a Wii, somehow...and we can't stop playing it

Medkit

Today I got my last paper from my pulminologist...and *drum roll please* I GOT MY PAPERS FROM MY NEUROLOGIST BACCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!  

I looked over them and under restrictions, it said something like "swimming and bathing unsupervised" ...swimming, I know that, but now I'm not allowed to take a shower without someone supervising me? Entirely unnecessary. I think she's just trying to get back at me. Ho-hum.

So now, except for that counselor that still eludes my entire family, I am ready to send in that paper work to the PC Med office!!!!! I'm so excited! I MUST find that counselor so I can go get this finished Monday.

Update: my dad was able to find the counselor's name! Hopefully I can contact her tomorrow and get this finished in the next few days!

Slight Medical Update

I went into my neurologists office today, and when the assistant told me they still weren't dont, I asked to speak to my doctor or her nurse.  A few minutes later, her nurse came out to talk to me and she said Dr. B wanted to appologize, it was nothing personal. Apparently they wait til they have a huge stack to do them.  The nurse said that Dr. Brandt would do them tonight, and they'll call me in the morning to confirm they are done and ready to pick up. I guess sometimes going there in person is a lot more helpful, I just didn't think it would be this crazy.

I picked up forms from my doctors office, and the nurse practitioner who has handled all my stuff, came out to hand me everything and wished me luck with everything, and said to come back in even for the smallest detail.  Oh I love her...I am highly considering sending her a PC themed cookie bouquet! Hehe :):)

I took a last form to my pulminologist, the girl at the front desk now knows me by name, haha. I asked if it was possible to get them done by tomorrow, even though I knew it was friday and everyone was busy. She told me to come back tomorrow afternoon. After I left, about 10 minutes later I got a call from her saying it was already finished! They are amazing!

I tried to find my old counselor by going to the office building they were at, but there are only 4 people in the entire building anymore, and none of them was counseling/psychiatry/etc that would indicate anything.  She's gone. Disappeared. My dad is going to try to look through some old files tonight to try to find it.

Also, when I got in the car to start this whole process today, I saw that my left side of my face has a bright yellow bruise from the wisdom teeth removal! Yay!

PO

I know I have a PO, but who my PO is, I don't know. :(

I know I have a PO because, as I mentioned a while back, I shot my recruiter an update e-mail and she said she was going to forward that onto my PO since that's who had my file.  Everything was out of Hazel's hands pretty much.  

Last night, I sent Hazel another email, asking for my PO's name and e-mail and/or phone. This morning I had an e-mail waiting in my inbox:

You should have received correspondence from the Placement Officer by now. The best I can do is to give you a general telephone number of the IAP Desk which is the office handling your nomination. It is: ###-###-####

Sad. I haven't gotten an e-mail from my PO. Then I got worried that I maybe accidentally deleted it or it got spammed! So I immeadiately got on my gmail account and searched my Trash and Spam files.  All of what had been put there for the last 30 days was there. Good because it was 30 days ago that I had my nomination.  I searched high and low in Spam and Trash, even looking at stuff that maybe possibly could've been a PO e-mail.  But alas, no PO e-mail. :(

Now I am sad, I don't want my PO to forget about me! And even if I call the IAP Desk, I don't know if they can track down my PO. So if I need to get ahold of my PO, about something really important (luckily I don't have to right now, but WHAT IF!) then how do I find my PO in an instant. :( I really hope my PO calls me or e-mails me with just a "hey, I'm your PO"

Excitement

Outside news about the PC is sometimes exciting! Still don't have medical in, and yada. However, one girl I had talked to through e-mail a bit was having a big problem getting a nomination because of a medical restriction and the fact that they were a couple. They had their fingers crossed on a Latin America July program and a South East Asian September program.  But today they just found out that their PO found a program that accepts them with the restriction, and it is MINE! Of course, we all assume Belize....but it is the same region/month nomination, so YAY! I'm excited!

Also, a few weeks ago on the Facebook group Peace Corps Latin America, I put a message about anyone with departures leaving in August. For weeks no one responded, but then yesterday I got a GREAT response, better than I could've excepted, the dream response:

Hi,
I'm a PCV in Belize. I know that we are expecting new trainees in August of this year and Youth Development is one of Belize's programs.
Mike

So how exciting is that! Now I know for sure that Belize is indeed a huge possibility! EXCITING!

Now, if I could just get the damn medkit in. Grrrr

Grrr

I am stuck, because of my wisdom teeth.  The left side is fine, and not a thing bother me. Doesn't hurt, doesn't ache, nothing--just swollen.  The right side is swollen, but hurts in an aching type of way. My dad (dentist) keeps saying it isn't dry socket because I don't want to kill myself and it isn't comparable to labor pains; he also says he thinks it is because the bottom right tooth was the hardest to get out because it was the biggest, deepest, and strongest roots. 

To me it just feels like aching pressure, similar to when I get insanely bad sinuses (mine always are felt most in my teeth).  He assures me that right now I'm okay, and am still expected to feel bad. I agree, I'm not expecting to go out and start eating corn on the cob or chewing big pieces of steak.....but I just think that the right side should at least be slowing down in the pain-ache. But it's not. It is exactly the same. 

Eitherway, I can't talk very loud or clearly.  Thus, that means I can't storm into the Neurologists office and demand my paperwork to be completed right there on the spot. I can't yell at them again, I can't talk rapid fire, and can't show them how angry I am with them.  So I either have to wait for them to call me, or wait for the last test result to come in for my physical and then ask the nurse practitioner to call over there and rip them a new one. Two and a half weeks of not doing the paper work and being rude is just fucking ridiculous, and I'm not in the mood for it anymore.

Completely Unrelated...

In completely unrelated "news," as some seems to have been lately, one of my favorite commercials on tv is about the circle of 5 for TMobile.

Parent...: "So did you choose your 5 yet?"

Daughter: "Yeah, I chose Sara, Beth, Crystal, Jackie, and Jenny"

Son: "That's funny, I choose Sara, Beth, Crystal, Jackie, and Jenny too. Your friends are HOT!"

Daughter: "Are you going to do anything!?"

Father: "Maybe you should have uglier friends."

Mother: *nods in agreement*

For some reason, I just love it, makes me laugh/smirk every time.

In more PC related news, MUST find my counselor this week and force my neurologist to give me the papers. Someone suggested a thug and I am highly considering it. I talked to a friend serving in Macedonia right now, and it always keeps the spirits high even if the chats are short and small!

Wisdom Teeth

Yesterday, my wisdom teeth came out.  Supposedly everything went smoothly.  There was an aftershock to the earthquake just minutes before they started working on me, but luckily it was before and not during.

I had some very odd thoughts during the surgery, I guess not so much odd since they had to do with what was going on, but I guess it was odd that I was wishing I could've been blogging them at the time.  I guess some thoughts included:

• I can't taste the blood, but I can feel the warmth from it, and that grosses me out
• Don't move my tongue, don't swallow, don't move, I don't want it to get cut off
• What in god's name is making that loud noise in my mouth...
• Oh good, they have both the left ones out...oh wait, they only have the bottom left out, damn...
• Oh! John Mellencamp is playing on the radio!
• Flap, he said flap...operculum! 
• Well, glad you are saying that went surprisingly easy
• Ew that was a nasty noise
• wtf is going on, breath deep, breath veeeeeery deep through my nose--laughing gas
• Thank god the nurse is patting my shoulder
• *tenses up immensely* *loosens up* *tenses up immensely* *loosens up*
• oh sick, that movement is actually them cutting into the gum, how nasty
• no way in hell I am NOT doing the Peace Corps after this ordeal!

Stuff like that. The gauze changing was really nasty yesterday, but it is out now. Sleeping was hard last night because I was so damn uncomfortable--I like sleeping in the fetal position on my side, not stretched out on my back with my head elevated. It still doesn't hurt* but feels like it is starting to about now. Yesterday all I took was ibuprofen. Today I took half a Lortab around noon, so maybe I'll take the other half since the ache is starting to pick up. It was just sore, but now it is at an ache. Also, the bottom right ...hole...seems to be bleeding on and off. I feel like maybe it is getting bumped easier. Although its my left side of the face that is really swollen, not right. I should probably get the other half of the lortab before it starts hurting, just in case, and rinse with salt water again.

The things we do for the Peace Corps.

Earthquake

Um, yeah, so there was definitely an earthquake last night/this morning...at 4:45.....so they say it was a 5.4 in magnitude and its epicenter was 44 miles away from here on the edge of Illinois and Indiana, near Vincennes.....eitherway, I thought I was sitting smack on the epicenter!

All 4 of us woke up yelling to each other "What the hell is going on!?" "What the hell???" "Is this an earthquake????" while the cat is running up and down the hall freaking out and we think the dog peed from fear. Basically, our beds were shaking very strongly....and I jumped up and stood in the doorway and my youngest sister jumped up and I told her get in the doorway just in case.  The noise from the earthquake was the most unnerving and eery thing ever. You hear it, but then you aren't even sure you are hearing it...yet at the same time it is loud, very loud, and very deep. The whole house was shaking, I thought for sure the walls were crack, especially since it was built in the 60s.....you could hear stuff rattling on the shelf and as it picked up, a picture in my dads room fell off the tv and broke.  

When it first started I had no idea what was going on--seizure? am I in trouble and someone is shaking me? did I over sleep and someone is trying to wake me up? am I falling? am I dreaming? oh shit! it's a big earthquake!  They say it was 10 seconds, but it was definitely more like 30, and scary. Deep rumbling noise and your entire house shaking--including you. Today we are checking over the house to make sure nothing fell or cracked that we didn't realize at the time.

Crazy, and scary.

Update: this morning around 10:15 there was an aftershock that was 4.5 in magnitude. I was actually in the chair at the oral surgeons office waiting to get my 4 wisdoms out.  My dad (a dentist) had left the room with the doctor to look at a ct scan to see where a nerve in relation to my tooth was.  The nurse was out of the room. All the sudden my chair, the tv, and some little tools started shaking! Definitely scared me, but I sorta expected it. I had said last night and this morning that the aftershock would naturally come while I was there. Luckily, they hadn't started but my face was all numbed up.  I almost asked the nurse about it when she came back in, but I wasn't sure it was real since they had just taken me off about a 5 minute spin on the laughing gas mask, also I was too numb to really talk well...so I didn't ask. But at 11:30 when I was finished, I definitely had multiple texts about the aftershock.

Update 2: The other night...Sunday night/Monday morning at 12:45am, there was another aftershock, I was in bed and the walls and bed definitely started shaking again.  This time I just stayed in bed to ride it out, at least 30 seconds...and very small ones here and there after it.  It would've been a decent earthquake, but since it was coming after the bigger one from Friday morning, it was just a big aftershock. I'd say b/w 4.7-5, pretty decent! Still weird though.

Picture: up top you see a picture from USGS. The star is where the epicenter was, where it happened, and Evansville (SE) is where I live....so overall we were really pretty close, hence why it was still sooooo strong (we are actually in yellow too, its just not yet updated)

Things I Want To Bring/Do/Achieve

Where ever I go, there are for sure some things I want to bring, do, and achieve...some are personal...for myself, others are for others.

Bring

• English notecards
• notecards or something about Health
• crayons, colored pencils
• Flip
• Journal
• good rain coat and rain boots!
• books
• address book
• pictures of family/friends/pets/evansville
• small gives ie. IU tshirts, evansville book, stickers....

Do

• Ample travel to see as much as I can
• Learn to cook--especially delicious local food
• Hikes, Runs, bike rides....get/keep in shape
• Try a lot a lot a lot of new things
• Be uncomfortable

Achieve

• Become fluent in whatever language I'm given (& later when I hopefully adopt/have kids, s/he will be fluent in it as well)
• Connect with someone.
• Become a better and stronger person
• Motivate someone to reach a goal--hopefully bettering themselves
• Teach someone something interesting
• Find someone to make some sort of donation that will benefit my community

For now, that's what I got 

Note:

Unlike my awful neurologist's office, my obgyn's office didn't get the paperwork done by today like they said they would...they actually appologized about it and said it should be done tomorrow, but to call just in case, that it was on her desk, the first thing to be completed. See, I just appreciate that.

I Hate My Neurologist.

This post has probably been inevitable. My dislike of her has been a long time coming.  I don't think it is actually a dislike of her as a person, she always seems to at least try to talk to me in appointments, which is more than I can say of some doctors.

My first visit, I thought she was a little odd because her skirt-suit looked like it had deodorant all over it, but it turned out to be a funky shiny pattern.  I ignored that, different people, different styles. No reason to judge.  Then, I started getting calls or postcards from their office saying my appointments needed to be rescheduled--they gave me the date.  Nothing is abnormal about an appointment change....emergencies come up and doctors are people too with their own need for appointments.  So, yeah, whatever.  But when they rescheduled a single appointment FIVE TIME.....needless to say I was a little irked and angry at their office.  So far, after that 5 reschedule, it has never been more than 2 by them and 1 by me to reschedule their reschedule. 

Seriously....how can one reschedule an appointment 5 times. FIVE TIMES. You understand how my opinion about her and her efficiency started to wane.

Well, 2 fridays ago...over a week and a half ago, 13 days ago, I dropped forms off for her to fill out for the PC. They said by the middle of next week. So last friday, giving them a few extra days, I call. No no, the forms aren't done yet.  Annoying. Yet expected. Let it slide. I call today, at the 13 day mark. Am on hold for about 20 minutes.  Finally, they get on the phone to say no they aren't done and they'll call when they are.  I try to politely ask when they'll be completed. "At the end of this week, at the earliest." I try to breathe, and then I just get mad. "The end of this week, maybe??? Your office said they would be done last week, and they weren't, so why can't the nurse do it, when will they get done. I am waiting on these forms to send my medical kit off to the Peace Corps and your office has had them nearly two weeks."  I'm not one to easily get mad, but the fact that their office irks me in the first place...they reply that they can't control when the doctor fills them out and they are in a stack of stuff to do and that they'll call me. "Okay, Bye" I say and hang up.

Maybe I'm over reacting, but if you give a time limit...don't go over by an entire extra week. A day, two days--cool. AND DON'T RESCHEDULE MY APPOINTMENTS FIVE TIMES!

I can't wait to move to San Diego with Justin in 2 years so that I can get a new neurologist.

Flip

I just e-mailed the people at Pure Digital Technologies about their Flip Ultra and Flip Video products. Will they give PCVs a discount? I just think it would be amazing to have one of those on site to record all those amazing things we are going to see and do.  Also, it would be a great way to send video-emails home! It records 60 minutes of video, and then you press a button and a USB plug pops out. You plug it right into the computer and upload. My boyfriend has been using one and loves it, I've played around with it and think its great.  Hopefully, I'll hear something (positive) back soon and let you all know.

MedKit Updates

I made 4 medical stops today.

(1) OBGYN--they needed to check off like 3 things, write a few answers about birth control, and give me a copy of my pap, they said to come back tomorrow morning, it will be finished by lunch

(2) Pediatrician--I went there to see if they have records of my counselor--referring or any notes. The nurse was surprised they they didn't, so I'm back to square one with not knowing who the hell the counselor was.

(3) Pulminologst--I needed to get some test records copied that they have

(4) Imagery Library--where I got a disk of the most recent chest xray the pulminologist had me take.

I would say 3/4 were successful.  All were in the same hospital, but different buildings.  Luckily #2 and #3 are in the same building, same floor.  Now, I wait for the nurse practitioner to give me a call about the final lab result we are waiting on, and she'll write that up, write up the last questions, and then I'm done with that. Oh yeah, stupid doctor, the neurologist still has my forms, they won't complete them no matter how much I harass them! Bastards.  Other than that, I'm stuck at the counselor. If I can't find the name, I may have to call the PC med office and find out what to do.

I do have a PO

Yesterday, I wrote an e-mail to my recruiter to give her a couple updates, let her know I was still in the loop.  I wrote about my Red Cross training next week, my TEFL class, future YWCA volunteering, and my decision to open up my placement to the Caribbean in case a change was needed. I'd previously said--anywhere, but not Caribbean, but I've decided otherwise since I first said that.

This morning, she e-mailed me back.  She said: 

I forwarded your email to the Placement Officer who has your folder. I no longer have it and am not in a position to add anything to it, or to effect any changes in your nomination. But, the update should be helpful, in any case.

So it is now official (tho it probably was before, just not to my knowledge) that I have a placement officer. I may e-mail her back asking for the name/e-mail of my PO. Anyway, I was happy to hear I'm on someone's desk in IAP and that the update will be useful!

Dream...

I had a strangely vivid and long dream last night.

I dreamt that myself and a handful of the other people with my nomination, including Cali, were invited to the Eastern Caribbean.  In the dream, we were just getting off a big bus at the training center on St. Lucia and meeting other volunteers.  They paired us all off with volunteers to visit with their host families and people they worked with.  One of the little daughters of my PCV's host family wanted to get my autograph because I was a PCV (in training of course) and the host mother kept feeding us to be polite "eat eat!"  Afterwards, we all went back and met up with the other volunteers and talked about what we encountered.  

That's just the brief version, but it was weird how vivid it was!!! 

Booyah

Got my Polio Booster today! 

Turns out, after looking at my immunization records, I'd already had MMR, so no need to get it again.  However, for Polio, my doctor's office didn't have it since it's not one that is ever needed for adults.  They told me to call the health department, but my mom thought my pediatrician may have them. So I called there, easier and closer than the health department, but it turns out she is out of down and they would have to talk to her before giving me one since she's no longer my doctor.  Next, I call the health department, they say yes they have them, but can't give it to me until June.  WHAT!? I ask "just for a shot? until June? for a shot" "yep."  doesn't that seem ridiculous?  So I called Deaconess Urgent Care and they said that I could just walk in anytime to receive the shot.

I got off the phone, gathered up the copy of my immunization record and my PC form and went and got my Polio shot! Yay.

(while I was up on 1st Ave, I drove by my counselors building, and it looks like the whole building is shut down, I was going to go in and see if I could find her)

First Glitch

Well, I had my first real medical glitch today.  I went back to have the nurse practitioner read my TB Skin test, which was of course extremely negative. Just the little spot where the needle went in. That's always good. Then she showed me my test results.

Everything was normal except my urinalysis.  Apparently, the proteins and ketones were high....my nurse practitioner who is doing everything was concerned, so she wanted me to get another blood test and urinalysis.  Most likely its just a UTI.

Eitherway, it's annoying. But, on the bright side, it is really comforting to know that she is looking through all my results to find everything out, and that she wants to get any necessary follow up tests done before the Peace Corps spies it and throws a fit.  That way I don't loose time and don't have even more stuff to do for medical down the road.

Waiting Game

I recently talked to another nominee over e-mail.  She and I are both sick of waiting, although, she definitely has it worse than me since she's had to wait a full year longer. Luckily, it's only been a month and a week since I've applied! Now it seems like I shouldn't be sick of it, ...but it's more sick of dealing with medical right now.  However, I know that as soon as I send my medkit back off (hopefully end of next week), I have a whole different waiting game. First, the wait to be medically cleared, which may be a long time and I may have to fill out extra stuff because of last summer and epilepsy. Hopefully not. 

Then, if I get cleared, I have to wait for the invite. That's going to be hell simply because IAP is so far behind. Furthermore, I found out from someone with my nomination that his recruiter told him that the country was asking for 16 nominations, but are only going invite and send 7 or 8 to the country! I don't even understand how that is possible. That makes me even more nervous that they will have an overflow of people nominated and able to go there, so they'll have their pick and since I have medical restriction they'll just say "we choose the other person with no restrictions over her."  So why would they nominate DOUBLE the amount of people they intend to send!? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, the message board is talking about some things to do in the meantime, during the horrendous waiting game. These are some of the things that have been said:

• Volunteer your free time to organizations that fit your work role nomination.
• Sign up at the Red Cross for a First Aid/CPR (and more) class, I think that'll be immensely helpful for and PCV.
• Take an online TESL course--no matter your role, its very likely to encounter english teaching situations as a secondary role or a simple request. Plus, now that I'm partly into my course, I think it will ultimately help me learn the language better.
• Create a blog--document your application process, invite, and serving.
• Make a list of official business that needs to be closed before leaving (ie. closing accounts, what to do with possessions).
• Start working out--or increase the workouts/push harder.
• Practice your bike riding skills, since most of us haven't ridden since we were 10 and will have bikes as a PCV.
• Research issues you are nervous about--ie. regions food, malaria, tropical illnesses, medicines, gender norms.
• Study/Review the language you will most likely be learning--if you know.
• Research items you know you will need so you can get the best price (& discount!).
• Plan trips to visit friends and family.
• Tie things up at work.
• Make a packing list--even if you don't know where you are going, there are definite basics.
• Look over the Project Idea page on Peace Corps Wiki.
• Searching wiki for possible countries you could go to and why--make a list of people you've seen on the message board with similar nominations/invitations.
• Organize your iTunes library and download music you definitely want with you.
• Start collecting addresses of friends and family--buy a cute address book for it (or *idea* make it a small scrap book with each page being someone else with their picture(s) and their own hand writing and cute message).
• Get your camera out and start taking lots of pictures of family, friends, town, pets to take with you!
• If you know your work role, think of things to take with you (ie. crayons, stickers).
• Make a list or start buying gifts for host families/friends/co-workers in your country (ie. hard candy, post cards, calenders, etc).
• Learn/Start yoga and or meditation (possible weekend retreat). Great for "staying in the moment" and will come in handy on lonely nights in-country.
• Look for books that you think will help you in country, dealing with your work/loneliness, adventure, previous pcv books.
• Hobbies like sewing, embroidery, knitting, etc--time consuming and can be useful.
• Make business cards with name/e-mail/blog on it...additional info can be added on site.
• Cultivate a relationship with a teacher so you can keep in contact with them.
• Get acquainted with local organizations, clubs, churches, etc.  It may come in handy if you need help for your site (money, materials, etc)
• Connect with RPCV National PC Associated Affiliate organization for your country.
• Visit local newspapers, radio and TV stations and share your adventures with the media. Maybe it will be a onetime interview or perhaps you can arrange to do a column or a series.
• Visit the shops and businesses in your community and just chat with them about what you are doing. Ask them if there are ways they can help you.
  

If more ideas come up I'll post them up here, but for now that's it, but a good start!

MedKit

So far with my medical kit,  everything has been easy. I have all my forms in to doctors, some are back. I've had my physical and am just waiting for lab results.  Though there is one semi-big problem.

They want my counselors to fill stuff out.  My parents are divorced, and during that the 3 of us girls had to see a family divorce counselor to help decide who we would live with. No big deal. Also, my senior year of h.s. my mom made me go to a counselor--why? We simply butted heads one too many times and she apparently took offense. It was stupid.  I wrote my personal statements about counseling.  But this is the problem: no one knows who my counselors were. My dad thinks he knows the name of the divorce counselor, but is not sure. He will be easier to track down. But absolutely no one knows the name of the woman I saw during my senior year. My mom threw out one name, but I don't know why, because that was who SHE saw for counseling, not me. Mine was on 1st Ave, hers was on Morgan Ave.  So basically, no one knows who my counselors are, and I'm not sure how to go about finding that information. I don't even remember the building my counselor was in.

Let's Get Physical, Physical...

I had my physical today. I scheduled it with the nurse practitioner who could get me in whenever, as opposed to the doctor who is backed up 6 months.  I think I'm glad I had it with her though, she was very nice and much less awkward than my doctor who tries to be nice but doesn't small talk well. She was also rather thorough.  She filled everything out that she could (I'll have to go back to get the results and stuff) and looked through it multiple times to make sure she hadn't left anything blank. She kindly skipped the anal/rectal exam and checked it off. Thank God.

I left having 2 shots (TB & tetanus) and the regular physical.  Went to the buildings lab in the basement and got about 6-7 viles of blood drawn (luckily I'm used to blood tests because of my medicine). And got to pee in a cup, and I really did not have to pee.  My shoulder is sore from tetanus shot, my TB looks good so far--nothing alarming. I will have to contact the health department (or whoever it is) for 2 shots (Polio & something else..like MMR or something) because they didn't have it. I'll go back on Thursday to get my TB looked at and hopefully my labs written down. 

In the mean time, I need to take those forms to the obgyn to get their like 3 things filled out and a copy of my pap smear. I also need to stalk my neurologist and pulminologist for my forms back. Finally, I need to call the peace corps to find out about the counselor form situation, and then track down my 2 counselors (of whom no one in my family knows the names of)

*oh sigh*

I'm exhausted today. Going to bed soon and it's only 9:30

more...

I wrote my counseling letter that they wanted me to write. I also decided to write one about my epilepsy, and I did, since I really truly feel it doesn't hinder my life in anyway and because it's been 5 years since my last seizure. I wanted them to know that I do feel good about it and don't have any worries.

Tomorrow I hope to get back my pulminologist and neurologist papers. It's possible I'll get the pulminologists' (I hope because I gave him a sheet that he has to fill 1 part out on, but the general doctor has to do the rest), but I doubt I'll get the neurologists'.  

I will go in tomorrow or Tuesday to get my dad to take another panoramic xray, we took them about 2 weeks ago for a general check up, but forgot we had to mail them off to the wisdom teeth doc, so we'll have to do that again.

Tuesday--the full physical, shots, and blood-work. Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, the IAP office seems to be incredibly backed up and also understaffed. The EE and Africa offices seem to be moving at warp speed! I already have seen invites for September. I wish they'd bump 1 or 2 people from those offices over to the IAP office to help out. IAP is still in May/June invitations! Yikes. That's really far behind. 

A Little Progress

I received my medical kit yesterday afternoon, and have tried to do as much as I can with it so far.  I had to organize what goes to who and who I think will take the longest to get it back. Also, one form overlaps with a couple doctors, but hopefully I'll have that back in time.

Last night I wrote my personal statement about counseling we had to do for the divorce. I also filled out all the areas on the forms that I was supposed to fill out before the doctors got them.

• Today I took my eye prescription form and my 2 glasses frames to the optometrist.  I already have the form back and 1 pair of glasses (apparently the 2nd pair was acting up, so I'll get them monday).
  
• My dad filled out all my dental forms and I believe got my xrays in the envelope.
• I took the sheet about the asthma issue I had last summer to my pulminologist's office, they say I'll get it back Monday or Tuesday.
• I took the epilepsy form to my neurologist's office and they say I should get it back late next week. (at least that one doesn't overlap with any other forms)

What I still have to do:

• Tuesday at 8:30 I have my physical. They wanted to schedule it that early so that they could try to get as much blood work back that same day as possible.  They will take the majority of my forms to fill out, but I expect them to have it for a few days since their office is rather unreliable in my opinion. I'll just harass them.
• When I get those back, I'll take it over to my obgyn to have her fill out the like 3 questions that are for her to fill out. You'd think that would just take a day, but they too are unreliable.
• Counselor forms--I have 2 different forms for 1 person even though I have 2 people. I need to call the PC med office to see if I can just copy those. I also need to find out from my parents who the hell the counselors were. I have no clue. I'll do that Monday.
• Somehow have Bloomington Hospital fax a record of my allergic reaction to me.

What is not required, but I am going to do anyway is write a personal statement about my epilepsy. I haven't had a seizure in 5 years and the epilepsy in no way disrupts my life and I don't think it should in anyway disrupt my placement. But I know they have the final say. I also asked my neurologist to write a note along the same lines.

So I'm moving right along. Have 1/2 the stuff out, and 1/2 that (so 1/4th total) is already completed a day after having received it.

Oh Holy Medical Kit.

Well I received my medical kit today...and holy crap is it huge. Cali was right to take a minute and breathe before opening it. All the same, once I did, I wasn't even half through when my first "*SIGHHHHHH* holy shit, are you serious" came out. I had 2 or 3 more after that.

It's HUGE. Plus, I was lucky enough to receive God only knows how many extra forms I'll have to have filled out on top of dental, medical, and optometry. This is all the forms they sent me...and sometimes my thoughts on that:

1. Report of Physical Abilities--fine, cool, easy
2. Health Conditions Requiring Further Explanation--that's fine, it looks easy, my only issue is that I will have to take some to multiple doctors, so I really wish they'd put it on separate sheets so I can potentially do this all on the same day.
3. Neurologist Specialist Form--I expected this b/c of my seizures, cool
4. Asthma Evaluation--I'll have to take this to my pulminologist, luckily he's cool, quick, loves travel, and discontinued all my medication and asthma
5. Counseling Form--but I do not know if this is for the year of counseling my mom made me go to (all I wanted to do was change from private to public schools!) or if it's for the counselor my sisters and I had to see for the divorce. No clue.
6. Mental Health Treatment Summary--again, the year of counseling or the divorce counselor? Either way, both were stupid and meant nothing, but I don't know what form goes to who or if it should go to both. I'll have to call.
7. Personal Statement--I have to write a personal statement about my mental health. I suppose I shouldn't be sarcastic or witty in that. But like I said, both situations were pointless.
8. Medical & Dental Evaluation Checklist
9. Report of Medical Exam--I have to fill out the top, they do the bottom, also will have to take it to the obgyn to fill out her part
10. Report of Dental Evaluation--thank god my dad is a dentist
11. 3 Forms for Reimbursement on Medical Expenses
12. Prescription for Eyeglasses--that should be easy for the optometrist

I also have to somehow get the Bloomington Hospital Emergency Room record of the time I had to go in for an allergic reaction sent to me...hrm. I hope I don't need anything from the IU Health Center. And I hope  my doctor has my immunization record, otherwise I'll have to go all over the place to get it.

At least my dad is a dentist. *sigh* That helps. But what makes me hit my forehead is all the specialist I have to find. Also, I don't know who either of my counselors were, so I have to find that out from my parents and hope I can find them.

Okay. Tonight, I fill out everything I am supposed to fill out. Tomorrow I have my dad do the dental, take the form to the optometrist, the other form to the obgyn, the other to the pulminologist, and another to the neurologist. My physical is with the nurse practitioner next Tuesday.

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Still No MedKit

I still have no MedKit. Last Monday when I talked to my recruiter, she told me when my MedKit should arrive, and so I went ahead and made doctor appointments based on the approximated date it would get here and gave it a few extra days to be on the safe side. It never came, it never came.

Well on April Fools Day, I received a ToolKit update.  I checked, and it had a check mark that said they had sent out my Medical Kit on March 31st and to make immediate doctor's appointments to make sure I did this quickly. Basically, the day I should have received my Medical Kit was the day it got sent.  My first appointment, with the obgyn, was this morning at 8:45am. I decided to go ahead and go to that without the forms because they just had to fill out a few of the standard "woman" questions from the check up and I'd be on my way. I came home this afternoon, hoping hoping I'd have my MedKit since I have my big* appointment tomorrow for the full physical/shots/bloodtest. Nope. Still no MedKit. I didn't get the mail until 4, and I call the doctor at 4:15. Their office was already closed. Argh argh argh! I "canceled" with the answering service, and will have to call back tomorrow to reschedule.

The wringer's the PC puts you through.

One Thing...

Is there one thing that really scares you about joining the PC, or makes you super nervous, or makes you think extra hard about it?

I guess for most people it would be something like the 2-year commitment or family.

For me it is my cat.

My Cat! This is Curtis, Curtis James. He's ...well, the picture is about a year old, so he's grown a lot since then. My cousin found him out back of her house as a very very tiny kitten, in the pouring down rain, crying his little heart out. She took him in, but considering that at the time she had 2 large dogs (now 3) and a husband that's allergic to cats (still is) she had to find a home for him. Knowing me, my love for cats, my inability to say no to cats, and the fact that I'd thought of bringing a cat from my dad's house up to my BTown apartment, she called me, and I agreed to come home that weekend to get him.

At first, while I thought he was a really good cat--litter box trained, no mean habits, and didn't make a peep during his 2.5 hr car ride to my apartment--to put it bluntly, he just didn't like me. I tried all my cat tricks (I swear I'm "one with the cats") and he just wouldn't have it, he wanted nothing to do with me or my toys or my cuddling. He liked Cara better, my mom better (who hates animals), Angel better (overbearing roommate), and well, anyone better. However, he finally gave in after about a month and a half. Maybe he was just trying to get a better feel for me, so he knew he could trust me. I don't know. But after that we have been 2 peas in a pod. We played with his cat toys together, took naps together, went b/w towns together.  All this time, while he likes other people...he can get sick of other people if they push it, and often they do.  He never gets sick of me, I'm the only one he's happy being around 100% of the time, even now he still sleeps on me (and he's big lemme tell you). I guess I know his personality perfectly and know what he likes and doesn't, what buttons not to press, when he wants to interact and when he doesn't.

When I graduated and came back to Evansville last May, even though I was staying at my dad's, I had to keep him at my mom's since there were 2 cats and a dog here already. Ever since then I go through my kitty withdraw. He's just 5-7 minutes away, but he and I are best friends and I miss him so much. I don't see him everyday, and sometimes not even once a week. But when I come through that door, he runs to me, and I swing him up in my arms onto his back, and he just rubs that tiny little nose against my cheek to tell me he loves me and missed me.

Dorky eh? But I don't want to leave my Curtis kitty for 2 years. I don't trust my mom to take care of him or not let him run away. My youngest sister is 1/2, 1/2 between my mom and dad's house, and she does a good job with Curtis, but all the same, 1/2 the time she's not there is plenty of time for my mom to ignore him, forget to feed him, or let him run outside. I can't think of anyone else to give him to though. Plus, i don't want to miss him for 2 years, I thought he'd be at my moms for a few months tops, and then I'd have an apartment/job and he'd move back in with me. 

Basically, I don't want to miss him for 2 years, and I am terrified he'll forget me!

How silly is that.