Slow doesn’t even begin to describe the Peace Corps process. Glacial is maybe a better term- ice age glacial. Yep about sums it up. So after submitting my request for my medical records with Kaiser Permante on Feb 4 2010. I have been waiting for two months to get my complete records delivered which has yet to happen.
I don’t really know if the Peace Corps will ever happen because of all the hold ups. I have called my So Cal person who is supposed to be handling my paperwork and after losing the medical records twice. I finally got an incomplete copy faxed to the Pinole medical secretaries. But did I know these records were incomplete before last Friday ?
Did anyone call to tell me? No. So when I went in person to bug my doctor and the medical secretaries – big surprise – no immunization records had been sent.
So finally I just about lose it. What am I supposed to do? I really don’t know. So I ask what do you need to know for the forms? What is missing? And how can we solve this situation minus waiting for the rest of the medical forms to show up??
Finally , they get some common sense and are like well we need to know if you had an MMR booster. Can you test for the anti bodies – I ask. Yes – well let’s do it.
Then my doctor starts freaking out because she didn’t read all the paperwork fully and finds two sheets to do with 1. Asking do I have an eating disorder because I am over weight and 2. Asthma.
So then I have to list and explain what treatment I received. Have I been hospitalized.. no. Then the lists a low fat diet and recommends meds to control the asthma.. which was diagnosed 10 years ago.. and has been treated with Zyrtec – successfully. I have hiked and done plenty of active stuff with out hacking up a lung or anything. Then notes.. she has only seen the patient once.. well hello.. I just moved back to Northern California from San Diego.. after graduating and I hate going to to doctors. Did I mention.. healthy as a freaking horse?
She complains why doesn’t the Peace Corps have it’s own medical facilities? Really? It’s the federal government – if we can barely get universal health care off the ground, what makes you think they are going to foot the bill for potential medical screening failures. Seriously?!
The doctor seems nice enough until you want more than just a routine procedure done. Then they act like they are doing you a favor.. to do paper work.. its part and parcel of the job description. Geez. This is why I hate going to the doctor.
Next time remind me to bring my own copy of Grey’s and I will be merrily on my way to self diagnosis and treatment. Thank you very much.
So now when I call today for an update on the paperwork I am told we are waiting on the test results for two parts of the MMR immunity test still.
I wonder how long that will take- probably another 3 months by the way things are going.
American Muslimahs Musings 