The Medical Review

On June 9, Kris went in for her physical for the Peace Corps. It was just supposed to be a health status report. The inoculations come later.

Unfortunately, her doctor at Christie Clinic didn't seem to be able to read. Granted there were five form pages to fill out, but it only would have taken a couple minutes to read the instructions for the whole thing. How is it that doctors have made it through five years of the most mentally challenging kind of school there is, but yet at the end, they can't read directions or write legibly?

In any event, the doctor failed to sign the form, ordered the wrong lab tests, and lost the urine sample, so the next two weeks, Kris felt like a yo-yo, going back and forth to the clinic. She called the Peace Corps nurse in D.C. and discovered that the lab tests she had were fine, and didn't need to be re-done, so that was good.

My doctor visit on June 10 was a lot better. The doctor read the instructions, and ordered all the correct lab tests. However, they lost my urine sample as well, and gave me a tetanus shot, which the form specifically said not to do. Thankfully, they took two urine samples to be safe, so I didn't have to go back in. The hardest part was getting the lab results. The Hepatitis A, B, and C tests are only done once a week, on Thursday, so we had to wait for those.

The dental exams went off without a hitch. The only potential problem with those is that the exams were $100 each, due to the X-rays, but we only get reimbursed $60 from the Peace Corps, and our insurance only covers $800/year for both Kris and my vision and dental. Since Kris had to get new lenses and contacts, and I had to get a $200 occlusal guard to protect my teeth from grinding at night, it's going to be tight.

Speaking of insurance, it's a good thing we have such good insurance. All together, our physicals and lab tests cost a little less than $1,400, plus the cost of Kris' Ob. Gyn. exam! The Peace Corps only reimburses us about $300, which is a little ridiculous. Thankfully, our insurance covered every penny.

So now, all our medical paperwork is in and we are just waiting for the medical clearance to go through, which can take 4-6 weeks. Priority is given to applicants that are leaving sooner, though, so we should hear back in closer to 4 weeks.

I'm Exhausted

Up and down. Up and down. That's the story of life, especially lately.

So my sister, Jay, just got baptized last weekend. It's so awesome to see just how strong she is. She stands up for what she believes in, no doubt about that. She's the only one of her friends that doesn't smoke, and only she and one other guy refuse to drink. That's weird, and so cool. I'm not going to lie, I'm darn'd proud of her.

She's also now an incoming college freshman, no more strings to the old world of Owatonna High. It's weird, because most of my friends are only a few years older than her. I'm not used to relating to her like a peer. It's pretty fun, though, so I'm sure I'll adjust.

So the weekend started off pretty good. Then Jay backed into her friend's awkwardly parked truck and deformed the tailgate assembly. Bad. Dad's job interview in Owatonna didn't go so hot, since he was way overqualified, and Kris' mom had to have surgery done on her knee Wednesday. More bad.

To make matters worse, I upgraded the server operating system at work Tuesday night, and come Wednesday, I had a whole slew of little bugs to work out. I got most of them out today, only to have the latest Apple security update hose our PHP application server. I was mopping the floor at about 10:00 pm when I got a call from my boss telling me that our most essential web program wasn't working.

So here I am, working past midnight with a ton of cleaning waiting for me at home. My parents and sister are visiting tomorrow, and we're hosting a BBQ at our place on Monday, so we figured a good cleaning was necessary.

Kris passed out at about 9:00 this evening, because she hasn't been getting enough sleep either. I think it's time to go join her. I have my physical for the Peace Corps tomorrow at 3:00 pm, and I don't want my body to be under a lot of undue physical strain. It might screw up the blood work. I'm not really looking forward to the appointment. The doctor needs to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and I'm going to have to explain it all to him. Kris informs me that there's also a surprise exam that involves dropping my drawers and bending over.

If it weren't for God's Spirit of peace in me, I don't think I could handle all this. But thank goodness, I can. Keep your eyes on the target. Remember Paul's words in Philippians 2:3-16

Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others as better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.