February 15, 2007

It's Official, We're Healthy

After months of nail biting and endless checking of mailboxes, both physical and electronic, we've finally been deemed healthy enough to serve as peace corps volunteers. Although I was fairly certain that both Dan and I would pass the medical examination with flying colors, I was struck with what Shel Silverstein dubbed "The Whatifs." I had a pretty serious case of the whatifs. Whatif I have some sort of rare blood disease? Whatif I have bone degeneration? Whatif I have a tumor? They're checking for all these bizarre things, so it's possible, right? I guess it's possible, but not probable.
I suppose what got me all wound up was not my initial fear of having some strange disease that would cause me to be medically disqualified, but the fact that it was taking so long to be medically cleared. Dan and I sent in our medical forms at the end of September, only one month after we received them. A few weeks later we sent in the results of supplemental lab work. We had been told that medical clearance takes about 6-8 weeks. Well, 10 weeks later we still had heard nothing, hence the case of the whatifs. I finally decided to call and see what was the deal. Apparently the office had received my lab work, but not Dan's (which I find odd since it was sent in the same package). Anyway, we sent it again...and one week later we were cleared! Hooray! I guess I could have called earlier and saved myself from the whatifs, but it wasn't too bad because now I think I've built up an immunity. So, here we are medically cleared and ready to wait for our invitation. Come on invitation!