Sometimes we cant pinpoint when we understand the urgency of an action even after we have rolled the action. Such was the case with medical examination for immigration purposes. My sister said that she had somehow overlooked it. With me, I looked at it but dont think it registered in terms of schedule.
The doctor's offices open at some time. So you cant do anything before that.
Once I got the numbers dialling at a decent time. They were staggered redials as different offices open at different times.
Doctors are not at our beck and call especially in USA. They have appointments open that are not this week. The first doctor's office I contacted had an opening few weeks away that would only leave me with 7 days to the deadline of filing. In matters as these, the answer needs to be today. I called a friend who went through this process. He made two important points known to me. One that the company reimburses all this, which will become important when the other knob if time is not in our favour. Two that the company's on-site clinic covers it. Now this due to the lag of time, addened to the stress of scheduling. Another point was about the doctor he had been to, but anyway neither the dates nor the price worked out.
When I called the on-site clinic, the appointment was 2 days away and only for 1 person. I needed it for 2 and that day. I was told to check at the other location. The other location relayed a very important information about how the clinics are no longer able to do any of the checks that would be needed for the I-693. Thats some more time dump there.
Eventually I got an appointment for the same day for two people. The timing was such that I had to make it to the obgyn's office now to get the tetanus shot proof. HIPAA rule as they are, need a person in person if they are to release any medical records. when we made it to the obgyn office, a dear friend there told us that we were very close to lunch time. As I was filling the form, she called her colleague to release the information I needed. Luckily I had taken the I-693 sheet referring to vaccinations. she couldnt print anything as proof, but filled out the date the Tetanus vaccine was given. This was a very Bond's moment.
Then we headed for the medical examination. the reason why it had to be today was that it would need a follow up for TB test, which could result in the need of an Xray test. We ditched lunch, hoping the complex would have some lunch place. we were glad to be in AC. Being early gained us time as we went through all the tests and got ready for the remaining proof to be provided. When I had taken vaccinations earlier, I faxed the proof to graduate college but never kept a copy. I had to take MMR and Varicella (Chicken pox) again. When I called the onsite clinic, they were willing to give MMR but couldnt give Varicella. if they were on top of it, they could have informed that they needed to be taken together, if not we would have to wait another 4 weeks. It was again a stroke of luck, that the pharmacist at Walgreens warned us about it when we told him that we needed Varicella and would be getting MMR later in the week.
How obstacles present to us is interesting. But how they are resolved or thickened too is. My husband's name wouldnt go through insurance records as there was some jumble. Not even the jumbled one. HR was kind enough to resolve it right then and said they could take care of updating records later as it would not be done in 5 min or else it would have meant another trip.
After that when we reached home after a day's long work of calling, being somewhere, being poked, it seemed that it was a good idea to get it out of the way instead of letting time ooze in.
The follow up day it rained.
After all this immediacy, with doctor office assurance that they would take care of getting records from the walgreens, we checked in with them after their said time. They were mistakenly waiting for the Xray exam results which were already in. Still we got it all done in record time and so did the revoking of the eligibility date. they too must have similar immediacy an tale.
PS1: How you find things that could have helped you only after you dont need them
It is an O Henry thing that one of the letters that I needed to look at and tell the health benefits people that the names were swapped was received long time ago but never made it to me. maybe there should be some colour code for the real mail.
PS2: In pumping machines, there is a small funnel that is needed. One day it fell down, For the life of me, in the sparse room, I couldnt find where it went. Not under the table, not under the sink. where else? These things seem to have affinity to corners which we ignore. When the second one (now you why there are extras, not just covering for things breaking down, but for the magician act) too fell down, it joined the first.
