When I returned from Dallas, I easily secured my passport. It was a simple matter of filling out some paperwork and sitting down for the dorkiest picture I've had taken in a long time (and I have had my share of dork photos). Within a week I had a passport and felt ready to fly off. What I forgot about, however, was all the medical hoops I had to jump through.
Now, it would be nice to say that I called up my doctor, scheduled and appointment, went in and had no problem getting anything I needed. I left with a smile on my face and went about my day, knowing the low co-pay I just put down would be all that I had to worry about. Too bad nice doesn't run in politics.
Political campaigns rarely provide insurance. It's too expensive, especially when you don't know how long the campaign will be running. So, I called up the county health department for the immunizations, and then tried to get a kind doctor for my physical.
The county I live in, come to find out, refuses to carry live vaccinations. This is a problem when the yellow fever vaccine is a live virus. (Kind of cool to think I've been infected with yellow fever). Instead, I need to go to the neighboring county to receive my shots. I scheduled my appointment in September, knowing that they may have some booked days and could squeeze me in before I flew out. I penciled in October 13 at 9 a.m., put it on all my calendars, and committed it to memory.
One problem... October 13 this year was Columbus Day. I realize not many communities celebrate the holiday of the savage man who foolishly landed in the Caribbean and thought he was in the Philippines. (Not that I have an opinion on the man or anything) But in DuPage County, they do observe this meaningless holiday. Of course, I had already trekked into Wheaton, then Lombard, only to find out that there was a mistake somewhere.
The good news, however, was that my parents' doctor up here does observe diversity and the needs to respect (not accept, but respect) other cultures and rejects the concept that Columbus discovered America when he NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN THIS COUNTRY.
Please note that I am not against the idea of having a holiday to honor our explorers, nor am I against Italians or Genoese. I think Columbus Day should be revamped into an Explorers Day to honor all the many great and brave men (and women) who embarked upon lands never before known. There were many great Italians who are a part of this including the man who's name graces our continents and this nation today, Amerigo Vespucci.
This is where things could've been tricky. Doctor visits are rarely cheap when you don't have insurance and I feared the worst. I went to the doctor - who, by the way, is a very nice man and I am pleased to have at least felt there was a genuine interest in my health - expecting to pay a chunk of change and left feeling good. Not only was the visit quick and easy, but the cost was minimal, plus I got a discount for paying in full! You can't beat discounts.
The next day, when the world was cured from their blindness over the fallacious holiday, I called up good ol' DuPage and was directly informed that I must have been wrong with my scheduling because there is no way someone would have put me on the calendar for a Monday when they only give foreign vaccinations on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They also told me that my appointment was scheduled for October 16.
Now, I know that this can be a simple mistake. But I rarely, if ever, have confused "Six-teen" with "thir-teen." The syllables aren't that similar. However, I will have to admit that the odds are all stacked against me. And when I went in this morning, I was able to sign in and wait for my immunizations.
Let me say two things. One, never tell a guy that it will sting right after you have injected them and two, the County Health Department has been shafted in the past. The Health Department asked for my check number BEFORE I filled out the forms for my vaccinations. They could have done the honor system and expected me to return from the basement office to the payment desk with a check in hand. Instead, they ask for the check number in case I decide to just bypass the whole paying thing. And I don't blame them. I paid a buttload of money for the two small vials of viral liquid. I actually paid money to be infected with a dangerous virus. If that isn't messed up...
Anyway, I now have my shots, I have my clearance from my doctor, or rather will once I return to pick up the form, and I have my passport. I'm moving closer to my travels and grow more excited by the day. In just over a week, I'll be on my first journey overseas. This will be a long trip alone for me, but a trip I would never think twice about taking. I think that is all for now.
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