P.O. to P.A.O?

April 8, 2009

Whew, so I finally, finally, finally completed all of my experience working with youth to build up my file. I have had a lot of experience and I didn't want to leave anything out. After awhile though I was getting weary and didn't even put everything. Hopefully it's enough. I got an email today from my P.O. saying she received all the information and she is sending it to my P.O....??? Wha? Aren't you my P.O.? Well she said, Placement & Assessment Officer...which is clearly a step abover ;oP So, progress. I just need to stay positive and visualize myself leaving in August. My P.O. said they will be reviewing my file over the next several weeks...sooo more of the waiting game...

I have been doing a pretty decent job of paying my debt down, but I still can use some more time, so I'm in no hurry just yet. I have gotten a ton of babysitting gigs for the upcoming months, so hopefully that keeps me busy and allows me to pay off the rest of the debt. Oh on that same page...I finally got all of my dental and medical bills together and I turned in my reimbursement form. Hopefully I'm still able to get that money back. It's not a lot but it is something. I just paid Quest Diagnostics over $700 for the labs I had to get...sooo any little bit will be welcomed whenever it comes.

I wonder what my next update is going to be about...only time will tell...

March Madness!

March 22, 2009

March is almost over and boy have I been out of the loop. I caught my alma mater win a game today, but that is NOT what has been holding me up all this time. I wrapped up my life in LA and made the trek to STL at the beginning of the month. I've taken two weeks to get back into the swing of things. I have managed to pack a lot in the past 14 days (per usual) but I am back on it. I exhaled after being medically cleared and I needed a bit of a break. So I just sent an email to my P.O. with and updated resume and some other updated information about myself. I hear from this point on it's nothing but a waiting game so I wanted to get that information in her hands as soon as possible. I'm not sure if she's just going to receive the information and say nothing, or if she's going to hit me back and we are start dialog. We shall see. Hopefully I have at least one more update this month!

I heart OMS!

February 25, 2009

The lovely lady who I have been in contact with just called me and said that I have successfully jumped through every hoop and my medical screening is over! YAY!! I still have to receive an official letter and I need to see my tookit updated. Until then I won't believe anything. I'm SO happy and excited. The next step is I will be getting assigned a Placement Officer. (P.O.). That's when we start talks of departure dates, locations etc. I really need to get home so I can get a job real quick and start paying off things and putting some money away! I hope March throuhg July is enough time!

Daily Update Sheesh....

February 20, 2009

So I had ANOTHER update email from Peace Corps. It no longer says on hold, and that they are reviewing my information. What I think that means is they received the fax from my STL Dr. office and they are going over that. I'm sure I'll be BACK on hold when they have completed that, and are waiting on my blood work. I'm going to the Dr. office this afternoon, so I'm sure I'll get the lab back sometime next week. Fingers crossed. I should probably eat breakfast...not sure what I can do now to help my poor little blood cells get it together...

Update

Went to the Doc's office, stuck again...Ugh I hate needles. My Doc was like your levels weren't THAT low this hardly makes sense... So he did it, said the lab will be ready tomorrow (he probably doesn't realize it's Friday....) So at least I'll have an answer soon...

Hold up...Wait a Minute...

February 19, 2009

Spoke with the fine folks at my STL Dr. office and the lady just wanted to make sure that I wanted paper work from 2003 cause that's all she had. Whew, I thought they were gonna say they did have any records for me. She is going to fax that information over.

Now then my Dr. office here is so bout it, I called just to set up an appointment thinking it would be awhile before they could see me. Yeah how bout tomorrow. I am hesitant for a few reasons...like how am I gonna pay for the visit, getting stuck again, and going in w/o even having the paper work. They are mailing it from DC, but it's clearly not going to be in before next week.

So I called my girl (yeah she's my girl now since we talk everyday) at OMS and she said I can go in and I just need to request a "repeat CBC" and if my Hemoglobin levels are still a bit low, then the Dr. need to write something up about what is being done to correct that. If there is an upward trend then we will have no issue what so ever.

Fingers Crossed!

Oh and I had an email saying that my Toolkit had been updated... Sure enough there is a Medical HOLD on my account. It feels scary even though I know exactly why. In addition, it's a good sign because they are really going through my medical stuff and once this is over, it's only a matter of time...

Love is in the Air...

February 13, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day :) I'm feelin the love as I had a totally unexpected update in my inbox from Peace Corps. However, like in love at times, I felt a sense of longing as I logged into my Toolkit. It appears that nothing has changed lol. I think the "update" is that my application is now under medical review.

As I updated, I got my extra blood test taken. I picked up the results on Wednesday and faxed them in. I think the update is confirming that D.C. did indeed receive my fax of updated information. Thanks D.C. I'm feelin the love! Hopefully my medical review will go smoothly over the next few months and I will be right on schedule!

Peace and Love :)

Half Full...

February 6th, 2009

Having difficulty typing as my arm is wrapped up due to excessive bleeding that wouldn't stop after getting my blood drawn... I choose to view this cup as half full.

I was going through a lot trying to get my health insurance together...to no avail I might add... I had stopped my current insurance to get insured in Missouri, but I hadn't followed through all the way with that. Then I get the news in the mail that I need to go to the Dr. So as previous posts illustrate I was not so happy. Anyway, I tried to get short term insurance and it was WAY expensive...I figured it would be easier to pay out of pocket at my expensive !#@ Dr. in Beverly Hills! Secretly wishing a) they wouldn't charge me for a visit b) they wouldn't charge me for the lab that THEY screwed up...and c) while unrealistic hoping I could get this straightened out without having to get a shot!

Well, went today, came in no one asked for my insurance info..score! Dr. that I love love, acknowledged that mistake and said he'd do everything in his power to make sure they eat the cost...score for now! Roll out of the office w/o so much as a mention of a co-pay! Sweet! So that was great... I however DID have to get another shot (my doc is so good though) and even though he put a tiny band-aid over the spot I was stuck... my arm kept gushing out blood. Ick... so now I'm all wrapped up and I have a dance class to go to in a few...Ah well... I still take the good and the not so good and deem it...well...good....Half Full it is...

Grrrrr...

Called my Gen Phys and I totally need to get a whole vile of blood drawn
a whole 'notha huge hollow needle stuck in my arm...
a whole 'notha five days of my arm being bruised sore...
a whole 'notha $80 plus dollas to get the lab results
aaaand will probably have to pay for the visit...

Just venting...I'll be more positive in a couple of moments.

From what I understand this is just the non-medical review... to make sure everything is checked and filled out correctly.
THEN they are going to actually look at the content. I can see how this takes a year.

It's all good though, just buys me time to get my life in order.
I should call back and actually MAKE an appointment. I was so let down in the moment I just said "OK" and got off the phone, sigh. I'm so dramatic.

Touchdown!

February 2, 2009

Just showing my allegiance to the Super Bowl. My friends and I talked through most of the game including the commercials, but what fun we had! Super Bowl Sunday was also when I got a letter from Peace Corps. (clearly it came on Saturday but I didn't see it on the table until Sunday). Turns out I'm not as perfect as I thought. Man, I really thought my medical packet was air tight. I missed two things. One I needed certain things checked at the general physicians office that I was clearly getting checked with my OBGYN so on my medical form there are about 3 things I don't have checked off. I'm actually going to call them and see if a) I can just write a note by those boxes to refer to my OB papers or b) well I have a plan B in mind... lol..you can message me for that one.

The other big mistake is that I got a lab done for Hepatitis B AntiBODY opposed to a Hepatitis AntiGEN. It's the docs oversight I'm sure, but geeeeez if I have to pay for one more thing! That's gonna be drama.

It's okay though, I'm glad I know about this now while I'm here instead of having to deal with it in Missouri.

So plan of action

1) Call OSM and see about these boxes that aren't checked
2) Find out if the boxes can just be checked...or cross referenced with my OBGYN papers
3) Call my docta and see what up with this lab mix up... If I have to get blood drawn and pay for yet another dr. visit AND a lab that's not covered by my insurance...I'mma be sick...

Attempting Medical Clearance...the real fun begins...

Coincidence?...I think not..

January 28, 2009

Log into my email and have a message from Peace Corps "Status Update". Why, I didn't expect another one of those for another 3 months or so! I was thinking any news at this time is not good news. Well, it turns out that I have Medical HOLD on my account. The caption says something about it's gone under review and a hold as been placed on my account until I'm cleared. That is actually good news because that means that those nurses that hadn't so much as picked up my file, now are reviewing it. Is it a coincidence that they start reviewing my file Days after I called? Have I now put a "rush" on the process? I was feeling good that I had nothing but time before they started looking at my medical stuff. On the other hand, since I am going to be leaving LA, if they need anything from my doctor it would be way easier to handle that stuff while I'm here.

This starts making the wheels in my head churn again with visions of an earlier departure and possibly a Spanish speaking territory. I happened upon a great little site that had departure dates for different countries, but I wasn't sure of the source so I didn't know how accurate it was. I'm so going to try to find that site again and see what leaves when...

That's another point for Missouri, the sooner I go home, the sooner I can start getting my financial situation squared away so an earlier departure could be possible... Only time will tell...

Homeward Bound

January 26, 2009

So I made the decision to take this party to back to my homeland, Missouri.

Now Peace Corps strongly advises you not to make any real life decisions before getting an invitation...and I can honestly say I don't think I would be doing this if I weren't planning on taking a 2 year trip out of the country. I've been praying about it though, so maybe I would be going to Missouri no matter what right now...but I highly doubt it.

With losing my job back on Oct and not getting anything in the meantime, I now have real debt. I never had debt, debt before and I desperately want everything squared away before my departure! I'll be over 30 when I return and I need my financial life to be on the up and up.

So that's a major life decision that I didn't even see coming at the beginning of January...but it makes total and complete sense. Just trying to surrender and go where I'm being (divinely) lead.

Keeping it Peace Corps... I called OMS just to see what my clearance schedule was looking like. At first I couldn't get anyone to tell me the status of my file. The people at the front desk would answer my call....get my SSN# and then forward me to someone else and then I would always dead end at someone's voicemail. I started to get freaked out. I even asked the people that answered the phone initially what were they seeing on my file that they couldn't just tell me that I had to forwarded to someone else...which they would inform me...that they couldn't say that so and so and ext xyz had to tell me....arg...So that was frustrating. It only took one day of diligence though to finally get someone. The conclusion simply was that since my departure date is not until Fall '09 they reported they have not even looked at my medical file. So great. I have plenty of time. I really think this is all going to work out for the best!

A Change is gonna come...oooohhh yes it wwwiiilllll...

January 20, 2009

From the words of Sam Cooke to the ideals of Obama...Change is what we are talkin about and being about these days (Especially TODAY!! PRAISE GOD!). Change is inevitable, always had been always will be, and boy am I facing a huge change right now. Remember this is the Peace Corps blog so I try to keep it strictly PC :o) So when we last left off in 2008, I was teaching dance and just looking to secure one to two more part time positions. Yeah, well thanks economy for being in recession, I can't get a silly gig anywhere! Since I teach after school, being unavailable from 1-4 really messes things up.

I've gotten to the point where I'm dying waiting to hear back from coffee shops! I mean seriously? This is where we are? After some self reflection and evaluation...I realized, if I'm gonna be working at coffee shops (Which there is nothing wrong with), I can be working at Starbucks...in Missouri, and not paying for rent and really kick of initiative: Pay off Debt to be free to go to Peace Corps.

Now it's not that easy. Going back to Missouri...would really be...going.back. I haven't lived back home since I graduated from college. LA has been my home for the past four...almost five years! It's really hard to wrap my mind around. I also NEVER really thought that I would be almost 30 going to live back home. So I have a lot to chew on.

The math is...made no money in December, don't get paid a dime till the end of January = 2 months absolutely NO.Money. Divided by the deal my landlord gave me discounting my rent and my still struggling = girl you gots to go.

No why not live with my ride or die friends who would do anything for me? Well that's the toss up, but, at this point...what is LA giving me? I can't afford to take my favorite dance classes anymore and all of my time is spend either stressing about or looking for work.

The longer I stay here, the longer I am using my "emergency" credit card... putting myself further into debt instead of getting out! Also take into account that my father is about to disown me over the whole thing...staying here is seeming less and less like the thing to do.

Have I notified the Missouri crew I'm rollin threw? Absolutely not...soooo that's something to do...
Have I told my current employer that I realize I can no longer live on peanuts (even though I would if I could)..Nope!
Have I even really made up my mind completely? Nah, but the numbers don't lie...I'm just in denial
Do I know without a shadow of a doubt I'll get work in MO....not beyond a doubt..but I do have some leads...

I think most of my resistance comes in when thinking of what a big CHANGE it would be. I'm not good with change, especially change of this proportion. Why do you care? Well, this has everything to do with the Peace Corps. There is no way I would consider moving if I wasn't an nominee for August. It's just a gamble because what if I don't get an invite? Then what?

So many things. At the end of the day, I don't think I can go wrong with getting out of debt...doing a Missouri tour...(I can then visit my KC people, Chi-town people, Columbia folks and of course STL peeps)... and then re-evaluating from there.

The only status updates I have gotten was a letter stating I'm dentally cleared and that my medical packet is under review. The sooner I can pay everything off...the sooner I can accept a call with an earlier departure if that comes a-knockin!

These next two months are going to be interesting indeed...

Double Update!

December 27, 2008

Happy Holidays!

I have had such a fantastic holiday and I have been wanting to update my blog, but couldn't steal a moment. Sometime last week, I did the typical impatient thing nominees do, and I called OMS. Now both my surprise and delight, someone answered the line right away. To my dismay the news was that they have not received my medical packet yet and that I should call back at the beginning of the year since everyone was on their way out the door to leave for vacation.

The result, total panic, convinced that my packet had gotten lost in the mail. I was in such a hurry to get my packet off, I didn't make copies of all of my forms. Word to the wise, don't skip this step!

However, in light of holiday miracles, I return home today and I check my email. An update from Peace Corps! Sweet, I already know the news, they have indeed received my medical packet...but I just want to see it with my own eyes. I log onto my toolkit...looking to see where they have said "packet received"... MORE than just my packet being received... I AM DENTALLY CLEARED! Praise the Lord!

That is so awesome for SO.MANY.REASONS. I can't even express. I was so worried about all things dental its not even funny. Now I just have to pay off my dental bill and I'm even steven :o) But that is SUCH a hump to get over and so soon! I wasn't expecting any dental/medical clearance until March or so.

*(over analytical moment)*
Now, I can't help but think...are they moving super quick on my application?
Am I going to be a candidate for an earlier assignment?
Should I/Would I go sooner? (even though I have debt that I gotta pay off)
What if its Spanish speaking!? That's totally what I want!
Did my calling help speed this thing along?
Cause if it was then that would be some more advice to nominees, stay on OMS...
*(moment over)*

Well what does '09 look like for me?
Getting my house in order.

Getting another part time gig, maybe two...
Ideally work around the clock...
The more I work,
the sooner debt is paid off,
The sooner I'm a free agent to leave up outta here and start my Peace Corps Adventure!

Happy New YEAR!!!!

***Post realizations***
1) My Dental Clearance Update came on Christmas Day...awww
2) I cannot take an assignment that leaves before June because I'm under contract with my dance school and I personally would not want to leave before our recital.

After the first week in June '09 I'm fair game...
2009 in going to be an interesting one indeed....

Not so patient

December 21, 2008

I just have to confess that I was trying to play it off, like I don't care when I hear from the Peace Corps crew updated my medical packet status....but I have been checking my email pretty consistently hoping for an email about updating my toolkit. Right now I haven't even gotten word that they received my packet. Arg. I'm sure that's the price you pay when you send it so close to the holidays and are not predicted to leave until fall '09. So I'm not sweating it, but since I just checked my email on a Sunday with hope in my heart... I realized I'm not as patient about this as I thought I would be....Happy Holidays!

Aaaand they're off....

December 12, 2008

I have have been waiting to post this since I got my nomination to the Peace Corps...

I turned in my medical packet!

Praise GOD!

Now then, I was in a rush when I was putting all the papers in the main envelope (mistake) but I had everything together for months and months, so I think I got everything.

I went to the doctor briiiight and early and she signed my final papers...turns out when I got home later today my Saint Louis Dr. Had filled out and sent the same papers. I am going to just hold onto them in case the OMS crew in DC needs my STL Doctor's signature as well. There was oooonnneee other spot that I saw that my Dr. should have initialed in three place but instead he just signed at the bottom...hopefully that doesn't come up either. I just so badly wanted to have all those documents out of my possession!

Now I just have to wait. I anticipated being on pins and needles once I sent off my medical packet, but the reality is I could use the time. I need to get another part time gig so I can pay off my credit card debt and if I'm reaally good start a "traveling around my region" savings account as well. I hear when you have a stash of dough it makes it easier to travel about on your vacations.

Again, I was nominated for August '09...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't leave sooner than that, but I am willing to leave later in the year...

So for the next 9 months I need to, focus on getting a gig..so that I can be paying down my credit card (just one!), working on my Spanish (oooops, haven't looked at not one word...), get a couple of business plans thats that I want to have in order before I leave...and that's really it!

So my updates may be few and far between from this point on... Hopefully all the news that is coming is good news!

Small Insignificant Update

November 26, 2008

This week I have been trying to secure all paper work. Once I get my work schedule I'll be able to make an appointment with my dentist to get my final x-rays. I contacted my OB office in Saint Louis and they have to mail me a release form that I have to sign before I can get my past records. I spoke with my OB office here and I'm getting my results from my PAP this summer sent, but I still need to have her sign the my paperwork as well. I have a feeling I'm going to have to just roll up on her one day. I can try to make an appointment but they can be so flaky at that office, I think the sneak attack maybe the best way. I think other than that my medical/dental packet will be complete to send off! I hope I can complete all of these things by the end of the year!

2009 is going to be all about paying off debt so that I am free to sail to wherever I am sent. I also decided that I am going to start studying some Spanish and go to a language center to test myself, just in case I could be sent to a Spanish speaking area.

That's all for now, hopefully in my next few posts I'm announcing that I got my medical packet off on time!

November Check In

November 2, 2008

I'm coming off of an extremely packed weekend and have an extremely long list of "to-dos" to complete before I go to bed...but for some reason, I decide to instead organize the "October" portion of this blog instead. Now I'm tired with spicy eyes. It was interesting reading my month of progress (and bad grammer, spelling etc...) I can tell I was about to start slacking...but seeing my POALs I'm inspired once again.

Really the main thing I need to do is call OMS to see if I need past paperwork for my MMS shot and PAP records. I also need to get my paper work signed by my OB who still won't return my phone calls.

I've been so preoccupied with my lack of employment, dance performances and life's general curve balls, I had taken my eye off of the prize.

My soul sister announced her wedding day and its going to be next year Memorial Weekend so I'm sooo excited. That means that I will probably be leaving right on "schedule" i.e. around August, not sooner.

Good to know...

Hopefully by my next post Obama will be in office :) Exciting times!

Surprise!

November 1, 2008

Just when I thought I made it out of the doctor's office without paying a dime....

I get the bill for the all the lab tests that were taken... let's just say its several hundred dollars....

So add that to my tab of cavity fillings that I'm already worried about paying off (charged it to the game in the mean time).

One of my goals is to most definitely to be out of debt....so far I have just racked up more in the past month than I have in years. Once I turn in my medical info I can focus all my efforts to paying everything off... I just have to keep reminding myself of that!

Moving Right Along...

October 28, 2008

This Saturday I got the fillings I needed on my right side.
It turns out my insurance covered a small fraction of what I paid the first time, so my bill is still pretty high. I think with my insurance my wisdom tooth extraction is going to be virtually free... Finally something free from the dentist.

The surgeon comes in only every third Thursday of the month, or something like that. So my next appointment is November 13th. Then I should be good to go.

That day I will get my tooth pulled and more x-rays (crap is that gonna cost me?) with my updated dental work, and I will be that much closer to turning in my medical packet.

Once I get my life more settled I will start harassing my OB.. I really should do that sooner that later...

A-O.K. and OMS

October 16, 2008

My doctor visit was a breeze!
He said everything was 100% A.O.K.
I am so relieved!

Maybe my medical packet will be completed before '09
I guess I could bite the bullet and get my wisdom tooth pulled soon after my fillings next Saturday...like days after since as it looks now, my weekday are going to be open.

I will also need a day or two to straight up surprise attack my OB and get her to sign off on my "normal" status. I will also need copies of that lab work...I hope she has all that stuff!

I also plan on calling my OMS sometime just to make sure everything is filled and complete before sending it off and just waiting.

We shall see...probably won't have an update until after my dentist appointment(s)