Day Off
Today is our first day off! I know - we just started rehearsal, but it's a good thing because I need to take care of my medical stuff before I am allowed on the ship. In the past, cruise lines ALWAYS covered all this. I have never had to pay for a physical - and now I do :(
I woke up early and met another cast member, Sean, in the lobby at 7:45am to be picked up for our "medical day". We arrived at our first place before they opened, to be the first in line. This place was FREEEEEEEZING! And I didn't bring a sweater. We were called in pretty quick - me first, Sean after me. The nurse was very nice and started to administer the beginnings of my physical: blood pressure, weight, height, then urinalysis, hearing test. The doctor came in after, and I had to explain that we didn't need ALL the tests on our sheet (it was a general document they send to all cruise members). I also told him that we were having our blood work done elsewhere because it was half the price they were charging. He was very nice and accommodating. The doctor finished a few more tests and left me alone for a while. Meanwhile, Sean & I are texting back and forth about what was going on for each of us (and how each of us were freezing!). Then a very snotty nurse came in with such an attitude and told me that all these tests I needed to get were going to cost $600!! I explained to her that we were getting some tests elsewhere, and she was just snotty about everything. We worked it out and the nice nurse came back in to give me an EKG and tetanus shot (ow). After that, Sean & I were done and ready to move on to our next place (and out into the heat!): across town to another medical center for a chest xray, back across town for a yellow fever shot (didn't hurt at all!), and finally to a lab 4 miles from our hotel for a drug test and blood work. I've never had a drug test. They don't let you flush the toilet or wash your hands after you fill the cup. I had to ask if I could use toilet paper (I could)! The blood taking hurt a bit when she moved the needle in my vein. No bruise, but a bit stiff/sore.
Finally, we arrived home about 4:30, having completed our goal of taking care of all our medical testing. Now we just have to go back next week to the doctor's for the results and all our paperwork.
I'm exhausted and Vampire Diaries is on.....
I woke up early and met another cast member, Sean, in the lobby at 7:45am to be picked up for our "medical day". We arrived at our first place before they opened, to be the first in line. This place was FREEEEEEEZING! And I didn't bring a sweater. We were called in pretty quick - me first, Sean after me. The nurse was very nice and started to administer the beginnings of my physical: blood pressure, weight, height, then urinalysis, hearing test. The doctor came in after, and I had to explain that we didn't need ALL the tests on our sheet (it was a general document they send to all cruise members). I also told him that we were having our blood work done elsewhere because it was half the price they were charging. He was very nice and accommodating. The doctor finished a few more tests and left me alone for a while. Meanwhile, Sean & I are texting back and forth about what was going on for each of us (and how each of us were freezing!). Then a very snotty nurse came in with such an attitude and told me that all these tests I needed to get were going to cost $600!! I explained to her that we were getting some tests elsewhere, and she was just snotty about everything. We worked it out and the nice nurse came back in to give me an EKG and tetanus shot (ow). After that, Sean & I were done and ready to move on to our next place (and out into the heat!): across town to another medical center for a chest xray, back across town for a yellow fever shot (didn't hurt at all!), and finally to a lab 4 miles from our hotel for a drug test and blood work. I've never had a drug test. They don't let you flush the toilet or wash your hands after you fill the cup. I had to ask if I could use toilet paper (I could)! The blood taking hurt a bit when she moved the needle in my vein. No bruise, but a bit stiff/sore.
Finally, we arrived home about 4:30, having completed our goal of taking care of all our medical testing. Now we just have to go back next week to the doctor's for the results and all our paperwork.
I'm exhausted and Vampire Diaries is on.....
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