so...I guess it's Wednesday

Let me tell you a little about my life right now. I would be on my way to the Gulf Coast this week, a willing volunteer ready to do whatever they tell me. My bag is packed. But I need additional medical tests for the Peace Corps. Mind you, I'm not yet accepted to the Peace Corps and my acceptance - and hopefully my departure in February - hinges on these medical tests.
If I don't get them in ASAP - they might not have time to issue me a medical clearance in time, and I might have to wait another year.

But I don't have insurance anymore since my term of service with Americorps ended.

So, here's what I've had to do so far - after much calling the hospital, I found out you need a doctor to order a test. You can't just call up the hospital and schedule it. So I went to the county free clinic and waited four hours with no guarentees that I would see a doctor, to see a doctor who ordered the test (but first I had to see a social worker and explain that I have no money and I want to see a doctor and that's why I was at the free clinic).

Then I went to the Billing Office for paperwork I need to ask the county to help me pay for the test. This paperwork asks for copies of three of my most recent pay stubs ( I have three but their in no particular order) a copy of my 2005 tax return (lucky I filed) and answers to questions about how much debt I'm in, how much savings, investment, retirement blah blah blah, I have. All of this is zero - plus I'm not working right now - no income, living with my mom, no rent, and I'm not looking for a job because I'm planning on going to the Gulf Coast when all this is done.

And then it asks me what I think my monthly payment should be.
I don't know. I just told you I have no income.

So then I had to go to the Workforce Development office and get a Denial form to send in to the hospital with my paperwork - so the hospital can process my paperwork and call me and tell me it's ok to schedule the test. But to get a denial I have to fill out an application for medicaid after meeting with another social worker. All the same questions as on the Financial Questionaire I already filled out for the hospital except for confusing because everthing is coded (enter your ethnic hertiage - see page five for codes. White - 5, Black- 2, Biracial-6, Who cares- 3). I filled out the application in 15 minutes before thier office closed on Friday, but rather than just pick up a Denial form like whoever it was at the clinic lead me believe I could do like they just had a stack behind the desk - they can take up to a month to process the denial before they send it to me in the mail.

However the woman behind the desk promised me processing mine would be a priority, and my social worker called yesterday and said hopefully I should get it today. But it didn't. So hopefully tomorrow it will come and I'll have a complete set of forms to mail to the hospital for additional processing, so then I can Schedule my test!

All this leaves me in the very awkward position of getting up each day for the sole purpose of checking the mail, and then proceeding to wait until I can check the mail again tomorrow. I've been doing way too much internet shopping (for things I can use in the Peace Corps, but don't necessarily need to buy right now, like a radio with a hand crank - but you can find some good deals on Earth Shoes). Anyway, I'm posting now to put off cleaning the bathrooms, and to distract myself from more internet shopping. (Hey, this t-shirt is organic!)

None of this has to do with the psychiatric evaluation I also found out I need for the Peace Corps, and that I'm just going to have to pay for because the county has sent me back and fourth between the same two offices so many times I don't even want to open that can of worms!

The mail comes again tomorrow morning at 10A.M. Until then my salvation has been reruns of Scrubs every night on Comedy Central for an hour. I'll let you know if I get some new shoes.