Certified Healthy

So, I needed to go and get a physical for driving a truck for Caldera. Best I can tell, it is precaution the Department of Transportation has issued to make court cases go smoother. Why else would the DOT care if I had "ever been sick?" None the less, this was not the point here.

On a recommendation, I tried to go to a "First Care" facility as they take walk-in's and might be more affordable than my doctor here in Chicago. I had cancelled an appointment for the next day. Well after 2 trains and a bus to the south side, I found out the earliest I could get seen was next week. I called my doctor's office again only to find out the appointment was already booked. I could get squeezed in later in the day at the far north office. I hopped on my second bus of the day to Roger's Park.

It was great to see my doc again without a terrible problem like Iritis or a plastic seagull in the eye. Awww... good times. The doc gave me a clean bill of health. Here's the fun catch. The DOT paperwork had a drug test of the urine variety needed. They include a sticker label. My doctor's office was unable to handle such a request and I was sent to their regular facility... in Evanston. For those not as familiar with Chicago geography that would be now 15 miles, from the first attempt. I now even have a $14 cab ride under the belt trying to get to the test facility by closing time. That I missed by 2 minutes.

Before jumping to the fun next day, I need to reiterate that I took a cab to the facility and had no idea where I was. It took 30 minutes walking through Evanston, to find my train. That added 2 more trains to my list for the day.

When all was said and done I still have yet to offer a sample to document I am not on drugs. That step will have to wait. The next day after two runs from Roger's Park to Evanston and back I was not able get the proper paper work. This was my latest adventure in the world of health care.

By the by, I am off the patches now and well past 9 weeks without a smoke.