all in

76.

76 is the magic number.

it only took 76 pages to fully summarize my current health, according to the pc.  that presumes, of course, that they don't ask for more info on any given topic, which is highly unlikely. 

my doctor's office has a sign that says the first form to be filled out is free, and each subsequent page is $25.  for narrative, however, it is $100 per page.  so when i showed up with my 37-page deck for her to fill out (mostly narrative, of course), i was a bit concerned.  i figured since she has always been so kind and accommodating with everything – and seemed supportive of the pc idea – that she would hopefully give me a break.  it took quite some time to get it all filled out (a couple weeks longer than what she had said it would), and i had to go back for a couple small things she had missed.  but she did give me a break, as i had hoped.  she charged me nothing to fill it all out.  (which reminds me, i need to send her a thank you card!)

although it has legitimately taken this long to get everything done – i had a mammogram follow-up and figured i might as well wait for that report before sending everything in – there is a part of me that didn't mind the delay.  you see, once i submit these forms, it's pretty much out of my hands.  from that point on it is up to the peace corps and i have no influence on how long it does or doesn't take.  the next steps as i understand them are for pc to go through all my forms and make a decision as to whether to accept, reject or defer me based on medical qualification.  if accepted, they move forward to try to find a placement that matches my skills and their needs, and i eventually get an invitation.  once the invitation comes, i have 7-10 days to accept or decline it.  and it can come as little as 6 weeks ahead of the leave date.  so, except for asking for an update of my resume somewhere along the way, after sending in my medical forms the next thing i hear from them could be a letter with a leave date in 6 weeks.  and that could take 6 months or 1 month.

(i imagine at some point they would tell me that i've been medically cleared, but i can't be sure of that.  i never did get anything in the mail officially telling me i was nominated.)

and just when I was thinking that waiting for this last report might make a slightly later departure date likely… as i re-read everything to be sure i was complete before sending, i noticed a part where the instructions said that forms will be processed not in the order in which they are received but in the order of the proposed departure date.  in other words, it's possible they will put mine up higher on the list because of this mythical october departure date.  eek.

so sending in these medical forms is sort of the last time i have control in the situation until it all takes off at light speed – or molasses speed, depending.  as much of a hurry as i was in at first to get the forms done and submitted, i am now comfortable with a little lag.  but i'm not trying to sabotage anything.  so i'm off to the post office.

and i'm "all in."  kinda literally.