Mid service appts

As Peace Corps Volunteers, we are all supposed to get mid-service medical check ups and dental cleanings. Typically, what happens, is that the Volunteer calls the medical office around their year mark to set up the appointments. The medical stuff is typically done in the Peace Corps medical unit while the dentist stuff is outsourced.

Because I am in Dakar and somewhat always around, I often get over looked....which doesn't typically bother me. Also, because when I feel healthy, I don't typically feel a need to get checked out. I guess the phrase, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is somewhat a story of my life.

After my year mark hit, I stopped thinking about this whole mid-service medical stuff. Then Volunteers in the group that came 6 months after me started and probably finished getting theirs. So, a few days before Christmas this year, I went into the medical office to see if I could just get out of mine....we have to get medical stuff done just before we leave country. Regardless, this was 21 months after arriving in Senegal...far from my mid-service...my fault

I managed to compromise with the medical unit and just get my teeth cleaned, which happened this afternoon. Within five seconds of probing my mouth with a metal spike, the dentist had already determined that I had no cavities. I'm not going to lie, but I was surprised.

The whole appointment lasted about 30 minutes. The time I was supposed to wait to drink and/or eat after the fluoride was twice as long, but I'm not going to lie, it wasn't the best of days, so I waited 35 minutes and had some nems....I don't regret it. For some reason, free toothbrushes and floss weren't passed out.

So you may ask yourself, "why didn't I get checked out earlier?" It is simple, I am a firm believer that if I feel healthy than that is what I am. I can't choose the day I die but I can live my life to the fullest (and foolest as I accidentally typed). If I feel sick, then I'll take care of it, but for some reason, the last person I am typically concerned about is myself, and I don't have much of a problem with that.

To healthy teeth and good health...Happy 2008!!!