I have a green slip of paper, an appointment verification, from my last hepB shot, where the nurse told me to come in anytime after Feb. 1st for my next shot and that no referral is needed because, she terms it "it's a 'self' serve' sort of thing." Meaning, I suppose, that the supplies needed for the shot were all present and in order and the only thing needed to be done was for a nurse to get a needle and stick it in my arm. Up to this point it made sense.
So, figuring that whilst taking a break from studying I'll just get over to the student health centre and get the shot yesterday, I walked over, presented the paper, and the lady (an older, more respectable matron than the one who dealt with me the last time, I might add) looked at me and asked, "Do you have an appointment?"
I glanced down at the slip of paper, which, under appointment times, said, "Any time after Feb. 1st" and replied, "Oh the last nurse told me just to come in after Feb. 1st."
She squinted at the other side of the paper, where the previous nurse had scribbled, "Bring vaccination records" because the UC system and the health center seemed to seldom be on the same page, and asked "Do you have your records with you? Your vaccination records," she added unnecessarily as I began digging throgh my backpack for the record I stuck in my agenda (which is the large kind).
Deep inhalation. I found the records and handed them to her. She looked at them over, looked at my green slip, and asked, "You're here for the hepB shot, right?"
Me, tryig not to sigh, "Yes."
Her, squinting at my records, "You've already completed the series, you're fine." Implied: You don't need more shots what the hell (this is from the expression on her face) are you doing here?
Me, thinking this is I should try to visit health centres on the same weekday every time, so I don't need to deal with new people and therefore new rules, "I didn't convert. I did a blood test and they told me I don't have the antibodies yet and that I need to get the shots again."
Her, deeply suspicious, "And did you get the blood test here?"
Me, reminding myself to be rspectful to my elders, "No, I got in Kaiser, where I was before I got enrolled here."
Her, even more suspicious because I suppose the Cowell Health Centre and Kaiser Permanente does not get along much. "Uh-huh...well you're going to need an appointment for this."
What eventually happened is that I got scheduled for my shot at 13:30 Monday. Which, translated into hours of schedule, means that on Monday I'll have classes from eight to nine, ten through twelve, my appointment for class registration starts at twelve thirty, my vaccine appointment is at one thirty in the afternoon, I have a midterm at three o' clock sharp and a chemistry lab from four to seven.
Ladies and gentlemen, Monday is going to be a busy day.
I stand with Garfield. The cartoon cat, not the dead president.
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