MEPS: 1.2

So somebody kept "encouraging" me to write another post, so here it is. :P

We had to get up really early the second day. They give you all of the specifics when you get down there. I went down to the restaurant and had breakfast. It was a light breakfast, though, since I was supposed to weigh that day. They had eggs, french toast, bacon, and sausage, with syrup and hot sauce in pitchers on the side. I had some eggs with hot sauce and it was pretty good. After breakfast, the bus came by the hotel and we filed on it and headed for MEPS.

After we got off of the bus at MEPS, a guy gave us a speech outside about not bringing any weapons or drugs into the building. It was mostly common sense stuff, but some of it was really important, so if you go down there pay attention. We went to the medical floor and waited in a really long line to check in at the desk. I got to skip most of it though, because I'm female. I imagine the process is much better for females since we are separated from the guys and our group is smaller as a result. They have it very organized over there and they'll tell you exactly where to go and what to do. All you have to do is pay attention. They have stations numbered 1-8. When we got up to the front of the line and checked in, the lady told us to go to station number 3. The catch was, station 3 was already backed up, so instead of going to station 3, I waited in a chair next to somebody else who was waiting for station 3. When the person in the chair closest to the door got to go in, we all got up and moved one chair closer. It was pretty funny, like Musical Chairs: Medical Edition.

Anyway, I'll be really vague about how they did the medical evaluations and tests on purpose, so I don't inadvertently give someone info so they can cheat the system. Just know if you don't have anything majorly wrong with you, it'll be fine. Also, if it's that important, you can look up the medical requirements and disqualifications on the internet. I had "Asthma symptoms" and ADHD when I was younger (less than 13), so during the interview the doctor asked me about that.

They have an obstetrician (women's doctor) on staff and he was the one to do our physical and medical interview. I had never been to an obstetrician before, but it was about as relaxed as it could've been I suppose. He was kind of chatty, which helped. Anyway, we had to strip to our underwear, but it wasn't really awkward because there were only 3 of us and we had been chatting the last few hours while we were in line. We weighed, then peed in a cup for the drug test, then did some stretches. It sucked that I had to weigh before getting to pee, because I was so close to the weight limit and I had had to drink some water for the drug test. I got so lucky. It turned out I was an inch taller than I thought I was, so the weight limit was 4 lbs more than I thought it was. I ended up being 1 lb under the limit! Whew! The drug test has a bad rap. People talk about it like there's someone looking right at you while you're doing your business. It wasn't like that at all. I was in the stall (that had no door) and the female nurse, who was our escort, was around the corner.

After all of the tests, I headed to station 8, where a guy looked over my paperwork and told me I needed to get a consult from an optometrist (eye doctor). Apparently, my prescription was just over the limit and they wanted an eye doctor to verify that before the Navy would start on the paperwork for a waiver. They scheduled my consult for the next morning and like that, I was done for the day. I had to wait for the shuttle to come get me and take me back to the hotel. I had to wait there watching bad daytime tv for 5 hours.

Anyway, I waited, rode the shuttle back to the hotel, and had a pretty relaxing evening hanging out at the hotel. Since I had already weighed, I treated myself to chicken fried steak (free) at the hotel's restaurant. It was so delicious. That night, however, I had a roommate in the room when I got back. That's ok, just a little weird. I guess she was in the new group that had gotten there that evening, just a day behind me.

Stay tuned! Day three will be here before you know it! :)