Close of Service Medical Exams

July 19th´ - 23rd, 2008 Lima, Peru

Close of Service Medical Exams

My service is coming to a close and therefore I had to go to Lima for some final medical checks. Peace Corps wants to make sure its volunteers are healthy before they are finished. Peace Corps covers all medical conditions incurred during service, for life. The medical exams include a routine physical and any other testing the physician and/or volunteer deem necessary. The routine physical includes testing 3 stool samples for parasites or other problems. Most volunteers results come back negative.

Mine did not. I have a little friend living in me right now. It is a parasite called giardia. I haven´t actually had any real symptoms and the parasite hasn´t bothered me at all. I took a couple of pills and supposedly should be parasite free soon. I guess we will find out when I return to Lima for the final check out.

My right knee has been bothering me lately so we visited the orthopedist. He thought I might have a torn miniscus so we had a MRI. We are still waiting the results and exactly what Washington will do about it. Peace Corps will pay for everything but this might mean my trip around South America will be canceled if they make me fly home early for surgery.