Getting APE(d)

There’s that time of the year that we dread, that we wish we could push back as long as we can, in a feeble attempt to avoid getting hit by reality that our health isn’t 100% as clean cut as we thought. Yes, I’m talking about the annual Physical Exam.

Since most of us are working remotely, the option to choose a health facility closest to us was a nice gesture from management. The steps to make an appointment were clearly stated in the messages sent. I initially had to check if I needed any other requirement aside from the HMO card. I was informed that I needed an endorsement – a matter that the HR team promptly worked on. Once I emailed the letter to the facility, I was given the option to choose a day to come down for the tests.

With my fecalysis sample wrapped securely, I went down at the earliest time possible. The initial step involved filling up some paper work that technically required me to pick-up the test results personally. Since I am a member of that special “over 35” club, I was also informed that I had to do an additional ECG and pap smear. The process was pretty straightforward. After submitting samples to the lab, I proceeded to have my ECG in another floor. After that, I was technically done for the day. The pap smear sample had to be collected at the OB-GYNE’s clinic, so I scheduled that for another day.

That’s it. Simple as that. The stress that has built up since learning of the APE – gone in 2 hours. Now all I have to do is wait for the results, and hope that I get at least a better bill of health this year.