Edward&Wendy

Well, I had my medical examination yesterday, just before the Tube strikes this week, which have subsequently been called off. Despite currently being in the best shape I’ve ever been in, I’m still unsettled by the prospect of anything like this, and I was a bit of a bundle of nerves prior to and on arrival.
I had mine at Bentinck Mansions, which was easy enough to find. Arrived fifteen minutes prior to my appointment (1:10pm), so I checked in, handed over my documents, and received the more specific questionnaire to fill in. Only ticked yes to weight loss and previous tobacco use, the rest was fine. Handed that back, and went to sit down again. There were two other people waiting besides me, and shortly after a couple of guys came in as well.
I was waiting about ten minutes before a pleasant man took me for my chest x-ray. He had a friendly demeanour, remarking to clip my long hair up ‘like a samurai’, to which I chuckled and said I’ve always been terrible at clipping my hair to the top of my head. He had to take the x-ray twice, the second time with the plate lengthways because it seemed my chest was too broad and was getting cut off the picture, but that wasn’t a problem. Afterwards, went back to the waiting room.
About fifteen minutes or so later, I was met by a friendly female doctor, and we went through the form I’d filled in. She asked me about my weight loss and when I’d stopped smoking (six and a half years ago), both of which seemed to please her, along with saying no to all the other questions. After that, we started with the eye test, which I felt didn’t go so well, but she had no complaints with. Then came the usual routine: eyes, ears, nose, and throat, then heart, blood pressure, lungs, stomach. Having anticipated being asked to strip altogether, she merely asked me to lie down and lower my trousers and underwear to my knees, which was far less hassle, though a bit of a challenge to pull up when she was through. After she was content my nethers were fine, she took my blood while I was still lying down, at which point I redressed while she signed the paperwork. She said she seemed happy with it all, and wished me good luck, at which point I was back in the waiting room. I guess the part I found a little strange was, despite the initial medical questionnaire I had to fill in prior to the examination asking for my height and weight, she didn’t measure either during the physical part, going on the premise that what I penned in myself was sufficient.
The waiting room itself was filling up now; a family of three and another of four had come in, occupying a majority of the seats. Another five or ten minutes later, I was taken by lovely lady to go over my vaccinations. While no one there was unpleasant, she was by far the nicest person I saw that day, chatting casually amongst everything. After confirming a history of chicken pox, the only vaccination I needed was a tetanus shot, since my last one was 2002. Being left-handed, she was initially going to put it in my right arm, but was apprehensive about sticking the needle into the tattoo there, which she asked about, and we agreed it was probably best to aim for my left arm. She asked where I was going, and also wished me the best of luck with everything, which was sweet.
After that, I wasn’t in the waiting room for long before one of the girls from reception called me to pay and hand all my documents back. She said they’d contact me if there was any concern regarding anything, but beyond that it’d all just go on to the embassy and be fine. She wished me all the best as well, and that was it. I was in there for about 40 minutes over all, relieved it had gone quickly and painlessly.
When people say it isn’t nearly as bad as how you build it up in your head, they’re not wrong. Everyone I saw was nice and made me feel at ease. Even still, I couldn’t help but treat myself to a couple of ales while waiting for the train home.

Well, I had my medical examination yesterday, just before the Tube strikes this week, which have subsequently been called off. Despite currently being in the best shape I’ve ever been in, I’m still unsettled by the prospect of anything like this, and I was a bit of a bundle of nerves prior to and on arrival.
I had mine at Bentinck Mansions, which was easy enough to find. Arrived fifteen minutes prior to my appointment (1:10pm), so I checked in, handed over my documents, and received the more specific questionnaire to fill in. Only ticked yes to weight loss and previous tobacco use, the rest was fine. Handed that back, and went to sit down again. There were two other people waiting besides me, and shortly after a couple of guys came in as well.
I was waiting about ten minutes before a pleasant man took me for my chest x-ray. He had a friendly demeanour, remarking to clip my long hair up ‘like a samurai’, to which I chuckled and said I’ve always been terrible at clipping my hair to the top of my head. He had to take the x-ray twice, the second time with the plate lengthways because it seemed my chest was too broad and was getting cut off the picture, but that wasn’t a problem. Afterwards, went back to the waiting room.
About fifteen minutes or so later, I was met by a friendly female doctor, and we went through the form I’d filled in. She asked me about my weight loss and when I’d stopped smoking (six and a half years ago), both of which seemed to please her, along with saying no to all the other questions. After that, we started with the eye test, which I felt didn’t go so well, but she had no complaints with. Then came the usual routine: eyes, ears, nose, and throat, then heart, blood pressure, lungs, stomach. Having anticipated being asked to strip altogether, she merely asked me to lie down and lower my trousers and underwear to my knees, which was far less hassle, though a bit of a challenge to pull up when she was through. After she was content my nethers were fine, she took my blood while I was still lying down, at which point I redressed while she signed the paperwork. She said she seemed happy with it all, and wished me good luck, at which point I was back in the waiting room. I guess the part I found a little strange was, despite the initial medical questionnaire I had to fill in prior to the examination asking for my height and weight, she didn’t measure either during the physical part, going on the premise that what I penned in myself was sufficient.
The waiting room itself was filling up now; a family of three and another of four had come in, occupying a majority of the seats. Another five or ten minutes later, I was taken by lovely lady to go over my vaccinations. While no one there was unpleasant, she was by far the nicest person I saw that day, chatting casually amongst everything. After confirming a history of chicken pox, the only vaccination I needed was a tetanus shot, since my last one was 2002. Being left-handed, she was initially going to put it in my right arm, but was apprehensive about sticking the needle into the tattoo there, which she asked about, and we agreed it was probably best to aim for my left arm. She asked where I was going, and also wished me the best of luck with everything, which was sweet.
After that, I wasn’t in the waiting room for long before one of the girls from reception called me to pay and hand all my documents back. She said they’d contact me if there was any concern regarding anything, but beyond that it’d all just go on to the embassy and be fine. She wished me all the best as well, and that was it. I was in there for about 40 minutes over all, relieved it had gone quickly and painlessly.
When people say it isn’t nearly as bad as how you build it up in your head, they’re not wrong. Everyone I saw was nice and made me feel at ease. Even still, I couldn’t help but treat myself to a couple of ales while waiting for the train home.