Friday, February 13, 2009

The easiest medical exam EVER

One of the benefits of living overseas is that sometimes you get some perks that alone you might not be able to afford in the US.
One of these is a club membership.  We belong to a great club where we have many friends (including Gabriela!) to have fun with, play in the park or swimming pool and even have lessons.

My children take tennis there, but there are not any swim lessons.  They have taken some form of swim lesson since they were both 6 months old.  They hadn't taken any here yet in Brazil, which was really bothering all of us.
In Venezuela, at our club there, all 4 of us had the opportunity to swim.  The kids were practicing their strokes and my husband and I were on the "team".
Finally, within these past two weeks we ended up joining another club.
Now, this club is extremely cheap, and even would be affordable in the States.  It is more of a school for many different sports....
swimming, synchronized swimming, gymnastics, tennis, soccer (one of the biggest teams where we live), etc...
(is this long-winded or what?  but I haven't posted since Monday, so I thought you all would be ok with my blabbering :)

So, to swim in this pool you must get a "medical" approval from their physician.  Well, we walk in and he takes the kids blood pressure, asks a few questions, like blood type (in case of immediate need of a blood transfusion I assume), allergies... and even comments on my beautiful daughter's ears and how she could have surgery to make them flatter against her head!
then gives the stamp of approval.
Now, that is not the easiest medical exam ever as the title of this post proclaims
Then we come to me...
I want to swim for me, not on a team or in any adult classes.....
he asked if I had a bathing suit underneath my dress because he wanted to see my abdomen (? I can not even possibly imagine what for).  I said no.
He says, ok no problem.  Take off your shoes....my flip-flops.  Now that started it all.  He looked at my feet (and so did I truthfully...trying to figure out what the heck seeing my bare feet would determine to make me fit for a swim in a pool)
Then he asks me to turn around and lift my arms.  He looks at my back....I guess it needs to be straight to swim....
and yep, I got the seal of approval.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I am sorry that I haven't had the chance to read/comment on everyone's blogs.  I have been extremely busy these days with one thing or another...too much to go into now!
:)

5 comments:

mythopolis said...

Are you sure that was a real doctor? : ) Blabber on BG...its always fun to read!

Anonymous said...

I would have smacked him in the ear for the remark about surgery for your daughter's ears. What a goofball! (I'm always full of big talk and not usually given to violence... just so ya know)

Stephanie said...

That is the oddest thing I have ever heard! haha! Glad to know you passed with flying colors though ;)

As far as I know we would be moving to Ipatinga, MG. That is where Sidnei grew up and his family still lives there. Where in Brazil are you? I did mention to Sidnei that if we were in a bigger city I would probably have more opportunity to work and things like that, but I know it takes time. I have SO many questions about Brazil, but it has really helped a lot to read others blogs who are from there :) My newest questions deal with getting visas so I was going to look into that tonight! Email me anytime with any questions, advice, anything! ontheroadlesstraveled at g mail dot com!

PJ said...

Hysterical!! I love the look at "hoops" one has to jump through for ordinary things in other countries. I know some American "hoops" must seem equally strange to our visitors. (And sometimes to us, too!) What a hoot!!! So your feet were fine to swim. You must have Happy Feet!!!! LOL

Gutsy Living said...

Thought it was going to be a thorough free exam where they did a CAT scan or something like that. Brazil is the country of plastic surgery, so is that why he said what he did to you about your daughter?
Maybe he was going to recommend a surgeon for you.
Happy Valentines Day.