I have tiny lymph nodes

Today Justin & I had our visa medical appointments. Only certain physicians are able to complete the immigration medical screening, which means for Nova Scotia there is pretty much only one game in town. Luckily, he is a delight! However, it doesn't matter how lovely a physician is to interact with - it is a universally bad sign when they open your medical screening info and immediately remark 'Well that's strange.'

Turns out Justin needs a specific TB test in addition to his chest x-ray (he actually requires more testing than me because we expect he will be working in a healthcare environment). For those of you not up on your TB tests, the most common way of doing them (a Mantoux test) requires implanting a little bubble in your arm, then having it 'read' 48 to 72 hours later. If nothing changes, you are good. If there is a reaction, you need further testing (usually a chest x-ray). That whole process is called step one. Sometimes they require you to do the same thing 3 weeks later. That's called step two. Some places are happy with step one. Some require step two. Some say step one is fine as long as you have had a step two done within the past 5 years.

Apparently there is also an actual blood test you can do for TB, but since it isn't standard, it costs ~$300 and takes a month to process because it has to be sent to New Brunswick. Either way, this is a relatively new addition to the Australian medical tests, and the panel physician (that's what the immigration doctors are called) did not have the TB testing stuff. Luckily some quick googling lead us to a TB testing place that happened to be in the same building as the physician and could fit Justin in for the first part of step one today. If all goes well he will get his results 'read' on Monday and we will be good to go.

In addition to the stress of the unexpected TB test coordination, I was warned that processing x-rays (on the Canadian side) isn't always timely, and that Australian immigration also has to sign off on them. Apparently they (justifiably) scrutinize applications for healthcare workers a little bit more closely, so we were warned to be prepared for potential follow up tests or documents.

While this is all incredibly stressful, I'm taking a moment to appreciate that 1) the wheels are in motion and 2) until the results of our tests and scans are fully submitted, the ball is completely in someone else's court. I asked the physician if there was anything we needed to do on our end to confirm or submit the medical. He laughed and said there wasn't anything we were even allowed to do. All the medical documentation has to be submitted by the panel physician Sometimes I find it challenging when things are out of our hands, but so far in this process it's been relieving. That said, I did almost have a breakdown at the x-ray registration desk because they asked me for an identifying paper I didn't have. Luckily I was able to use my passport as proof of ID instead and the lovely patient clerks, seeing me start to spiral, calmed me down.

Anyway. The actual medical itself was pretty hilarious. Some excerpts:

Panel Physician (PP): Have either of you ever had surgery

Justin (J): Yes, I had jaw reconstruction about 15 years ago

PP: Why did you need that

J: My face didn't grow properly

PP, to Justin: I'm guessing x kgs. Get onto the scale for me

*Justin gets on the scale*

PP: y kgs. Must have been x last week.

PP, while palpating my armpit: Huh.

*keeps on palpating the same spot, shifting something under my skin*

PP: Can you feel that?

Laura (L): Yes

PP: Have you been sick recently?

L: No

PP: Do you have a cat that you are allergic to?

L: No

PP: Lets just check the other side

*PP palpates my other armpit*

PP: You have very tiny lymph nodes. But they are both really tiny, so I guess that's okay.

*PP palpates my neck/jaw*

PP: Yup, tiny lymph nodes

And yes, to those who are wondering. As soon as I was out of there I furiously googled 'tiny lymph nodes'. So far I haven't found anything significant as to what this means about how my body works.

I'm also starting a count of how many times in the visa application process I have been asked if I am currently or planning to get pregnant while in Australia. I'm already up to 5! Unsurprisingly, the answers are no, and no.