Last year, Bubby was almost kicked out of school. No, he didn't go timpani diving through the ceiling tiles of the band room. (Not that I know anyone that's done that...*wink wink*.) He didn't smuggle peanut butter over to the 'allergy table' like a Mexican drug lord. He didn't even crash the morning announcements in an effort to save the North Dakotan Howling Salamanders from certain annihilation.
Would you like to guess what he did?
His immunization records weren't on the right form.
That's right. The state form from the doctor's office, while up to date, was not on the form they wanted. Now, I've done my fair share of secretarial work, and I know that the ladies answering the phones are only doing what they're told, so my beef is not with them. But my child could've divvied out Cocaine Krispie Treats at the homecoming dance and stayed under the radar longer than he did from this contraband medical form.
But, not wanting to cause a raucous, we take him in and get his bicep plugged full of that mystery juice that prevents birthday-induced, spontaneous combustion. And we're good....right?
ERRRRRRNNNNTTTT!!! No. Of course not.
The doctor's office didn't change the date from his last immunization, so the form is still not right. The Earth's rotation is shifting by the moment, and we're three bottles of beer on the wall away from the Apocalypse.
I'm pretty sure it was Joe Biden that called the next time. "This is a big (*@&#^* DEAL!"
Back to the pediatrician's office to slip a few bucks under the table and get his new identity in witness protection...I mean, his piece of paper.
Hop in an armored truck, turn off all of our GPS tracking devices and haul butt to the middle school. Squeal in the parking lot on two wheels, and I'm smuggled in the back door like a Cuban cigar on the SS Cracker Jack.
PHEW! Looks like the kid will make it to his next birthday.
******TIME WARP******
Last night, at curriculum night at the middle school, Bubby says "Oh yeah, Mom, I have to get my shots, or I'm gonna get kicked out of school."
Oh, hells bells, you've got to be kidding me.
But it's about to get real...you see, they sent home a piece of paper with his name filled in the blank and everything this time...IN AN ENVELOPE.
I break out in a cold sweat. My son's life hangs in the valance.
Do I still have the after hours number for Black Market Betty at the ped's office? For $7 and a six pack, she'll make this pesky little problem go away.
I open up the Inspector Gadget envelope to see my child's bleak future in a mundane form letter.
"As of July 1 2014, all students born on or after January 1, 2012 who are entering the 7th grade must have a valid Form 3231 which meets the following requirements:
(Blah blah blah)
"To avoid asphyxiation, mutilation of his meningococcals, and eternal banishment from his happy place, please get him shot and send us indisputable video evidence of the procedure. Place $38 in non-consecutive, unmarked bills in a paper sack and deliver it to the lunch lady with the longest beard between 2nd and 3rd periods. This message will self-destruct in 14 seconds."
Needless to say, I've spent the morning on the phone with the school secretary and the pediatrician's office. I dial up Funtastical Family Farts & Fixer Uppers, MD and tell them I need to make the dreaded appointment.
"Ma'am, he's up to date on his vaccinations."
The hell you say! Would you mind leaning in for the mike and smiling for the camera while you say that?
Ok...fine...I'll call the school back.
Google....google....find the office number, call the 7th grade office.
I explain the letter and the situation to the sweet lady on the phone. (Really, she is.)
"Is your son a student here?"
Why, heavens no! He's doing his graduate work at Yale.
"And, you say you got this letter from us? Is he in 7th grade?"
No ma'am. He's retiring from Lockheed in April. I was just testing your underground networking abilities.
I explain the situation AGAIN, and I'm to the point of fasting and praying. If this don't work, there may be a laying on of hands.
"Well, it may be that it's just not on the right form. He probably has the 'ok for 6th grade' form, but we have to have the 'ok for 7th grade' form. If you'll hold on, I'll pull up his records." I'm starting to hear the voices of angels! I feel a warm, tingling sensation covering my body, and I know I'm getting somewhere!
"Ma'am, we have a record for him, but the system we use to pull up the records isn't working, so I can't see it. Can you have the doctor's office fax over an updated form?"
Sweet baby Jesus....
Long story short...Funtastical Family Farts will be faxing over another form today.
And do you want to know the kicker? Bubby won't be eligible for another well child/ immunization visit until October because he was in there last September, and they only get one per year.
Do you know what that means? We'll be Groundhog Dayin' this in about a month...when his current shot record expires.
Lord love a duck, can we get some common sense up in here?!
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