Saved By The Bell...

I had an annual exam today. I'm vigilant about having these yearly tests done. I don't particularly care for the whole "exam" part, but I do enjoy getting my results back and seeing that I received a clean bill of health. I thought about having my exam done in California while on home leave, but I don't have an OB/GYN, and establishing myself as a temporary patient is much harder than it seems. First of all I'd have to find a doctor who takes my insurance, and then I'd have to finagle an exam sometime in the 4 weeks I'm in Southern California, which would have been far easier had I not waited until one month before we're leaving. As I am on a first name basis with the International Department at the Herzliyya Medical Center right around the corner of my house, it's much easier to just have it done here. It takes 2-3 weeks to get the results back, so due to our upcoming departure, I needed to have it done quickly. Last Thursday I called the Medical Center, told them what I needed, and they easily fit me in to their schedule for tonight. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong.

Here's my problem. Swan is gone, Matt is in Jerusalem for the upcoming Presidential visit, my backup babysitter is in Turkey, and my maid's sister already has another job. In a last ditch effort I called my maid's husband's cousin, who said she'd try to come. Try to come? Oh heck, those weren't the exact words I wanted to hear. While I had hopes that she would show up, I wasn't convinced. If she didn't make it over in time, the girls would have to go with me.

For most appointments I wouldn't have a problem with schlepping them along to the doctors. They enjoy going with me every 6 weeks to watch me get my blood drawn for my Thyroid. We try to make a game out of visits to the Embassy nurse for shots and routine check-ups. But watching me have an annual exam is not one that I'm very comfortable with. With Riley in her overly inquisitive stage, the never ending questions like ..."Why are you naked?", "What is that and WHY is he putting it into your tushy?" would be too much for one night. And the thought of them seeing me in stir-ups? We would all need therapy after that.

I spent the day wracking my brain trying to figure out a way for them to go with me to the appointment, and not see everything that the doctor is doing. I put aside the new video iPod so they could watch a TV show, earphones so they won't hear the discussion between me and the doctor, and a lollipop (or two) to keep them happy and quiet. I even planned on having the doctor keep the girls in his office with the door slightly open so that I can see them, knowing there was a possibility that other people may see me too.

What a dilemma.

Six O'clock rolled around and no sign of the babysitter. I yelled to the girls to get their shoes on. 6:02 pm they were ready to go. 6:03 pm we grabbed our stuff and were ready to walk out the door. Then we heard it... the very annoying buzzer letting me know that someone is at the front gate. She's here. I'm literally saved by the bell.

I kissed the girls goodbye, ran out the door, and went off to my appointment. Alone.

Crisis averted for at least one more year.