- Complete Russian Medicals - Check! :-)

Yep, one more item to check off of the list!  We had our medicals appointments yesterday (for us ... it is now about 3:30a Wednesday morning for us - 5:30p Tuesday for our IL crew).  It was an experience . unlike . any . other . I . have . ever . had!  We consulted with 8 specialists throughout the day, including a Therapist ... I learned that a "Therapist" is their term for a general practitioner. In talking with our translator ... and we had plenty of time to talk, we learned that they do not have to have a referral to see a specialist.  You decide on your own who you think you need to see and go see that Provider.  When we entered the facility, we immediately checked out coats and put little blue palstic booties over our shoes (kinda like the surgical booties that they wear in surgery).  We asked about that and we were told that is a common practice at any health facility.  We mentioned that we don't have that in the US... our translator seemed a bit stunned and wondered what we did with our coats, and seemed equally stunned when we mentioned that we just carried them with us. :-) Another difference was with the appointments themselves... we would sit in a hallway, sometimes with lots of people, and the Dr would be in one room.  As one person would come out, the next person would just get up and go in.  Anyhow, what was supposed to be a 2-4 hour experience, turned in to 6 1/2 hours.... but I guess when you consider all of the specialists we saw, that isn't too bad!  Sorry, I don't have any pictures... Leslie and I both wished we would have been brave enough to take some pictures, but we weren't and we didn't.
About 8 1/2 hours after our day started from the hotel, we returned ...we went to the "snack reception", enjoyed a wide-variety of pickled yum-yums (I really think Leslie is developing a taste for it), and then to the room to rest and sleep.  Obviously, as it is about 3:30a here, I am still working on getting through some jet-lag. :-)  Great thing is, about the time I will be adjusting, we will be on our way back home!  Well, all for now ... going to try to get a bit more sleep!  Thanks for following!