Home.

These are off days due to the weather and needing to get my DOT physical updated.

When I first started this line of work I could get the two year DOT card. But between my aging and them changing the rules I have been on a 1 year card for the last five or so years. The Dr can issue a six month card but Company 1 will not let us drive with a six month card, I haven't asked Company 3 (and I no longer work for Company 2)

For the last couple of years I have had issues with both my blood pressure and my eye sight. The last two years I have failed the sight test for the physical, but passed a sight test at the eye doctor. This required the eye Dr to fill out a form and then have the DOT physical Dr attach it to my DOT long form. The blood pressure had just been an issue of them taking it multiple times. But I have also gotten myself on blood pressure medicine.

So as a preempt this year, I went to the eye doctor first thinking I would be saving time. This time I failed the sight test at the eye doctor, so now it is glasses for driving. I only failed by a couple of letters but it was at least one too many for them to pass me. But I can pass all tests with my off the shelve cheaters. 20/20.

My DOT physical was in the afternoon, the eye appointment had been in the AM. After I fill out all the paperwork in the lobby I ask if I would have time to use the restroom before the appointment. NO ... I forgot that we have to pee in a cup. The person at the front desk said it was a drug test so I didn't use the restroom and gulped two small bottles of water they gave me. I have had to drink gallons of water twice because I couldn't fill their cup the first time. Not a fun way to spend the day ... and if you have to drink the extra water, the office has to send that sample out because it is too diluted for them to do in house.

But this wasn't a drug test, so they don't need as big of sample. I passed that part, they can do it as soon as I'm done.

Here are some of the things involved in the test

Pee in a cup

Weight

Height

Hearing (they whisper works, I repeat them)

Eyesight (this time they only did the reading and peripheral vision, it the past they had also done the color contrast one)

Blood pressure

... the above was done before I saw the Dr, the following was done by the Dr.

Touch the toes

With hands if front of you, push his hands up, down, right, left.

He looked in my eyes (again)

Listened to my chest

Had me cough

Take five stops, toe to toe

Close eyes to check for balance

Asked a lot of questions

(No squats this year)

The Dr also gave me suggestions such as getting a blood pressure cuff or stopping at the clinic more often to get my blood pressure checked. Loose weight and a third thing which I have already forgotten.

From there I had to go to the DMV to get updated in the Federal Data Base. I got there with 10 minutes to spare. They just need to see my DOT card and drivers license. And I needed to fill out a form with my name, etc and if I was exempt, non-exempt, intrastate or interstate.

Because I had never gotten a DOT card with my blood pressure over 140 before, we didn't take a run until after I had talked to both companies. By now it was after hours for all companies so no work on Monday.

Didn't make it out of town Monday, so I will make an appointment on Tuesday to get my medicine increased.

Also roads in southern MN and into IA are still closed or travel not advised so we wouldn't want to leave town anyways. Because we didn't get going Monday, we now can't make it to CA before the weekend so we don't need to leave until Weds/Thurs. Sounds like the weather is bad again west, Donners Pass is closed again. With the RV's they don't want the extra miles on them so we have to wait it out if we are going to Sacramento or SFO.

TUESDAY

Somewhere my driving record didn't get updated properly so Company 3 couldn't see it. Not sure what the issue was, the DMV said it's a live system. As soon as they hit enter it's there for the world to see.