The DOT Recertification Physical
May 16 2005. I am just thrilled that I get to have my DOT physical done again. Mine expires tomorrow. The medical card I carry is good for 2 years. I understand why you need to get a physical with driving a huge vehicle and all, but I do not understand taking away someone’s driving job because they are not “perfect”, and yet you are allowed to drive your personal vehicle. Its the 4-wheelers who cause the accidents with us, give them the same rules too.
I go to the doctor and sign in and soon I am back in the room waiting for the doctor. While waiting, I fill out the usual form and have some fun with the questions. About 25 to answer. Wonder how many of these I have taken in the last 30 years? Some were yearly for buses and when you change employers, you may have to do it again.
The Questions
Do you have high blood pressure?
Only when I come here and when 4-wheelers bother me. I check “no”.
Liver disease? No.
Fainting? No.
Sleep Disorders? No.
Alcohol use? No.
Head/Brain disorders/illness? Well, my family and friends think so and look what I do for a living, so it must be yes, but I mark “no”.
Psychiatric Disorders? Trick question? Again, many who know me think so, which is why no one comes with me to these physicals. I mark “no”.
The Physical
Finally I am done with the questions and I get my vision and hearing checked. I pass the color blindness test and I know red from green and yellow. My BP is normal but my weight is up. I know that and you don’t need to rub it in. I am working on that. I lost my father, I moved, and I am trying to start over, so I ate to get thru it. My weight is also not that bad. I do the pee test as required. My pulse is taken and my heart is checked. I am told that I am alive. They have me run in place for a few seconds and touch my toes without bending the knees. I told them I never could do that, so I go as far as I can, which ain’t much.
Soon we are done with all the testing for general appearance, eyes, ears, mouth, throat, heart, lungs, chest, abdomin, vascular system, genito-urinary system, extremeties, spine, and neurological system, and the doctor gives me my new two-year medical card. I leave happy knowing that once again I have passed all the requirements.
I won’t say that the 4-wheelers don’t cause most of the accidents but there are some accidents that are caused by the big rigs, granted most of the time with help from mother nature. However, when you have an accident in your big rig you can do a lot more damage than anyone could even hope to do in any 4-wheeler. Btw thanks for listing the questions now I know some that I’ll get flagged for.
LOL… the heavy-laden sarcasm made me laugh xD
I have yet to have had endured a DOT physical… but they sound pretty similar to the physicals I’ve had in the Army.
Thank you for this story! I love reading your insight.