I Survived the Test

Yesterday I had my appointment with the psychologist (psychiatrist?) that was set up from Worker's Comp. I went to it with trepidition. They told me to allow at least three hours. Whew! That's a long time.

After checking in, I was taken to a large room (with few comfortable chairs) to take the manual test that determines if you are depressed. Piece of cake! There were only 567 questions to answer. I wondered why the receptionist told me I could leave the room and even go outside to walk around if I wanted to take a break. After seeing how many questions I had to answer, I understood.

Some of the questions were completely bizarre. Others were repeated but worded differently (Did you love your father? Did you feel your father was a good man?). No problems there. There were questions that had you wondering what angle they were coming from. After answering all but approximately 100 questions, I took a break as I had already walked around the room a million times and my back still killed me.

Upon finishing the test, I spent a few hours with the doctor. He asked me to do some weird things: Count backwards from 100 in multiples of seven, name as many fruits as you can think of, name as many animals you can think of. Ok, when he asked me who the governor was of Iowa, I blanked, but I told him it was a Democrat (cause I knew my guy didn't win). And when he told me three things to repeat (pink cadillac, apple tree, Madison, Wisconsin) I repeated them fine. He mentioned he would ask me them again later.

We touched on every major job I've had in life, any nervousness in my family? (no), any addictions in parents, aunts, uncles?, etc. Then he said, "Remember, I would ask you those three items again? What were they?" Ok, so I thought he would say them again, didn't bother concentrating on remembering them. Brother! Pink cadillac, apple.....juice? (no), apple......cider? (no, try further back before they were made into that), apple tree (yes). Ok, I didn't remember the last one until he reminded me it was a city and state, which triggered Madison, Wisconsin to come out of my mouth.

At the end of the session I asked if he thought I was clinically depressed. He said he thought anyone with my pain and outlook on the future would feel the same way that I do. So, that's that! I wonder what Worker's Comp will set up next, a colon cleanse? Who knows. I'll keep you updated...until then, keep dreaming! Halfmoon