Some Road Blocks

Well...my trip to Iowa City today didn't quite do what I'd hoped. Hurtle 1: My program, Student Art Centers International (SACI), received a fax from Iowa a week ago last Friday at which time I was assured of it's being returned in a maximum of 5 day's time. I started calling regarding these forms yesterday (business day 6). To make a longer and more irritating story succinct, the financial aid advisor works from her home and despite being contacted several times by myself and SACI, the University of Iowa has still not received anything back from her. This closes the seventh business day. I seem to be having a great deal of difficulty communicating the fact that without the benefit of private loans, I will not have the funds to pay the remaining small amount of my tuition nor will I have any money in the event of an emergency. That is, I will not be attending their program and they will be losing a (very) significant amount of money. Needless to say, therefore, I was not able to discuss a revised financial aid package with my Iowa advisor while in town today.
Hurtle 2: SACI needs a physician's assurance of my physical and mental ability to participate in a study abroad program. I scheduled an appointment with student health as they are the only medical body with my complete immunization records. However, after waiting 40 minutes I was given a signed copy of these records and told that there was not enough time to give me the requisite physical. After communicating that I had driven 2 hours for this appointment I still made no headway and, despite my best attempts to remain composed, I burst into tears (I suppose over the financial aid stress). However, now that I have my complete records, authorized by signature, I should be able to get the physical in my hometown.
Hurtle 3: I had cherished high hopes of having all of my visa questions answered today by my study abroad advisor. Unfortunately, she was in the midst of sorting through a crisis involving a very ill or injured student in another country who was in need of her help much more than me. Even so, her offer of intervention if my difficulties with SACI and Iowa's financial aid continued were very gratefully accepted as was her encouragement and later email including a sample list of required documents for a visa through the Los Angeles consulate. However, Chicago's requirements will be different and I'll have to verify them by phone since that consulate did not deem it necessary to post their requirements on their website! I also got the ugly bit of news that I will have to appear in person as the option of going through an agent in Des Moines is no longer available. Dad's already offered to take me.
So, despite how upsetting my day felt, I've basically calmed down and am used to the idea of spending all of next day getting what I'd hope to get done today finished up. (I should have started this earlier, I should have started this earlier...)