[Kate*]

Start the food diary now and schedule the appointment sooner rather than later. Chances are, if you're going to them as a new patient, it will be a while before your first appointment (once you're in their system it won't take nearly as long). If you start it now, you'll have something to show them regardless of when you manage to get in.

I don't know how exactly Medicaid works, but you should have a reasonable amount of appointments covered per year, especially if the doctor decides you need one because something is going on.