I'm a well read grad student who's bluntly honest about all things, although I try to be most honest about myself.
It takes a long time for them to get to it. It's understandable: the managers get enough requests that they need that time to look through and see who can go when.
But I've been biting my fingernails over this, because there were issues last year, and then I got sick anyway, so it didn't really matter.
That being said: I got off! I also took my birthday off, and then my manager pleaded for me to take more days off since April is slow for them anyway. I have two days before, and my birthday off.
I'm psyched. I actually was worried about this, and I'm relieved. Things are just going right for me. I'm even starting to be optimistic about school. But still fairly nervous. Nothing is guaranteed until I get that letter.