Or do like I did, get bitter at the shops not fixing it.
Borrow a vacuum pump once, (thanks again Kevin aka blkvoodoo) realize you're going to need it a few more times, buy your own and a good set of gauges.
Then make your way through replacing all the parts that had gone bad since the evaporator was leaking for so long. 
(And I think the compressor isn't 100% still, but it blows at about 52-55 on afternoons like today. sooo good enough to keep the fat guy from sweating )
But if you want to check it, i've got a full set of gauges and stuff.
