Doctor visit

[samantha rogers]

Last week I had an appointment to see my dermatologist about a spot on my elbow. No big deal. I rolled in and they took me into an exam room. The assistant then said " ok, remove everything but your underwear and the doctor will be right in."
Wait...what? For my elbow?
"She wants to do a body check today for moles and any possible pre-cancerous" conditions"
Ah.
So, in a split nano second. I did a quick mental inventory.
Totally shaved and hairless from the neck down.
Tiny white cotton string bikini.
B cup breasts.
Ok
Now in the past, I have always stopped shaving a few months before a physical, worn more male underwear, and my breasts were smaller or earlier still non existant.
But, well, thought I who cares?
I stripped and waited.
The doctor, who is an attractive woman in her early thirties (I would guess) normally talks incessantly. She is quite pleasant but very talkative. She walked in and, bless her heart, never missed a beat. She continued her normal social prattle throughout the exam and not a word was said about my obviously feminine appearance.
Her assistant though provided a different reaction. The assistant is a sweet and funny slightly older African American woman (think Whoopy Goldberg) who has the task of taking notes and trying to keep up with my talkative doc. She is quite humorous normally.
Well, she walked through the door slightly behind the doctor.
It was all I could do and took every bit of self control I had to not just burst out laughing and rolling on the floor. Her reaction when she saw my chest was straight out of Roger Rabbit. Her jaw hit the floor and she pulled a literal jowl shaking triple take. Her eyes, briefly, were as big as grapefruits and practically bugged right out of her head.
It was priceless.
Of course, she recovered quickly, and after that the examination proceeded quite normally, and with no mention at all of my appearance.
It was a funny moment and one I quite enjoyed.
There was a time, girls, when I might have been mortified by this, but no more.
Rather, it seems just one more step in my acceptance of myself. Had they asked, I would have had no trouble readily explaining. They did not ask, though, so other than the one humorous moment, it was a non event.
My take away is that we often project fears that have no basis in reality, and in doing so, can be our own worst enemy.
But no more for Sammie. I just don't care anymore. Life is too short, right?:battingeyelashes:
Hugs

[Nadine Spirit]

we often project fears that have no basis in reality, and in doing so, can be our own worst enemy.


Love! that line.

[Tracii G]

That line pretty much sums it up.

[Katey888]

Life is too short, Samantha... :)

Nicely and amusingly retold - that's put a smile on my face today...

Katey x

[gigikaye]

Strange... I also have no body hair from the neck down (by my own doing but I don't have much to begin with). My skin is tanned and lack of hair isn't so obvious. I have never felt self conscious about it, doctor visits or locker rooms included. However the panties (24 by 7) are something else. I can't believe I would be calm and unaffected if wearing them in the circumstances Sammie described or any similar situation. On the other hand there would probably be a significant element of excitement and wonder of what reaction the other individual(s) would show.

[Diane Edwards]

This kind of reminds me of something I read somewhere that has always stuck with me. I have found that there have been times when it applies. (This means I don't know if it applies here!)

"If you're worried about what other people think of you, stop worrying. They usually don't!"

[Gigi9]

I went to the dermatologist and got the same surprise! I decided to go commando rather than out myself, couldn't hide the shaved legs very well though =)
Gigi

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Samantha, Doctors and UPS Drivers are not surprised any more , They have seen it all.

[Sheila11]

So is the spot on your elbow OK?

[Jaylyn]

Your right in your thinking. Funny it must have been cut the brown cancers off week as I had a dermatologist freeze four spots off my face Thursday. I won't be wearing make up for a week because the spots are sore as can be.... Would hate to scrub the maje up off with the sore spots. My Dermatologist is also a women and she did a full body look. I was in full boy mode so no big deal.

[CassieD]

Up to yet I've had one happy and supportive, one mildly surprised but not otherwise bothered and one shocked and uncomfortable. I think I've got the set.

[Beverley Sims]

Samantha,
It is interesting to see the different reactions between two people to the same event.

[JenniferR771]

Thanks
, Samantha. You handled it beautifully. Roger Rabbit double take--LOL!
My doctor knows because I told him--no big deal.

[vallerie lacy]

I thought I was surprised when I had to explain my shaved legs. The doctor casually said, that he hadn't noticed. He never misses a spot to biopsy though. Maybe next time I should wear a bra and panties. Wonder if he'll notice than.

[Adriana Moretti]

[QUOTE=samantha rogers;3468227 Life is too short, right?:battingeyelashes:
Hugs[/QUOTE]

yes it is! make the best of it everyday! great story!

[Richelle423]

I thought no hair from the neck down is the "new" normal! I have not been to to a doc in a while....

[MsVal]

I hope that your doctor found nothing medically alarming.

Best wishes
MsVal

[Annaliese]

Love the story, I took a lot of interest in this story today, I have dermatologist appointment today.

[Helen Grandeis]

My family doctor knows that I CD. Contrary to what some wives feel, nobody really cares. Congratulations on your beautiful feminine body.

[CynthiaD]

I always wear panties to the doctor. (I don't have anything else.) no big deal. Congratulations on your reaction. Sounds like " you've arrived."

[ArleneRaquel]

Thanks for the excelent post darlin. "WE", as a community probably fear way too often over events that turn out to be more enjoyable and self affirming than not.

[AndreaCD1963]

It's true - we can definitely be our own worst enemy. Good for you for just owning it and getting on with life!

Similar situation for me 1 year ago today - I had a heart attack Apr 21 2013 and was rushed into the hospital. Floral print panties and brightly painted toes and completely shaved body from the neck down were very low on my list of concerns at that time when the ER nurses and doctors were poking, prodding, examining, and doing their thing. Even laying on a gurney, in the hallway, waiting to go to the ER for the resulting heart surgery a few days later - nurse and S/O working to remove the nail polish from my toes (no polish allowed during surgery) with my step daughter standing there also - and the nurse jokingly saying "why did the salon you go to HAVE to use the good stuff?" - again I wasn't bothered about who knew or saw anything. Bigger issues to deal with at the time. Over the 10 days I was in the hospital, not a single negative thing was heard. But I did have some nice chats with the nurses in the evenings about salons, colours, etc. :-)

[mechamoose]

You are you. I have been in a similar situation... gone to the doc in panties and a cami.. and I'm asked to undress.

The Doc didn't blink, the student (learning hosp) kept working out where her eyes should go.

Doctors are mechanics for humans. Car mechanics don't care about your upholstery.

<3

- MM

[CONSUELO]

You handled it well Samantha. Doctors just want to get on with the job at hand and don't really take much notice of other things and if they do they keep it to themselves.

[samantha rogers]

That is a great story, Andrea! I am still chuckling about your post emergency conversations.:battingeyelashes:
It really is amazing how our little fears that seem so important pale to nothing when a real emergency strikes.
Good for you! I am glad they took good care of you. Any problems since then? No, I hope.:battingeyelashes:
Hugs

[Sometimes Steffi]

Sounds great to me. I don't think I would really freak out, but I'm not sure I could remain as calm as you did.

I can't say I've ever been caught wit my pants down, so to speak. But I did go once with very femm painties knowing that i would be exposed.

But I have shown up with nail polish on. The first time I knew I would be exposed, but I just didn't care. I paid a lot for that pedi and I just wasn't ready to take it off. The second time was a big surprise for me when I got told to take my shoes and socks off.

[AndreaCD1963]

Thanks Samantha! My point, much like yours, is that we are own worst enemy when it comes to fears. In general, most people are too concerned with their own lives and jobs to even notice let alone care.

Thanks for asking - no problems since the heart surgery. In fact, I'm in better shape now than I've been in since getting out of college! It was a long 2013 to get back up and going again, with a lot of focus on eating better and a LOT of walking. By Christmas I was up to almost 4 miles a day - a huge improvement from the 100 feet I was managing the day I got out of the hospital LOL The long cold winter put a stop to walking, but now that it's finally spring, I'm trying to get back out again regularly to keep it up.