As a responsible 22-year-old female, I made an appointment to get my annual pap at my neighborhood Planned Parenthood clinic. Donning my paper wrap-dress (flattering on any figure), a friendly middle-aged appropriately Gloria Steinem-esque doctor greeted me in the examining room. When she asked if I’d mind a medical student assisting in my examination, I proudly consented. Sure, I reasoned to myself, I shall sacrifice my pride in an effort to educate the future physicians of America on patient-empowered-vagina-protocol.
In walked the student. Now I present the “claiming my insular bias” portion of today’s post. I expected someone approximating:
Her
Or Her
or I suppose Her
I wouldn’t have batted an eye at any matter of confident young female physicians in training .
Instead, feet-in-stirrups, I met the gaze of an intern more resembling
Him.
(Only he wore scrubs and didn’t squat in tippy-toe-Tae-Bo-warrior). He was very built, good looking, and a black male. More notably, he made one very nervous medical student.
The examination went something like this:
Doctor: Here is the right ovary. Can you feel it?
Med student: (quick prod) Uh-huh.
Doctor: Nope. Its over there.
Med student: (poke) Got it.
Doctor: Are you sure? Because I think its further up. Why don’t you try again.
[I’ve disassociated by now and view the scenario out-of-body, hovering from above. I observe myself making occasional eye contact and half-smiling, while humming “My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean” to myself. Wait…the humming is silently to myself. I can hear my musical attempt to express my pseudo-comfort in this scenario, but I don’t think the others can. Listen! The med student seems to tap his toe to the rhythm bring back, bring back, please bring back my bonny to me to me. Perhaps that’s due to his nerves…]
Med Student: Uh…?
Doctor: Notice her uterus’ slight tilt upwards?
Med Student: Yes.
Doctor: Nope! That’s her ovary.
DAMN! (Med Student’s and my inner dialogue exclaim together in unison)
And on and on and on goes this awkward exchange for countless excruciating minutes.
I hope the nervous Med Student turned into a confident doctor. He probably went on to deliver many a baby by this time, as have I. Okay, only two for me. Wonder if he’s one of the doctors perpetuating the missing cervix phenomenon…Sorry, Maam, I know you’re 10 cm dilated, but I just plain can’t find your cervix. Yikes
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