(no subject)

[mamadeb]

Okay. I finally, after too many years, went to the GYN.



It was a surprisingly pleasant experience. I haven't gone since my last infertility treatment, a good seven or so years ago. Yeah, I know, I know. But part maybe that, well, I went through injections and sonograms and sometimes daily blood tests, and mood swings and ginormous breasts and ovaries (that first time. I could feel the ovaries when I climbed stairs, and one slipped behind my uterus so all those eggs? Gone to waste) not to mention a trip to San Antonio for two weeks the first time, and being pretty much trapped at my inlaws the third time, because we lived in a third floor walk up and I was forbidden stairs - anyway, all of that, plus Jonathan's blood pressure going up and up, and it *failed*.

Not a pleasant association.

But it's been seven years and it's silly to not go, so I asked my friend Riki, from my Pakua class, for a rec. And I recognized the name - I think his brother wrote *the* Halachic work on infertility, and we own it. And he was lovely. He asked me good questions, he encouraged me, not just to get the mammography and colonoscopy I'm also overdue for, but also to adopt in very warm terms.

Speaking of warm - he warmed the speculum. Really. :)

Even that part was pleasant. He talked to me all the way through, he told me what he was doing and why, and he pronounced me normal. And he told me that the PAP smear would not make me niddah, something I needed to know. So, I'm glad I went.

And he gave me recommendations for the colonoscopy and the mammography.



Today was also pakua. otherdeb finally asked if she could come for a class, and of course I encouraged her. She did extremely well - better than I did my first class.

Even so, I have to admit it was cool to do all the grey belt stuff in front of someone who didn't see me learn them. :)

And she saw me in actual *pants*. Which I'm sure was a thrill. Not.

Comments

[ginamariewade.livejournal.com]

And he told me that the PAP smear would not make me niddah, something I needed to know.
Huh? I'm curious as to the thought process that would make you think that. I mean, I thought niddah had to do with stuff coming out...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

It's a common belief in the frum community - many women time their gyn appointments so that they're already niddah.

It's because they have to enter the cervix and because there might be some spotting. But it's not dilated that much and the spotting is from an injury. I know from other sheilot back in the infertility days that an injury doesn't make one niddah.

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

This issue makes me insane. I have heard both a prominent woman who teaches hilchos niddah and the rabbi I used to consult with sheilas state that what you're saying is true.

Then I saw a rabbi's wife say on a public message board, "A pap smear makes one niddah." I corrected her; I believe I said that might not be true in every case, just to be safe. She "corrected" me right back and said basically, "No, you're wrong, they do them differently now and it always makes one niddah."

Of course anyone who was listening trusted her because her husband was a congregational rabbi even though in this case she didn't know what she was talking about.

[ataniell93.livejournal.com]

Hee. Before I started working in the hospital, and learned to wear scrubs etc?

"Oh my gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh--you wore pants!!!!!!!111!!!"

I don't know what it is about the sight of a woman who doesn't normally wear pants in pants, but...*eyeroll* you'd think it was some kind of revelation.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

It is.

She now has legs above the knee. :)

[umbo.livejournal.com]

There is no excuse for not warming a speculum--unless it's a sterile speculum, which makes it pretty much impossible, unfortunately.

Also unfortunate is that so many do not take the little bit of extra time to warm specs, or to install a heating pad in the drawer. I'm glad your new HCP did the right thing, and that you did not have an unpleasant experience!

[otherdeb.livejournal.com]

Actually, I've seen you in pants before this. You wore them when I came over a long time ago (back when you guys were in the apartment before 11th Street).

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

It's such a wonderful thing to have a good, thoughtful gynecologist! Mine has little booties on the stirrups, so your feet don't get chilly. :-)

[gingicat]

Sounds like a fabulous GYN for an halachically-observant woman -- for anyone, really, but especially observant women. I'm glad you went.

Sometime I'd like to talk to you about your infertility experiences, if you don't mind... in six months I may have to walk that road.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I'll be happy to talk with you anytime.

AIM me if you want.

[quecojones.livejournal.com]

I'm glad everything is OK. :)