It’s Exam Time!

Ladies, this one is for you.  The few guy readers we have (and by few I mean 2….Deena’s husband and my husband, and occasionally my brother) will be uncomfortable with this topic.  After all, my hubby almost passed out at my first pregnancy exam with our first child. 

(there’s something so endearing about a daddy holding his newborn, sniff)

Yes, I’m talking about the lovely, annual pap smear appointments.  I had mine today, and while that may seem like too much information, it really shouldn’t be.  There is so much awareness out there regarding breast cancer and getting our annual mammograms (feel your boobies, save the ta-tas, etc), but it’s just as important to get our other hoohas and whatnots checked out.   Here’s some statistics I came across, which obviously does not include all issues with the female reproductive system:

• Every 10 minutes, 12 hysterectomies are performed in the US.
• 37% of all women will have a hysterectomy by the time they are 60.
• 1 in 72 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer at some point in their lifetime.
• Endometriosis affects over 1 million women in the United States and is one of the leading causes of a hysterectomy.

For me these appointments are especially important because I’m currently taking a daily pill to prevent my breast cancer from returning (Tamoxifen).  But of course as with any drug, it may “treat” one thing but cause side effects in something else.  So I have to stay on top of my annual exams to make sure it’s not wreaking havoc on other parts of my body.

So off I went.  I have this awesome doctor in the old, charming town of Leesburg.

(this was a drive by photo, so not very good.  Hey, at least I wasn’t texting and driving.)

His office is a building that looks like it could be an old house.

And that would be his phat Mercedes Benz that I, along with other women in the area, have helped fund.  🙂

Even inside the exam room you feel like you’re in an old house with the creaky floors and flower wallpaper.

 

Since I was wearing flip flops, I threw some socks in my purse before I left home.

Like, really????  Do I think putting socks on my feet is going to make me feel less exposed or something??   

But anywho….I did what I had to do to take care of myself and make sure all was okay and to keep myself healthy.   I can check this one off my list until next year, thank goodness.