Doctors visit 1/16/14

• Posted by Briana Lynn Rekowski January 17, 2014 1,366 views
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  I had my twice a year screen for my skin cancer today.   This is not about my skin cancer, it's really not a big deal if you are as old as me, and have lived in a place like Chrissy, Chalice, or I live for your whole life.  Skin cancer here is about as common as a head ache, and the only ones that it affects seriously, are the people that ignore the signs.  Anyway, I have been out to my primary doctor for about two years now and always go as myself.  I just came out to my skin doctor on my last visit over the summer, and I was a wreck when I did it.  She told me then, that I could come anyway I felt comfortable.  I asked her if she would be able to examine me with foundation on.  I don't knoew if she ever answered me.  She asked me two questions that I didn't realize I never answered until I was in the car on my way home. Like I said, I was a wreck. The first question was the the most difficult lol, "what's your name?".  The second, "Do you want me to talk to my staff about this?"  On that visit, they told me to strip down, and the doctor would come in soon.  She always has a medical assistant with her for the exam.  I wanted to come out so I didn't strip, and just waited for her.  She came in with the assistant, and I asked her if I could talk to her.  The assistant left the room and I came out to her, and like I said, I was a wreck.  So much so, she ended up doing the exam by her self.  She told me a few times, just come here however you feel comfortable, and I kept asking her if it would be possible to do it with foundation on, and again, I don't know if she answered, and if so, if it was a clear answer.  Today I went back, and again, in drab.  I was nervous to begin with because I didn't know if she would remember me, and didn't know if I would end up having the same experience explaining it to her med assistant.  I walked in, got signed in, something seemed off.  They seemed to be acting a little different, but I thought it might be because I was nervous.  I felt like all the girls behind the counter kept looking over at me.  Probably just nervous.  I sat down and waited.  A few minutes later, I got called back.  Went in a room with the med assistant, and went through all the usuall questions about meds, have I seen anything that I thought the doctor needed to look at, that sort of stuff, and things still seemed off somehow.  Then she got up to leave, told me to strip to my underwear, and her and the doctor would be back in a few minutes.  Stress level rising at this point, no way to avoid going through the "coming out again".  Body completely shaved. Fat persons boobs, with not an ounce of fat anywhere else on my body, and a lovely shade of pink pearl polish on my toes.  They came in, I asked the doctor if she remembered me, and she said yes, and it became very clear, very quickly, that she had done the talk with all of her staff, i wasn't just being paranoid, they all knew.  I have had perfect exams for a while, and have been expecting them to find something the last couple visits, and she did.  I had to have two things burned off my face, but burning is good.  that means they are just precanserous things, no big deal.  It's when they start pulling out scalpals that you get worried.  I have had to be cut twice.  Once in 2000, my first, and it was melanoma, and the second three years ago, and it wasn't serious yet.  Like I said, if you get checked, you're fine.  Anyway, she burns the two things on my face and without me even asking, she says, you will be fine putting makeup over that, and the med assistant chimes in, maybe put some consealer on it first, before the foundation, until it drys up and peels off.  I asked again about showing up with foundation on, can you examine me that way.  She said it would be fine, but I feel like I'm getting the wrong answer.  Is she just being nice, can she really do her job with my skin covered.  Afterwards, I was checking out, and wanted to ask one more time, so I asked if I could walk back and talk to her one more time.  they took me back, and I asked her again.  She said it will be fine.  She said most of the women she sees show up with foundation on.  She said just bring it with you so if I have to wipe some off to see something, you can touch up before you leave.  When I left the three girls behind the counter all smiled and said goodbuy to me at the same time.  It was a really nice experience.  I honestly feel more comfortable there, than with my primary care doctor.  At my primary care's doctor's office, they answer every question you ask like they think you are going to try to sue them for something.  Not friendly, just professional.  so it looks like I will be doing both doctors as "me" from now on.  Even though I was already out there, it feels like another step, and every step feels very good.