Those of you who follow me on Twitter may have had the pleasure of seeing this tweet from me yesterday:
Oh I’m sorry Mom(s), Kate, my neighbors, any guys reading, I probably should have warned you that today you *might* get a little too much information about me that you didn’t really need to know.
Oops. My bad. Consider yourself warned, it’s not getting any better.
So now you know I’m menstruating AND I got a pap smear. I suspect that sometimes when you come here to read you think to yourself, “wow, Playgroups are no place for children. Where it’s all vagina talk, all the time.”
Anyway, back to my Twitter question yesterday…I got several replies and direct messages. About 75% of you said I should cancel my appointment, 25% of you said I should go ahead and get my pap smear.
A few of you suggested I should call my doctor and just ask. *smacks self on head* Yeah, I probably should have just done that rather than Twittering about my “monthly visitor.”****
When I called the office, the nurse said that there was no need to reschedule since my menses had just started.
On one hand, EWWW! GROSS!
On the other hand, there were lots of tense moments trying to get someone (read: Tate) to watch the kids while I went to the appointment. I had to remind someone about twenty zillion times about this appointment and hear about how it’s a bad time at work, but “it’s no big deal *heavy sigh*. I’ll figure out something and be home to watch the kids **heavier sigh**.”
Also as several of you on Twitter pointed out, the OB/GYN office has seen worse.
Since the doctor said to come on in, then there was no way I was rescheduling. Gross or not. So what would you have done in this situation?
PS. Don’t you just hate the word “menstruation” and “menses?” Me, too! Ick.
PSS. I vow that this is the last time I talk about my womanly parts for at least a month. You’re welcome.
PSSS. ****”Monthly visitor” is a bit of a misnomer, as it’s not any sort of “monthly” or “regular”, but rather, “just comes whenever the f*ck it feels like it and stays for a month.” Thanks Mirena!
Andrea's Sweet Life
September 9, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Oh and Jennifer? I totally blame the mini pill for my post partum depression. Once I got off of it, my hormones went back to manageable almost immediately. It’s the devil, I tell ya!
Jen @ JenuineJen
September 9, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Laughed so hard when I read comes whenever it wants and stays for a month. I can so totally relate.
While I have never had this exact problem, if the doc said come on in, I would have gone on anyway. Then again, I went through a couple of years of infertility treatments before having my twins. Nothing is sacred when you have to tell docs and nurses every little details about your cycle and how often you and your husband “tried to make a baby.”
Jen @ JenuineJen’s lastest post..Palin Cartoon
Deb
September 10, 2008 at 6:24 am
I hate the word menses. It freaks me out for some reason. I was thinking about Mirena, but unsure. Glad you got the smear over with. Don’t you love how husbands act so put out to watch the kids sometimes?
Deb’s lastest post..Cough drops, gum, candy, and ass cream
litanyofbritt
September 10, 2008 at 8:34 am
nice effect adding the period colored border to your twwet snapshot.
ramblin' red
September 10, 2008 at 11:00 am
Never had a pap while bleeding, but I’ve had two copper iud’s inserted and removed and the OB RECOMMENDED that we time insertion/removal with me being on my period – supposedly it’s easier for them b/c the cervix is more open. I say – blech!
I loved the copper iud – the only reason I had them removed was to TTC. My periods were regular and no weird hormonal issues.
ramblin’ red’s lastest post..Good to know
Kristi
September 10, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I hate those words too – “menses” and “flow” and anything like that. I prefer to say “Shark Week!”
Glad you survived your trip. Rescheduling is such a pain, especially when you have to find sitters for your kids.
Insta-Mom
September 10, 2008 at 3:13 pm
The way I feel about my OB/GYN right now, I would have scheduled the pap BECAUSE I was having my period. Given his track record lately, I feel much less guilty that I farted on him when pusing out baby #1.
Insta-Mom’s lastest post..It’s contagious
Margaret
September 10, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I’m not sure of the origin, but my mother used to refer to it as “the monthly curse from the great red bat”.
Margaret’s lastest post..The Thing That Wouldn’t Die
the Mom
September 11, 2008 at 10:58 am
After conceiving children on every known form of birth control, we gave up and switched to NFP, natural family planning. No, its not he rhythm method (that doesn’t work!), and it has allowed us to avoid conceiving until we wanted to without any nasty side effects. It’s great, and I highly recommend it instead of filling up your body with fake hormone crap.
On the other hand (no pun intended), I have had interesting discussions with my GYN about changes in the shape and feel of my cervix, and I’m not telling how I would know that, but I’m sure you can figure it out for yourself.
Oh, and I so would have kept the appt.
jen
September 11, 2008 at 11:14 am
no kidding?? i thought i was the only one that was having that exact problem with mirena!
i’m at the end of my rope with it…i didn’t have ANYTHING for 6 months. and then…whammo. periods here periods there…completely random. argh. only good that comes from it…husband never knows when, either…so it’s always a decent excuse.