told me that I had an irregular pap because I was a slut. Or she strongly implied I wouldn't have had a problem if I was in a monogamous relationship.

I'd be curious to hear Jen weigh in on this. When I dated a medical student in the eighties she said there were very judgmental attitudes about cervical cancer taught at the medical school. That it was seen as basically an STD. I wonder how much that attitude has changed.

Other People! A person's medical condition is not a green light for you to get all smug and judgey!

Sorry-this kind of thing hits a little close to home right now.

I would have made sure the clarify the statement, then reported her to the doctor and the licensing board.

I was so stunned and driving (I remember EXACTLY where I was) and it was the first irregular one I'd had so confused and scared also so I didn't end up doing anything. Except change doctors when I had a chance to.

That it was seen as basically an STD. I wonder how much that attitude has changed.

Well, basically the irregular pap is generally (I'm pretty sure) caused by HPV so it is an indication of a venereal disease. A venereal disease that something like 80% of sexually active adults have been exposed to. But, still, she was a total bitch.

I like the whole package at my current GYN's office.

she said there were very judgmental attitudes about cervical cancer taught at the medical school. That it was seen as basically an STD.

doesn't matter. The opinions and attitudes of medical PROFESSIONALS are irrelevant. They are not there to judge, they are there to heal.

BTW, I had an irregular pap/HPV and I hadn't had sex for over a year at that point.In fact, I hadn't had sex since before my last pap, which was totally normal.

eta: In fact, I remember being a little annoyed at the fact that I'd gotten VD and wasn't having sex!

I think Raq got Cocksackie when Mal did, and said it sucked.

Late to the convo, but yes and yes.

And when Mal had Fifth, R got it and was in so much pain he actually went to the doctor (this is the who refused to go to the doctor when he had cholera ). His symptoms were mostly joint aches, like arthritis.

Today we stop the nebulizer! At least for the summer. So yay. And I finally figured out how to get Mal to go along with getting height/weight/blood pressure checked: I asked him to tell me about things that go in the ocean. I feel all clever and parent-y.

Jess, a friend of mine swears that babies get all act-outy at the half-year points...meaning that the Terrible Twos could start sometime before age 1.5.

Suddenly, CBD stands for Carrot-Bacon-Dude in my mind.

BWAH!

vw and CBD are adorable!

It’s kind of sickening, isn’t it?

Poor Annabel! Feel better soon, kiddo!

Other People! A person's medical condition is not a green light for you to get all smug and judgey!

This. SO this. I feel so fortunate to have all of my very progressive care providers where I do.

ETA: You know what really cracks me up about the whole "CBD likes carrots" thing? He didn't even ask why I was asking. He just answered.

(sitting here smiling at happy!vw and CBD)

And those pictures ... didn't really ping me anywhichway, but did remind me of something in one of the threads - Boxed Set? - where someone said something about no one doing soft porn illustrations of squids. wrong! (although I admit I'm glad I made sure to position my computer monitor so its back is to my office door, yes I am)

When I dated a medical student in the eighties she said there were very judgmental attitudes about cervical cancer taught at the medical school. That it was seen as basically an STD. I wonder how much that attitude has changed.

Others got there first, but... yeah. The key letter in STD is the D. Based on my experiences as a fake patient, med students get non-judginess drummed into them good and hard. It doesn't matter how the patient got the disease; your enemy is the disease, not the patient.

The mock clinics they get run through include some very problematic patients: hostile, frightened, stingy or vague with medical history, complex sexual history, chronic illness but noncompliant with meds and dietary restrictions, etc. And if they don't treat everyone with the same degree of patience and respect, they get clobbered (a lot of them are horrified after the first round, because they assume the mock clinics are to test their diagnostic skills and they have no idea that it's more about bedside manner than anything else).

Sadly, clinic staff don't get anything like the same training, or, often, any training at all.

And, fuck, lisah, that's appalling! I'd write the MD a blistering letter, no matter how long ago that was. S/he needs to know that the support staff are pulling that kind of shit.

Between that, and Teppy's doctor's front office, and poor Annabel with her fifth disease, I am very very glad we've got vw glowing in love and Plei's birthday to balance things out.

Ladies' Day at Ascot

ugh. y'all are reminding me of my rage when a friend was having pain and the doctors couldn't figure out what it was. she actually had one doctor tell her that the pain was all in her head and that she had probably been molested and was repressing the memory, but the pain was her brain trying to make her remember. WTF?!

then she went and had one of those lovely dildocam procedures and the tech REFUSED TO LEAVE THE ROOM while she got dressed and undressed. told her it was NORMAL that she has cysts on her ovaries and i quote "any of the things you're feeling, any pain you have, it's all in your head. You are imagining it. You just need to learn how to relax and you will start feeling better. There is nothing wrong with you, it's entirely in your head."

RAGERAGERAGE!!!! i told her she needed to report the tech, but i don't know if she ever did.