I'm sitting in the waiting room, sweating profusely, my heart pounding so hard that I think it might burst out of my chest like that scene from Alien. I'm not waiting for a job interview, a date, or even a root canal - nope, I'm waiting for a cervical cancer test. Fun times.
As someone with endometriosis, I've had my fair share of medical procedures. Unfortunately, my first three laparoscopies were all ablations, which turned out to be the wrong surgery. After meeting with an excision surgeon, I was still on the fence about whether to have him perform my surgery, so I agreed to some tests to get a better understanding of my health. One of these tests was the cervical cancer test, which was new to me.
When I walked into the doctor's office, I was directed to a room with a chair that reclined almost to the floor, with a place to put my feet up. I sat down and looked around the room, trying to distract myself from what was about to happen. But there was no escaping it.
As the doctor entered the room, he explained the procedure and what I should expect. The position I was in made everything feel even more awkward and uncomfortable. My head was reclined towards the floor and my feet and crotch were up in the air. The position alone was enough to make me want to crawl out of my skin.
I tried to stay calm, but as soon as he started the test, I felt a sharp pinch and instant cramping. It was like someone had flipped a switch, and I was suddenly in the excruciating pain. I started to scream and cry so loudly that the entire office could hear me. I felt embarrassed and vulnerable, but I couldn't help it. The pain was too much to bear. The doctor tried to console me and made sure that I was as comfortable as possible, but it didn't help much.
The pain was intense, and it felt as though the surgeon had triggered an endometriosis flare-up. It was as if he could set it off at the press of a button. Despite the agony, the surgeon had a very nice bedside manner, which made me wonder if he was the right choice to perform my surgery after all.
After what felt like an eternity, the test was finally over. I got dressed and left the office feeling traumatized and in a lot of pain. It was a relief to know that the test was done, but the experience left me feeling vulnerable and exposed. It's not often that you have to lie back in a chair with your crotch in the air for a complete stranger to poke around in there. Afterwards I was sore for a week however everyones experience is different. Im sure some people do not experience any pain or very minimal pain.
Getting a cervical cancer test can be an awkward and painful experience, especially if you have endometriosis. It's important to mentally prepare yourself and take any medication your doctor prescribes to help manage the pain. But even with preparation, there's no escaping the discomfort and vulnerability that comes with the procedure.
Despite the uncomfortable experience, I am grateful that I went through it. It gave me a better understanding of my health, and it also allowed me to experience the surgeon's bedside manner, which gave me more confidence in his care. So, if you're ever in my shoes, waiting for a cervical cancer test, just remember: it might be uncomfortable, but it's better to know than not to know.