There's the saying that no one is perfect, and this cannot be more true for the life of a typical woman. Not only do we set very high standards for ourselves, nature has also given us a set of very high jumps to hurdle over. If it's not the major milestones of periods, childbirth, breastfeeding, weaning, then it is the little ones like impressing that cute guy we fancy or coming out tops over our favorite rival in school.
Kimberly commented on my previous post about Dakore Akande, and invited me to check out her Chronicles of Imperfection blog, where she details two embarrassing moments she's had - falling off the steps of the university shuttle in the middle of campus, and forgetting her choreography in a hall full of contestants at an audition. I would want to sink into the ground too if I were the one. Read her post here.
Whenever anyone mentions embarrassments, one of my several brushes with my biggest nemesis always come to mind, and that is Aunty Flo. I have narrated one of my most embarrassing moments, brought on by Aunty Flo, here. And there are more, but I won't gore you with one of those.
But what about the first time I had to go to a doctor about a vaginal itch? It was during my service year, and my first experience of what turned out to be candida. I bore it for a couple of days, sneaked some over the counter anti-biotics telling my aunt whom I lived with that I had a boil and that was why I had to sit perched on just one side of my butt.
After two days, the itch only got worse! Luckily, I was serving with the ministry of health in Abuja back then, and we had a free medical service that was in the same building as my office at the federal secretariat. I made a same day appointment and after waiting in a short queue, went in to see the doctor. It turned out to be a man and he decided he needed to see if there were any rashes before making any further diagnosis.
That was the first time a man saw my kini and it has to be toilet disease. Plus he was asking me questions like, are you sexually active, and when I said no, are you sure? Just kill me then. I survived it though. He sent me to the lab to have a culture, gave me something to ease the itch. I went back a couple of days later for his final diagnosis and prescription and still couldn't meet his eyes.
I'm tougher now after several pap smear appointments starting from the NHS in the UK and them my IVF cycles last year. But each time I have to open my legs for a man that is not my husband, there is still that little embarrassment.
What about you, what's your most embarrassing moment?
hmmm.... when I was schooling in nigeria..That day I was on my period,so after school hours, I entered a bus with some of my classmates, I alighted from the bus when I got to my hostel...a lady ran after me and said a guy in the bus told her to me ''TELL THAT BABE SAY SHE DEY UNDER''.meaning I was stained.....Unfortunately,the guy happens to be my classmate...I felt awkward whenever I saw him in school...lol,,
ReplyDeleteHahaha...we women are all the same o. I remember the first time I went for a cervical pap smear in the UK, a 22years old virgin. Men, that place locked up o, and it was even a woman sef, hehhe, she so laughed at me eh? I was scared when I was about to get married some years later, but no wahala with hubby thank God. After one baby, am now baba olowo.
ReplyDeleteShould I share? Well, it's kinda silly. I was one of those that fell down on stage during my graduation. The only good thing? It was after I collected my diploma, so I quickly got off there!
ReplyDeletePap smears are a nightmare for me. The nurses almost give up. I suddenly develop rock hard vaginal muscles that just wont budge.
ReplyDeleteToilet infections used to plague me in boarding school. There was just no one to tell. It just kept coming and going.