Oh boy...

Apologies to my male readers... if you are faint of heart, this next story may not be for you. For my female readers in the US... this one is for you!

Today was the day that every woman in the US dreads each year... the "annual exam". (which, by the way, they usually only do once every 5 years here - WTF??) Anyways, I thought that since I'm here, and I don't really want to spend any of my precious time back in the states at the gynocologist's office, I'd just take care of this in Amsterdam. Wow... hindsight is always 20-20, isn't it?

So, I call this morning, and, miracle of miracles, they can get me in TODAY! Yippy! My doctor is literally across the street from me (love city living!), so I walked on over there and checked in. Turns out I wasn't really meeting with my doctor, but with the intern. I'm thinking, "Hey, no big deal, she's been trained, and she's just one step away from becoming a doctor". Um, hmm... maybe the intern program is different here, but this chick has a LONG way to go... here is how it went:

1. You know how the doctor always leaves the room while you change into your gown in the US? Well, for one, the doctor does not leave, and, for two, there IS no gown. Yippy for laying naked on the table.
2. Intern maybe missed anatomy class. For all that she poked and prodded me, she could not find my cervix (again, sorry gents). EVEN after putting a large spot light over "the area". HA! She informed me that she needed to go and get her supervisor.
3. Supervisor (my real doctor) comes in. Mind you, I'm still lying NAKED on the table. Nothing like a first impression. At this point, I'm starting to giggle to myself about how absurd this whole thing is. I shake the man's hand, but feel that this is a bit unnecessary, considering the current naked situation.
4. The doctor immediately finds my cervix, announcing, "I FOUND IT!". Well, congratulations! I believe that is your JOB... but okay.
5. Not sure what the hell he did to me, but it's now been about 6 hours, and I am still bleeding. Lovely, just lovely.

So, the next time you are thinking with dread of your next annual exam, just know it could be worse - you could be having it in the Netherlands.

Hope you ladies got a chuckle out of this!!