The Gandalf Downstairs: Part One

I’m a pretty anxious, tired and stubborn young woman at the best of times. That said, I am privileged, educated, employed and supported by family, friends as well as (more or less) the health system.

Somehow, it still took me months to actually take myself to get a pap smear done. Supposedly, you should get your first at 21 making me approximately 3 years late. I did all the usual ‘adulting’ beforehand – checked my work calendar, found out if I needed an appointment at the clinic I was planning on going to, took the day off work and made it happen.

It was early. Just on the nose of 8am. I’d not had to get up to go to work, but there I was – at the Women’s Wellness Clinic first thing Monday morning.

There were 2 other women there. The first one had gotten there before me and the second had just arrived after I had. Woman number one was leaning on the nurses’ counter, chatting about what services she was looking for, I imagine. Woman number two hung around outside for a bit before coming in and picking up a number. I spent some time looking around from my rickety plastic seat.

Amongst the stapled pamphlets and pink ribbons, there was a plain sign printed on A4 and pinned to the notice board - ‘Pap smears 8am to 12pm, Monday to Friday’. I contemplated taking a picture and sending it to everyone on Viber just so they knew – but before I could decide whether to whip out my phone or not, another nurse had emerged and called me over.

(Part Two: http://commaopinionated.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-gandalf-downstairs-part-two.html)