Go Get a Pelvic Exam

I was listening to a radio show today called White Coat, Black Art. It covers a lot of really interesting aspects of health care that the end users, us, rarely think about. It's a Canadian show but I'm betting most of the issues are applicable to US listeners as well and I heartily recommend you subscribe to their podcast. The one I listened to today was about pelvic exams:

The sound of the running water. The metallic speculum bills tapping against one another. Suddenly, you feel your sock-covered feet in the stirrups. Well, at least half of you know what we're talking about. Today, on White Coat Black Art... the perils and the puzzles of the pelvic exam.

It's a good one and had me in stitches for much of the show. Besides, haven't you always wanted to know where the oldest speculum in history was discovered and hear the term, "satanic vagina"?

Anyhow, it got me thinking about a post Andrea wrote a little while ago:

If it has been more than a year since your last checkup, do me a favor. Tomorrow morning, instead of checking in my blog or surfing a few sites or even buying a bunch of daffodils to raise money to cure cancer, pick up the phone. Call your doctor and make an appointment. Yeah, it’s a hassle, I know. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for your family. Do it for me.

 Andrea's right. Go get it done. It's not a big deal and should be an essential part of every woman's health regimen. Listen to the show first though. The story about the flying speculum is priceless.