Bend over……….

I had a humiliating experience the other day, and I think that although I can laugh about it now, not many people would be very happy with what happened.

I am a fairly strong person when it comes to showing body parts, and most IBD-ers know what it is like to have their lower body on show to GPs, consultants and the like.

I had an appointment with the plastic surgeon to discuss where he will take muscle from to fill the dead space where the perineal sinus is. All was well, he had a look and we discussed options, then the fun part begins. ” Before you go I would like a photograph of the wound, if you nip along the corridor there is the medical photography dept, take this form with you”.

Me and mum went there to find the chap was out the office just for another five minutes. We waited and he arrived, firstly I was slightly shocked that he wasn’t in a white coat or medical looking at all. I went along with it though and turned down a chaperone thinking that inside the room there would be a clinic setting with a clinic bed and blanket to cover bits that didn’t need to be in the shot.

How wrong I was, inside was a fairly large photography studio exactly like any other, those umbrella things and bold lighting, with a black large cloth at the back. NO BED, just a couple of stools/chairs. He studied the form and said ” Not sure how we are going to do this”.

” Maybe stand on that cross” I felt a bit like a deer in headlights, not sure who was more embarrassed.

I had to stand in the middle of it all, drop my jeans and pants ( take out my dressing from between my cheeks ) bend over and open my cheeks with my hands………. I know……… I was pretty mortified. To top if off he bent down with his camera to take the shots. ” Just a couple more”. It felt like a porn shoot.

Now I may jest telling the story, but OMG. I can’t be the only one who has a wound in a dodgy place can I? it was as if he had never come across this situation before. I didn’t dare say no because my plastic surgeon had requested it and I didn’t want to delay surgery.

Would you have done it to??Or maybe you already have? I didn’t even know there was such a dept in the hospital.