It was an afternoon appointment, which I dread. I like doing them early morning. I really didn’t know what to expect.

Walked in to the waiting room where two or three others were waiting and went to the desk to check in. I gave them an insurance card, copay, and was handed a clip board. I filled out the typical information of history, any conditions, lifestyle habits including alcohol use, tobacco use, sexual activity.

It wasn’t long before I was called back by an assistant and asked to step on the scale which was in the hallway then taken to an exam room where she asked some mental health screening questions and went through my paperwork. Next she asked me to remove my sweatshirt so she could get a blood pressure, a pulse ox was placed on my finger and a thermometer swiped across my forehead. After vitals were complete she asked me if I could provide a urine sample, to which I could. ( I’d been holding it for a while not knowing if they’d need one or not.) Before exiting to the restroom she opened a cabinet and set a gown on the chair and told me after I returned from the restroom to please remove everything and put the gown on. She did add at the end I could leave my socks and underwear on for the time being.

Then it was off to the restroom, she guided me to it and stepped in the room and retrieved a sample cup from a drawer and wrote my name on it. I was handed a wipe and told to wipe my penis before urinating and that the sample should be caught after I start peeing. She showed me on the cup where I needed to fill it to and once finished I could place it in the door in the wall. She stepped out and closed the door and I did as instructed. Wiped the tip of my penis, started to pee then filled the cup to the mark shown. I put the sample into the door and returned to the room where I undressed, I decided to leave my boxer briefs on for the moment. Knowing this exam would be different and they would likely be coming down or off at some point. I put the gown on and sat back on the table and waited.